(1)  A bill must include or be accompanied by a written statement setting out –

(a) the following avenues that are open to the client in the event of a dispute in relation to legal costs:

(i) requesting an itemised bill under section 316 ;

(ii) applying for a costs assessment under Division 7 ;

(iii) applying for the setting aside of a costs agreement under section 312 ;

(iv) making a complaint under Chapter 4 ; and

(b) any time limits that apply to the taking of any action referred to in paragraph (a) .

Note. These matters will already have been disclosed under section 291 (Disclosure of costs to clients).

(2)  Subsection (1) does not apply in relation to a sophisticated client.

(3)  A law practice is taken to have complied with the requirement to provide the written statement referred to in subsection (1) if it provides a written statement in or to the effect of a form prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this subsection.

(4)  A form prescribed for the purposes of subsection (3) may, instead of itself containing details of the kind referred to in that subsection, refer to publicly accessible sources of information (such as an internet website) from which those details can be obtained.

(5)  The regulations may –

(a) require the Board in consultation with the Law Society to develop a statement of the relevant details and to revise it as necessary to keep it up to date; and

(b) require the Law Society to make the statement publicly available in the prescribed manner.