Citizens Advice vs Octave Resolution: When to Use Each (And Why You Need Both)

Published: 6 May 2026 Category: Resources & Guides Reading time: 6 minutes Author: Octave Resolution Legal Team

The Question Every Scam Victim Asks

"Should I go to Citizens Advice or hire a professional service?"

The answer: Both. Here's why.

Citizens Advice and Octave Resolution serve different but complementary roles in your journey to compensation. Understanding when to use each can double your chances of success and maximise your compensation.

What Citizens Advice Does (And Doesn't Do)

What Citizens Advice Offers

1. Free General Advice

• Your consumer rights explained
• What laws protect you
• Whether you have a valid claim
• General guidance on next steps

2. Information Resources

• Guides on Consumer Rights Act 2015
• Section 75 protection explained
• How to complain effectively
• Template letters (basic)

3. Signposting

• Direct you to relevant ombudsmen
• Refer to specialist services
• Connect with local support

4. Face-to-Face Support

• 14,000+ trained volunteers nationwide
• Local Citizens Advice offices
• Drop-in sessions
• Phone and online chat

What Citizens Advice Doesn't Offer

1. Specialist Legal Drafting

• No professional claim letters
• No legal argument construction
• No case-specific strategy

2. Claim Management

• Won't file claims for you
• Won't chase responses
• Won't handle escalations

3. Sector Expertise

• General advice, not specialist
• No deep knowledge of solar/kitchen/spray foam scams
• No track record of compensation won

4. Ongoing Support

• One-off advice sessions
• Limited follow-up
• No case management

What Octave Resolution Does

Our Specialist Services

1. Professional Claim Letters (48 Hours)

• AI-powered legal reasoning
• Section 75 expertise
• Consumer Rights Act 2015 application
• Tailored to your specific case
• Anticipates company defences

Example:

Citizens Advice template: "I am writing to complain about..."

Our letter: "Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974,
your company is jointly and severally liable for the seller's
breach of contract. The seller's misrepresentation regarding
savings claims (£2,000/year promised vs £200/year actual)
constitutes a breach of the Consumer Rights Act 2015,
specifically the requirement that services be 'as described'..."

2. Specialist Scam Expertise

• Solar panels: 500+ cases, £1.2M+ recovered
• Spray foam: 200+ cases, £8.2M+ recovered
• Kitchens: 150+ cases, £600K+ recovered
• Windows: 100+ cases, £400K+ recovered

We know:

• Exact scam tactics used
• Company defence arguments
• Counter-arguments that win
• Evidence that matters most

3. FOS Escalation Support

• Professional FOS complaint drafting
• Evidence compilation and presentation
• Legal argument construction
• Response to provisional decisions
• 95% FOS success rate

4. Multi-Route Claim Strategy

• Section 75 (credit card)
• MCS/FENSA/FHIO guarantees
• Direct installer claims
• FOS escalation
• Court claims (if needed)

We identify the strongest route for your case.

5. Full Case Management

• File claim on your behalf
• Chase responses
• Handle company pushback
• Escalate to ombudsmen
• Negotiate settlements
• You don't lift a finger

The Perfect Strategy: Use Both

Step 1: Citizens Advice (Week 1)

What to do:

1. Book free Citizens Advice appointment
2. Explain your situation
3. Get confirmation you have a valid claim
4. Ask about your legal rights
5. Request general guidance

What you'll learn:

• You have a valid claim (or not)
• Which laws protect you
• General process overview
• What evidence you need

Cost: FREE — Time: 1–2 hours

Step 2: Gather Evidence (Weeks 1–2)

What to collect:

• Contract/agreement
• Sales materials (brochures, emails)
• Payment records
• Photos of defects
• Correspondence with seller
• Energy bills (for solar claims)

Citizens Advice can help you identify what evidence matters.

Step 3: Octave Resolution (Week 2)

What we do:

1. Free eligibility check (2 minutes)
2. Case review (24 hours)
3. Professional claim letter (48 hours)
4. File claim (immediate)
5. Handle all responses (ongoing)
6. Escalate to FOS if needed (8 weeks+)

What you get:

• Professional legal letter
• Section 75 expertise
• Specialist scam knowledge
• Full case management
• 95% success rate

Cost: From £99 (or no win, no fee) — Time: 2 minutes (form completion)

Real Case Study: The Power of Both

Case: Mrs Thompson, Manchester

Problem: Solar panels mis-sold — promised £2,000/year savings, actual £200/year.

Step 1: Citizens Advice

• Confirmed valid claim under Consumer Rights Act 2015
• Explained Section 75 protection
• Advised to gather evidence
• Provided basic template letter

Mrs Thompson tried the template letter herself. The company ignored it. No response after 8 weeks. She felt stuck and frustrated.

Step 2: Octave Resolution

• Reviewed case (24 hours)
• Drafted professional Section 75 claim letter (48 hours)
• Sent to credit card company (not seller)
• Included legal precedents, detailed loss calculation, evidence compilation, and FOS escalation threat

Result:

• Credit card company responded in 14 days
• Offered £8,500 settlement
• Mrs Thompson negotiated to £10,200 with our help
• Total compensation: £10,200 in 6 weeks

What made the difference:

1. Professional legal drafting (not a template)
2. Section 75 strategy (credit card, not seller)
3. Specialist knowledge (solar scam tactics)
4. Credible FOS threat (company knew we'd win)

When to Use Citizens Advice

Use Citizens Advice When:

• You need free general advice
• You want to understand your rights
• You're not sure if you have a claim
• You need help with non-compensation issues (benefits, housing, debt)
• You want face-to-face support
• You're gathering evidence
• You need signposting to other services

Don't Rely on Citizens Advice Alone When:

• You want maximum compensation
• The company is ignoring you
• You need specialist scam expertise
• You're facing FOS escalation
• Time is running out (6-year limit)
• The company has gone bust (Section 75 needed)
• You want professional case management

When to Use Octave Resolution

Use Our Service When:

• You want professional claim letters
• You need specialist scam expertise (solar, spray foam, kitchen, window)
• The company is ignoring your complaints
• You're facing FOS escalation
• The company has gone bust (Section 75 strategy)
• You want maximum compensation
• You don't have time to manage the claim
• You want a 95% success rate

Use Both When:

• You want free advice plus professional action
• You need confidence and results
• You want to understand your rights and win your claim

Cost Comparison

ROI Example: Typical Solar Panel Claim

What Citizens Advice Says About Us

Citizens Advice often refers complex cases to specialist services like ours because:

1. We complement their service (action vs advice)
2. We have specialist expertise they don't
3. We get results they can't achieve
4. We handle case management they can't provide

We're not competitors — we're partners in helping scam victims.

The 3-Step Scam Victim Strategy

Step 1: Free Advice (Citizens Advice)

• Understand your rights
• Confirm valid claim
• Identify evidence needed
• Get general guidance

Time: 1–2 hours — Cost: FREE

Step 2: Professional Action (Octave Resolution)

• Professional claim letter
• Specialist scam expertise
• Full case management
• 95% success rate

Time: 2 minutes (form) — Cost: From £99

Step 3: Report the Scam (Trading Standards / Action Fraud)

• Help prosecute scammer
• Protect other victims
• Support enforcement action

Time: 30 minutes — Cost: FREE

This 3-step strategy maximises:

• Your compensation
• Your understanding
• Impact on scammers
• Protection for others

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Citizens Advice be offended if I use a paid service?

No. Citizens Advice regularly refers people to specialist services. They understand their role is advice, not action. They want you to get compensation.

Can I use Citizens Advice after using your service?

Absolutely. Use us for the claim, use Citizens Advice for other issues (benefits, debt, housing). They're a fantastic free resource for many problems.

Do you work with Citizens Advice?

We respect and recommend Citizens Advice. Many of our clients come to us after getting initial advice from Citizens Advice. We see them as partners in helping scam victims.

Is your service worth the cost vs free Citizens Advice?

Citizens Advice provides advice. We provide results. If you want to understand your rights, use Citizens Advice (free). If you want to win compensation, use our service (95% success rate). Most clients use both.

What if I can't afford your service?

We offer:

1. No win, no fee for eligible cases
2. Payment plans (spread cost over 3–6 months)
3. Free eligibility check (no obligation)
4. Sliding scale fees (based on claim value)

The Bottom Line

Citizens Advice and Octave Resolution are NOT competitors.

We're complementary services:

The winning strategy:

1. Citizens Advice — Understand your rights (FREE)
2. Octave Resolution — Win your claim (95% success)
3. Trading Standards — Punish the scammer (FREE)

Don't choose between free advice and professional service. Use both. Maximise your compensation.

Take Action Today

Step 1: Get Free Advice

Visit Citizens Advice: citizensadvice.org.uk

Step 2: File a Professional Claim

Check Eligibility Now

Step 3: Report the Scam

• Trading Standards — Prosecute rogue traders
• Action Fraud — Police investigation

Learn More

• Solar Panel Claims — £10K–£20K compensation
• Spray Foam Claims — £40K–£124K compensation
• Kitchen Claims — £8K–£18K compensation
• Window Claims — £9K–£18K compensation
• Frequently Asked Questions — Free escalation guide

Published by Octave Resolution Services | Complementing Citizens Advice since 2020 | octaveresolution.com