Uk Immigration Firm’s Repeated Errors And Lies Cost Us £12k+ Over 7 Months?

I’m seeking advice after a UK immigration law firm (SRA-regulated) mishandled my partner’s visa application since August 2024, costing us over £12k across seven months. I filed an SRA complaint today, March 14, 2025, and need guidance on next steps. Some say the Legal Ombudsman caps “service issue” awards at a few hundred pounds, but we have proof of their lies, not just poor service.

Timeline:

• August 2024: Approached them for a spouse visa, explaining my business lacked two years of tax returns. They confirmed eligibility, took £2k upfront (Saturday payment), and promised a solicitor. Within 45 minutes, their assistant said we didn’t qualify—exactly what I’d warned. No refund, no solicitor; we got the assistant instead.
• October 2024: They shifted us to a Global Talent Visa (cybersecurity). Applied October 4 with two reference letters, per their advice. October 28, they demanded a third, citing “increased scrutiny.” Tech Nation always required three—they were wrong.
• December 2024: First application withdrawn. They blamed a “system failure,” but UKVI later said no documents were uploaded—not a single file. Resubmitted December 10 with a third letter, losing a month.
• January 2025: After 15 weeks, no update. They claimed we were in a “priority queue” and approval was near. Based on this, we stayed in Airbnbs (£2000+/month), instead of relocating abroad. They admitted filing under the assistant’s name, not my partner’s—uncorrected for months. January 27, they said “it’s in the queue” but gave no timeline despite my asking about escalating costs.
• February 2025: Found forum posts of similar visas approved in 10-21 days. Asked why ours (121 days) wasn’t fast-tracked; no reply. February 11, they restarted it, citing “errors,” misspelled my partner’s name to UKVI, and claimed all docs, including translations of French qualifications, were “uploaded perfectly.” February 13, I filed a formal complaint after 22 follow-ups and 15 vague apologies—only got an acknowledgment.
• March 2025: March 10, UKVI emailed: rejected February 11-12. No translations (French docs sent raw despite their claim), wrong category (“Exceptional Promise” vs. “Exceptional Talent”), labeled my partner an “Innovative Founder” (never discussed), and no personal statement (mandatory, but they never asked). They didn’t tell us—we found out via UKVI. They’ve ignored my complaint and March 10 follow-up.

Their Lies on Record:

1. Translations: February 11 email: “All documents, including translations, uploaded perfectly.” UKVI: received untranslated French docs, calling it “incomprehensible.”
2. Rejection Hidden: Never informed us of the February rejection, even after my February 13 email about ongoing Airbnb costs. We discovered it through UKVI.
3. Priority Queue: January claims like “priority queue” and “close to approval” convinced us to keep spending on Airbnbs, but no proof they prioritized anything—others were approved faster.

Impact: Over £12k lost—£2k fees, £500 visa fee, £10k+ on Airbnb and flights (every 30-60 days to comply with visa rules). We made these choices based on their “priority queue” and “uploaded perfectly” assurances, expecting a quick resolution. Had they told us the truth—about the spouse visa ineligibility, document failures, or rejection—we’d have made different life decisions, like moving abroad to family, avoiding this financial and emotional mess. Stress worsened a health condition, requiring antibiotics (documented). My partner can’t work or settle.

SRA Complaint: Filed today, alleging:

• Incompetence (Principle 7): Wrong advice, no uploads, multiple restarts.
• Dishonesty (Principle 2): Lies about translations, concealing rejection.
• Poor client care (Paragraphs 4.1-4.3): No solicitor, ignored emails, no transparency.
• Misrepresentation (Paragraph 1.4): False eligibility and progress claims. Plus breach of contract and negligence. Evidence: emails, UKVI feedback, complaint, medical records. Requested investigation and full compensation.

Questions:

1. How strong is my SRA case with proof of dishonesty, beyond just “service issues”?
2. Ombudsman caps at a few hundred for service failures—does their lying (translations, rejection cover-up) justify more? Is litigation better for £12k+?
3. Anyone dealt with similar UK immigration firm problems—SRA or otherwise?

Their deceit shaped our choices; we’d have lived differently with the truth. Advice on pursuing this appreciated.