Solicitors fees

Orionpam

Please can anybody advise me. I am executor, along with the solicitor to a Will - the total amount is just below £60,000. I was going to do all the work myself but the solicitor said that wouldn't be possible. I did however contact all the insurance companies, banks etc and set the whole thing in motion. I then had to hand it over to the solicitor. Now she wants to charge me between 3k and 3.5k plus VAT and disbursements saying her charges are £175 per hour. At the very least this means she would have to have spent 20 hours on the case - this would absolutely not be the case, even including lunch breaks and tea breaks. What should I do?:eek:

Emmzi

If there are multiple beneficiaries, I'd let the solicitor deal with it to avoid problems amongst them at a later date. I know it costs money, but I've seen wills turn VERY nasty.

However I would feel free to query the charges and ask for a breakdown of why it costs 3k.

bargainbetty

Hi Orionpam,

I work for solicitors, and you should ask her if that is a flat fee for all works associated, in which case they should provide you with a written agreement stating that you will not be charged more, or they should provide you with an invoice breaking down the works, dates, time etc for you to review. You can apply to the Law society for a review if you feel you have been overcharged and the solicitor refuses to back down.

It might reach that amount, but you do not have to pay up front, and once the final division of assets has been assessed, the fees should be paid from the estate. You could suggest that the sum of £3,500 is held in an 'escrow' account. This means the solicitor guarantees the fees are there, but it cannot be released without your agreement and sight of an invoice.

It is a lot, but it will be very difficult to settle legal arguments without them. Just make sure that you do not get stuck with the bill personally, as it should be the estate that pays.

Good luck, and remember you can always contact the law society for advice.