Solicitor/phone calls/email/costs question

aliasojo

Does it cost every time you contact a solicitor?

Just curious really. My aunt's estate is being dealt with just now, my sister is the main person dealing with it and is the person who speaks to the solicitor if and when required.

I received a letter from the solicitor asking me to confirm address details. I replied by email.

I then emailed a week or so later requesting that all communication be by email rather than by post if at all possible and received a reply from the solicitor confirming she was happy to do this.

Would such communication (initial letter asking for address confimation) and emails be charged for?

I have a couple of non urgent 'by the by' queries I might like to ask the solicitor but not if an email reply will cost. I dont know how often my sister gets in touch and I was just sitting thinking that if we all got in touch with the solicitor at different times with different questions, and each reply was charged for, it would soon mount up.

Not sure how these things work tbh.

vaio

Others might be different but ours bills in 6 min increments so if they answer a call or send an email the clock is running.

The billing software will generate a print out which we get a copy of at the end of every case and which shows exactly who did what, when and what it cost.

googler

They should have got you or whoever has hired them to sign a "terms of engagement" which should specify their rates for activities such as these.

Or they should have agreed a fixed fee.

Whichever, whoever hired them shouldn't have done so without at least some idea of what they'll charge.

aliasojo

vaio wrote: »

The billing software will generate a print out which we get a copy of at the end of every case and which shows exactly who did what, when and what it cost.

Useful to know, thanks.

googler wrote: »

They should have got you or whoever has hired them to sign a "terms of engagement" which should specify their rates for activities such as these.

Or they should have agreed a fixed fee.

Whichever, whoever hired them shouldn't have done so without at least some idea of what they'll charge.

I have no doubt my sister will have queried things at the time, but for personal reasons I don't wish to chat about this to her.

KateLiana27

Call (the secretary, not the solicitor!) and ask. Some charge, most don't.

Personally I would never hire a professional who charged for each email and phone call. They should want to provide a good service, and a reasonable amount of communication is part of that.