Conveyancing quote question

ray123

I would really appreciate if somebody could confirm whether it's standard for a solicitor to provide a quote for professional fees but then place a clause in the t & c stating:

'Our charges will be calculated mainly by reference to the time actually spent by the solicitors on any work which they perform on your behalf.'

My impression is that this firm is actually charging customers on an hourly basis? Is this correct?

Also, is this a standard term which all conveyancers use?

mail2z

I had a fixed quote when was looking for solicitors. Choose a firm that provide fixed quotes.

Most solicitors provide an addendum of charges which are apart from the fixed quote to make the fixed quote look attractive. But, I think this is the way which they operate.

Trying choosing a solicitor that you are happy working with rather than just going by the fees, you may find it is worth the money as they are the only people who are supposed to be working for you.

Good luck.

Richard_Webster

The reference to time costing could be back-protection.

I never gave completely fixed quotes. I said they were estimates, but that in 98% of the cases they would be kept to unless we had to do additional work well beyond the normal range of swings and roundabouts for a sale or purchase.

If I took every opportunity to think of an "excuse" to increase the figure or to add extras in to the final bill that I could have told the client about t at the beginning nobody would ever recommend me or come back to me- but I had to say to clients that equally I had to protect my back in a minority of cases where there genuinely was a lot of extra work involved. Most people understand that.