solicitor fee after receiving ppi refund

jayneg1209

Hi,
In about February 2010 I contacted a solicitor about getting a PPI refund on my credit card. They informed me of the no win no fee policy which was fine by me.

On May 18th 2010 I was successful an received a settlement which was refunded to my credit card after I received a letter from the credit card company.

I heard nothing more from the solicitors until 10th September 2013 saying that they were chasing up old claims and that we now need to pay our fee of £532.26 for them being successful in our claim. They said there had been a mix up back in 2010 when they never received a copy of the letter from the credit card company saying they had refunded us so therefore never took their fee.

I was under the impression that when I was refunded they took their fee as I never heard from them about collecting it. Are they in the right by now asking for their fee after 3 years and 4 months later or have they left it too late.

I am willing to pay them if they are legally allowed to ask after such a long time.

comeandgo

They have not left it too late and they are legally allowed to ask - and to receive their money.

dunstonh

In about February 2010 I contacted a solicitor about getting a PPI refund on my credit card.

Are you sure it is a solicitor? Most Solicitors have avoided the PPI issue. It is mainly claims companies that get involved.

I was under the impression that when I was refunded they took their fee as I never heard from them about collecting it.

No. That is never the case. The lender repays to you and you pay the fee to the claims company.

Are they in the right by now asking for their fee after 3 years and 4 months later or have they left it too late.

No. They are still within time.

Clitheroekid

Although they are legally entitled to pursue their fees (they have 6 years within which to do so) you are entitled to complain about the delay and request a discount.

I would recommend writing to them and saying that it was part of their job to monitor progress of the claim, and that they should therefore have realised that it had been settled over 3 years ago.

Point out that you have long since spent the refund, that in view of the lack of communication from them you assumed that they had been paid, and that you have not reserved any cash to pay their fees.

Say that you consider they are in breach of their duty of care to you and that you wish them to treat your letter / email as a formal complaint, to be dealt with if necessary by the Legal Ombudsman, but that without prejudice you are prepared to offer them £250 in full and final settlement.

magpiecottage

Clitheroekid wrote: »

a formal complaint, to be dealt with if necessary by the Legal Ombudsman

Sadly the promise that the Legal Ombudsman would gain jurisdiction over ambulance chasers has turned out to be so much hot air.

However, if it is a real Solicitor you are in with a shout.

Alpine_Star

jayneg1209 wrote: »

Hi,
In about February 2010 I contacted a solicitor about getting a PPI refund on my credit card. They informed me of the no win no fee policy which was fine by me.

On May 18th 2010 I was successful an received a settlement which was refunded to my credit card after I received a letter from the credit card company.

I heard nothing more from the solicitors until 10th September 2013 saying that they were chasing up old claims and that we now need to pay our fee of £532.26 for them being successful in our claim. They said there had been a mix up back in 2010 when they never received a copy of the letter from the credit card company saying they had refunded us so therefore never took their fee.

I was under the impression that when I was refunded they took their fee as I never heard from them about collecting it. Are they in the right by now asking for their fee after 3 years and 4 months later or have they left it too late.

I am willing to pay them if they are legally allowed to ask after such a long time.

If it was a solicitors firm the refund would have gone via them.
Notwithstanding most solicitors who handle PPI claims do so under a CFA agreement meaning they don't charge you fees on successful claims.

Who are the solicitors?