Solicitor complaint procedure divorce deducted 'bill' before challenge

s2016

I have a letter from solicitor stating while they deducted, I am still able to challenge. That is a small bit of progress today.

paddyrg

NS&I for large savings https://www.moneysupermarket.com/savings/nsandi-guide/

One of the main reasons for NS&I’s popularity is that it is backed by the government, which provides savers with peace of mind that 100% of their money is protected.

Savings held with other providers are protected up to a maximum of £85,000 (as of January 2017) per person (and per banking institution) thanks to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), whereas with NS&I there is no upper limit.

steampowered

You still haven't explained what the problem is with your solicitor's invoice?

If you have an issue with your solicitor's invoice, the first thing you need to do is to send your solicitors a letter or an email concisely explaining what you think is wrong with their invoice.

agrinnall

s2016 wrote: »

I will look at this - thanks for posting - very kind of you. However my bank said each indivdual bank was only covered up to £85k. So any more than that, you would need to place any monies over that amount to another bank/ building society in order to keep it protected. I will read and post more on this aspect.

Well, your bank (or at least, the person you spoke to) is wrong, as my link clearly shows. Don't assume that bank staff at the bottom of the ladder are fully clued up on every aspect of banking law and regulation, because they aren't.

LadyDee

Is this of any help OP? https://www.gov.uk/challenge-solicitors-bill/overview

elsien

I'm struggling to understand how you had legal aid but have still ended up with a large bill. Or have I misunderstood your post?
If you're planning to complain, you do need to explain the situation more clearly than you have on here.

LadyDee

elsien wrote: »

I'm struggling to understand how you had legal aid but have still ended up with a large bill. Or have I misunderstood your post?
If you're planning to complain, you do need to explain the situation more clearly than you have on here.

I agree, Solicitors' costs are strictly limited when billing a Legal Aid matter, and if I recall from my days working in legal offices (many years ago), such a bill would have to be submitted to the Court for approval - a process called "taxation" I think. Every single item, every piece of paper, every telephone call has to be accounted for and costed according to strict charging rules.

Bossyboots

Are you sure the bill has been prepared? What you would normally expect is for the solicitors to approximate their bill using their time recording system. They can then give an undertaking to the Legal Aid Agency to limit their costs to that sum. On that basis the LAA will permit them to release to the client all funds above that amount. Otherwise, you would have to wait until the bill was taxed at court and a final figure established. If the costs in fact come to less than the £28k you will be refunded the balance. This reduction can come from either their agreement to reduce them, their costs coming out lower in their bill than expected, the Court disallowing some items or your appeal against the costs. As you have a financial interest in the outcome of their bill, a copy HAS to be sent to you. You can object to items at that stage in the hope that the solicitors will agree and reduce elements then.

Based on what you have said, it doesn't sound as thought the bill has actually been processed yet, just an amount sent to the LAA as the solicitors are obliged to do as part of their contract. Without agreeing to limit their costs, they would have to have sent the whole amount, rather than being able to provide you with a lump sum now.

s2016

Hi LadyDee, thanks for that - yes it is helpful. CAB gave me same link so will look into it too

s2016

Hi Bossyboots and everyone. Yes they have sent me a final bill. They have also charged £200 + VAT for the bill which I don't feel is fair. They have given a bill that says things like '100 emails' and '50 phonecalls' (not the real numbers I am just giving figures here but they are not far off) but failed to say what the emails are they are charging for.