Legal fees questions

nicos42

Hi i had to change solicitors and new conveyancing team received the searches from previoys team dated a month ago. Now the new solicitor is trying to charge me searches again. They are doing an extra search environmental but that only costs £40 not 150.

Also they are trying to charge me lenders conveyancing fee £125 but i ve been trough mortgage offer with care and Halifax is not charging that as I already paid a large mortgage fee.

I m a first time buyer and not having much luck with solicitors.

Can i argue this fees post completion?

And they say registration with land registry is 270 but they can do it online for 135 i checked.

G_M

1) your new solicitor is protecting both your, and you mortgage lender's best interests. The previous searches are
a) not up to date and
b) done by a 3rd party
so he is re-dong them. You cannot 'argue the fees post completion'. Tht's one of the downsides of switching.

2) you paid Halifax a mortgage application fee to cover Halifax's internal costs. That does not include their 3rd party legal fees (unless the product you are getting from them specifically includes legal fees).

So yes, you will need to pay the solictor for both your own legal costs, and the Halifax's.

When selecting this solicitor, you should have received a quotation of their fees which would specify this.

3) £270 is the standard fee. I agree it is surprising they are not using the online system which costs £135 - ask them why? Are they a new, or small, firm?

nicos42

Thanks GM
The is an establish firm. But the searches are really up to date and is not the other solicitor they only ordered them they only been created on 22 of November. I only instructed the new solicitor on the 4th of December so I know it cost them nothing and used the searches ordered by the other solicitor.
I switched because i want a quick completion. I know it seem like pennies but hate to pay twice.
I ll ask clarification on the fees now. They told me that they specify 270 in case they cant use the online system but i know for a fact that the house i m buying can be registered online.

Thrugelmir

nicos42 wrote: »

I ll ask clarification on the fees now. They told me that they specify 270 in case they cant use the online system but i know for a fact that the house i m buying can be registered online.

Don't you trust your solicitor to charge you correctly? Solicitors are required to handle client funds under very strict accounting rules and regulations. There's no possibility for billing for one service and using another. A solicitor isn't going to throw away years of training and future livelihood for £135.

Why did you change solicitor?

G_M

Can we clarify where you are getting these fees from? Are these
* in their quotation, or
* in their final account?

Their quote may list the 'worst case', and thus include searches (which may or may not be undertaen), and standard LR fee. But if, as you say, they re-use the earlier searces, and use the online LR process, then I anticipate their final acccount will reflect that.

If however you have received their final account, and been charged for new searches, and know they used the earlier ones, then yes, of course you query that.

steampowered

Please understand that the solicitor is not just acting for you. They are also acting for Halifax.

The bank will have a standard set of searches which it requires panel solicitors to undertake each time the bank instructs them.

You will have to pay for the work which solicitor does on behalf of Halifax. This is not included in your mortgage fee. It also means that searches etc. are mandatory.