Solicitor trying to charge more money after sale

johntaylor1980

Hi,

I recently completed on a house purchase, all paid up then the solicitors contacts me last week saying the land registry fee is a transfer of part so are demanding an extra £135. Any advice on how I should deal with this?

davidmcn

You should send them the £135 so they can register your title.

Slithery

If the solicitor is correct then you need to pay them.

johntaylor1980

Can a solicitor refuse to register the title if I don't pay? I don't want to be awkward but the solicitors have been useless throughout and this seems like the final kick in.

davidmcn

johntaylor1980 wrote: »

Can a solicitor refuse to register the title if I don't pay?

Yes, of course they can. They're talking about the Land Registry fee, which you'd have to pay even if you weren't using a solicitor. Just pay it. If you think they warrant a complaint for otherwise being useless then make a complaint.

Davesnave

Your title is wrong. The solicitor isn't 'trying to charge more money;' they're just passing on an expense incurred in the registration process.

debsy42

We had the exact same thing happen when we bought our house, we received an email from our solicitor requesting an extra £135 for the Land Registry fee.

When I queried this with our solicitor they reviewed the charge and said that the Land Registry had made the error and that the original fee of £135 was correct (Something along the lines of a discount should have been applied but wasn't)

We received an apology from our solicitors for their error and heard no more.

Definitely query this first before stumping up any cash

johntaylor1980

Thanks for the advice. What I don’t get is the part transfer? We have bought all the property as a freehold.

G_M

johntaylor1980 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. What I don’t get is the part transfer? We have bought all the property as a freehold.

Then query the charge.

As others ave said, if it genuinely reflects the relevant Land Registry fee involved, then either pay the solicitor, or register the Title yourself (which will involve pying the fee!).

But if the solicitor has made an error, then query it.

If you want more detailed advice as to the appropriateness of the fee, you'll ned to give us fuller information

* exactly what you have bought and
* exactly how the fee is described.

charlie792

johntaylor1980 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. What I don’t get is the part transfer? We have bought all the property as a freehold.

Whilst you may be buying the whole feeehold it is possible the property is being transferred out of a larger title, i.e. A new build, or the seller is only selling part of the land they own to you.
I am surprised however this was not explained to you and you should have been given a TP1 (as opposed to a TR1) for signature which sets out exactly what you are buying.

If a transfer of part then registration at Land Registry cannot be done electronically and therefore a higher fee is payable - £270 non electronic or £135 electronically (assuming the value of the property based on the fee quoted)

Margot123

Go back through the initial letter of engagement from your solicitor. This should mention 'disbursements', and that includes such things as Land Registry fees as being at additional cost.

My solicitor detailed this charge (property not electronically registered) before me even contracting them to do the work. Some do, some don't.