Upfront Solicitor Fees - How Much?

s_glover

We are currently getting a few quotes for conveyancing and have asked how much we would be expected to pay upfront.


For the sales quotes, one quote states £50 upfront and another £250.
Both quote £350 upfront of a purchase to cover searches.


Do these sound reasonable / usual?


Just want to be cautious as we obviously want to minimise being out of pocket if the sale /purchase fall through.

SG27

We paid £350 for sale and purchase.

Edit to add: if the sale falls through you will be charged for the solictors time up to that point which you will need to pay regardless of what you paid up front.

s_glover

The solicitors have given us a breakdown of the % costs which would be due at each stage of the process. This seems reasonable to me.

Rambosmum

Both seem fine to me, just different ways of working. What you want to know is how much the overall is likely to be, and how reliable they are.

G_M

Nothing unusual in those advance payments.


But you do understand that if the sale/purchase falls through, you will be billed for the work done up to that point? (unless of course you've negotiated a 'no sale no fee' contract).


If your advance payment exceeds the billed amount, you'll get a refund.


If your advance payment does not cover the billed amount, you'l be charged the extra.

badger09

As others have said, upfront fees sound reasonable.

I have a fixed fee quote for selling only (a probate property) & have paid the £50 upfront fee requested.

Tom99

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]£250 on account for the sale is high, the only immediate disbursement I was charge for was £6 for the title copy.[/FONT]

bertiewhite

I've been asked to pay £250 up front for disbursements as well (with only £6 actually quoted for these) but this will obviously be knocked off the total quoted of £600+VAT for a sale only.