Solicitor looking for additional payment 13 months after completion!

Volpat

Our solicitor has the cheek to be asking for an additional payment, which I might add was their error! They have requested £48 for a Charges Search. We feel it’s a cheek to be asking for money 13 months down the line after completing our house purchase. Can anyone advise? It’s more the principle than the cost itself. Thanks 

davidmcn

Well, the principle is that if you were due to pay the money 13 months ago, you're still due to pay it now.

Slithery

If they made a mistake in their billing which has just come to light they have 6 years to reclaim the costs from you. If it had been the other way round and they charged you too much would you now say 'Oh that's alright, you can keep it' or would you expect your money back?

Skiddaw1

It's a bit rich though. Something similar happened to us some years back when we bought our first home together. We were less than impressed especially as the conveyencing service we'd received hadn't been brilliant on many levels despite being pricey. We (politely) pointed this out and refused to pay and they backed down. It wasn't a great deal of money but as with the OP, it was the principle.

teachfast

Standard incompetence.

greatcrested

Not rich at all.

An error was made and is being corrected.

If the error was in reversed you would want it corrected.

Provided the Charges Search was done for you, and was not paid for, you need topay it.

GDB2222

Skiddaw1 said:

It's a bit rich though. Something similar happened to us some years back when we bought our first home together. We were less than impressed especially as the conveyencing service we'd received hadn't been brilliant on many levels despite being pricey. We (politely) pointed this out and refused to pay and they backed down. It wasn't a great deal of money but as with the OP, it was the principle.

There's no principle involved here. Not on your part. You decided not to pay part of your bill, and they couldn't be bothered to sue you. If you had poor service you should have raised that at the time and asked for a reduction in your bill. 

letsbetfair

When similar happened to me, I asked that they waive this as a good will gesture (it isn't good service to send a bill so late), asked about payment terms as I had lots of bills to pay after moving, and asked what their complaints procedure was in case they didn't want to waive this. They waived the charge - I'm guessing in part because dealing with the complaint and working out payment terms would have used more time than it was worth, and in part because they regretted the delay.

GDB2222

letsbetfair said:

When similar happened to me, I asked that they waive this as a good will gesture (it isn't good service to send a bill so late), asked about payment terms as I had lots of bills to pay after moving, and asked what their complaints procedure was in case they didn't want to waive this. They waived the charge - I'm guessing in part because dealing with the complaint and working out payment terms would have used more time than it was worth, and in part because they regretted the delay.

I absolutely accept that you can game the system, so as to avoid paying. What gets me is the people who claim that there's a principle involved, when what they mean is a total lack of scruples.

Thrugelmir

Volpat said:

Our solicitor has the cheek to be asking for an additional payment, which I might add was their error! They have requested £48 for a Charges Search. We feel it’s a cheek to be asking for money 13 months down the line after completing our house purchase. Can anyone advise? It’s more the principle than the cost itself. Thanks 

Solicitors account for clients funds separately to their own. They'll need the money to balance the books. Solicitors are experts when it comes to debt collection. If there was money in your favour they would have had no hesitation in refunding you. 

Definite

Pretty low to try and get out of paying money that you owe.