Outrageous Solicitors fees

irrelevant

Hi All.

I'm joint owner on a property along with my ex-wife, who is still living in it. It was ordered by the divorce courts to be sold in April last year. She instructed estate agents and got her own solicitors to handle the sale. I didn't have any say in it, and indeed didn't even find out who was dealing with it until after she'd accepted an offer, despite trying to talk to her about it for some time. Only by appointing my own solicitors have I been able to get any information at all out of them.

For various reasons, including a total lack of co-operation from her, it's taken until now to get a sale to the exchange contracts stage, and this at substantially less than the house was worth last year. Her solicitors are now saying that their part of selling the house is going to cost a whopping £2,300, of which I'm liable for (about) half. And they don't want to allow exchange of contracts until I agree to it.

I've stated that I need to see a full breakdown, but I'm a little unhappy that I'm effectively being held to ransom over a bill that I didn't agree to. I had no input on choice of solicitors, never saw a quote or fee scale, and have had no communications from them, or even any indication that there was "excessive work" involved in the sale.

So.. since I never signed anything with them, can they really hold me to half their fees? I've no objection to paying half of a reasonable amount, and other quotes I've had for sellling have been in the range £450-750, but this is ridiculous.

Thanks for any advice...

clutton_2

£450 would be the basic solicitors time package for a bog-standard sale - on top of that would be disbursements and any additional works - eg leasehold enquiries, or an exceptionally large amount of correspondence which is often the case with divorce sales.

i really think that if you argue the toss about these costs you will end up paying more in the long run as sols charge £180 an hour these days

i expect this sticks in your throat, but, just bite the bullet, pay up and move on.

best wishes

PasturesNew

I was going to say what clutton said.

zappahey

irrelevant wrote: »

For various reasons, including a total lack of co-operation from her, it's taken until now to get a sale to the exchange contracts stage,

That's probably the key point right there and I would suggest that your argument is more likely to be with your ex rather than the solicitor. You might be better to just bite the bullet and get the sale completed rather than end up cutting your nose off.

irrelevant

Thanks for the replies. I rather guessed that there would be little point throwing more money at arguing about it, but at least if they let me have the breakdown I'll know for sure who's to blame...

I just want an end to the whole thing now ...

Alan_M_2

You may have no choice about paying, but you have a moral right (not sure about legal though) to have a breakdown of a bill which you're obliged to pay.

I use solicitors regularly (through business), I occasionally have to deal with solicitors other than my own for contracts etc, often they will over charge or bill unreasonable amounts. If I feel it's unreasonable I will suggest we take the account to the law society, in almost every case the accounts are reduced to what I consider a reasonable amount.

I do expect to pay for solicitors, I'm not trying to obtain something for nothing but I have on occasion, been charged excessive amounts of money for little work. Only in these situations do I object to the bill.

Find out what you're being charged for and make sure it's reasonable, that's all you can do.

AMILLIONDOLLARS

I'd definately insist on a breakdown. Could be you are being charged for your ex buying another property hence the £2,300 you never know!!

AMD

PS. If they refuse to give you a breakdown, say you'll make a complaint to the Law Society, that should get a rocket under them.

poppysarah

Almost certainly some blame has to be accepted for not insisting on quotes first - and perhaps having indy solicitors.

Do divorce solic also do conveyancing?

terryw

Firstly here is a link to another MSE thread which may be of some help.http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=7355

Your bill looks to be very high. It may be that some of the work that your wife has instructed the solicitor to do is included in this. If this is the case it looks to be very wrong........almost conspiracy to obtain a pecuniary advantage!. But I have no idea what you can do about it. It might be worth a complaint to the Law Society but I doubt it as this is just the solicitors trade union.

In any case, I would be inclined to
1. Send a letter to the solicitors involved asking for a breakdown (proof of posting etc)
and

2. Obtain a written quotation from another firm of solicitors which might be proof of a more sensible figure.

and

3. Ask for an itemised breakdown when the work has been done if 1.above is not forthcoming so that bill may be queried then if necessary

bw anyway

terryw