How much does a simple solicitors letter cost?

I'm not sure that there is such thing as a simple solicitor's letter. They would probably want to take your case before sending letters, which may mean a brief fee, consultation fee, etc. I don't think many solicitors would send out a letter without taking instructions as to its contents, and such a letter is usually the first step in the commencement of proceedings. They might also want to give you advice about the merits of your case etc.

The best way to find out is to ring a few of them. You can find most solicitor's contact details here. It might be a good idea to choose a few small firms in your area, ring them up and ask them for a quick quote, what would be involved etc.

If your claim is quite small, you might want to try contact the building company again (by registered post) or speak to someone in the small claims court before engaging a solicitor as the cost of a solicitor could outweigh the benefit.

Hope this helps.

Jo King wrote:

The small claims court has no jurisdiction in a case like this. It can only deal with consumer disputes.

I believe it does. The District Court Rules state that a small claim is:

(1) in relation to a consumer contract
(2) for non personal injuries tort cases where the claimant is not a company
(3) landlord and tenant cases to recover deposits etc from a landlord (which can't be dealt with by the Private Residential Tenancies Board)

I think it can deal with claims up to €2000 and costs €15. You can find more information at Order 53A of the District Court Rules.

The director of consumer affairs website seems to concur.