Solicitor Fees Timeline

eezipc

Hi all,
Just looking for some feedback please.

I agreed to buy a house earlier this month. Used a solicitor that was recommended to me that lives in the area.
All is fine and I have no complaints but I am wondering about one thing.
I asked the solicitor yesterday when she expects her fees to be paid. Money is a bit tight so I was hoping she would give me about a months lee-way after the sale has gone through.
She told me that she expects to be paid in full two weeks before the keys are handed over.

So my question is: Is it normal to pay the solicitor 2 weeks before the job is done?

Thanks,
Eezipc.

johnnyskeleton

Well the solicitor is entitled to agree whatever terms suit. Kinda like some restaurants want you to pay at the start, others at the end

eezipc

Thanks. Obviously she can charge what she wants and when she wants but I would like to know if that's the norm.

red_owl99

Just settled on a house this month.

Was hoping the same - I really extended myself and was hoping I could pay solicitors fees after settlement.

However, I was told the solicitor would not settle unless their fees were paid upfront before settlement - this despite the fact we have had a long relationship with them.

Eldarion

It's not unreasonable at all for the solicitor to demand payment prior to the key handover. Good relationship or not, people in this country are notorious for over leveraging themselves during house purchases, the solicitors would be chasing every client for months, if not years, on end if they didn't demand their fees prior to handover.

godtabh

red_owl99 wrote: »

Just settled on a house this month.

Was hoping the same - I really extended myself and was hoping I could pay solicitors fees after settlement.

However, I was told the solicitor would not settle unless their fees were paid upfront before settlement - this despite the fact we have had a long relationship with them.

Eldarion wrote: »

It's not unreasonable at all for the solicitor to demand payment prior to the key handover. Good relationship or not, people in this country are notorious for over leveraging themselves during house purchases, the solicitors would be chasing every client for months, if not years, on end if they didn't demand their fees prior to handover.

And it appears people don't learn!

Uno my Uno.

It is entirely usual for Solicitors to insist on payment of their Fees and Stamp duty before completing a purchase and I doubt you will have much luck asking for a month to come up with the fees.

If they didn't not only could the solicitor be caught for the Stamp Duty but as the saying goes, "Eaten bread is soon forgotten."

realdanbreen

eezipc wrote: »

Hi all,
Just looking for some feedback please.

I agreed to buy a house earlier this month. Used a solicitor that was recommended to me that lives in the area.
All is fine and I have no complaints but I am wondering about one thing.
I asked the solicitor yesterday when she expects her fees to be paid. Money is a bit tight so I was hoping she would give me about a months lee-way after the sale has gone through.
She told me that she expects to be paid in full two weeks before the keys are handed over.

So my question is: Is it normal to pay the solicitor 2 weeks before the job is done?

Thanks,
Eezipc.

Did you get a ballpark figure from the solicitor before you hired them?

eezipc

I did get a figure and agreed it was fine. It was €1000 plus vat plus all fees.
That was about 3 weeks ago and I agreed to go ahead.

Also, I never said I over extended myself. I am buying a house from my savings. No mortgage or loan involved. I worked hard saving my money. I will be able to pay the solicitor but I had hoped to pay her after all is signed and sealed.

This is not a discussion about money and the comment from godtabh seems unnecessary and off topic.

All I am asking is if it's normal to pay before all the work has finished.
I don't pay a mechanic before they serviced my car. I would not pay a doctor before they serviced me....

As red_owl99 mentioned above, perhaps it is normal to pay a solicitor before all the work is finished. That's all I'm asking.

Uno my Uno.

eezipc wrote: »

I did get a figure and agreed it was fine. It was €1000 plus vat plus all fees.
That was about 3 weeks ago and I agreed to go ahead.

Also, I never said I over extended myself. I am buying a house from my savings. No mortgage or loan involved. I worked hard saving my money. I will be able to pay the solicitor but I had hoped to pay her after all is signed and sealed.

This is not a discussion about money and the comment from godtabh seems unnecessary and off topic.

All I am asking is if it's normal to pay before all the work has finished.
I don't pay a mechanic before they serviced my car. I would not pay a doctor before they serviced me....

As red_owl99 mentioned above, perhaps it is normal to pay a solicitor before all the work is finished. That's all I'm asking.

When it comes to the purchase of a property It is normal and 99.99% of Solicitors will insist on it no matter how long they have known a client.

realdanbreen

eezipc wrote: »

I did get a figure and agreed it was fine. It was €1000 plus vat plus all fees.
That was about 3 weeks ago and I agreed to go ahead.

Also, I never said I over extended myself. I am buying a house from my savings. No mortgage or loan involved. I worked hard saving my money. I will be able to pay the solicitor but I had hoped to pay her after all is signed and sealed.

This is not a discussion about money and the comment from godtabh seems unnecessary and off topic.

All I am asking is if it's normal to pay before all the work has finished.
I don't pay a mechanic before they serviced my car. I would not pay a doctor before they serviced me....

As red_owl99 mentioned above, perhaps it is normal to pay a solicitor before all the work is finished. That's all I'm asking.

I think you have a very good point and I think you should make that point to the solicitor. I can see why they would want conveyancing fees etc up front but I don't think their own fee should be paid before they have completed everything.