Unhappy with Legal Fees

RQ2013

Hi All
What options are available to a person if they are unhappy with the level of fees that a solicitor is charging them.

Original engagement letter makes reference to a minimum fee of 1,000 plus Vat plus outlay.... Now solicitor is trying to charge 13,000 stating that case was more complicated then first thought.

I complained and they are willing to knock off 750 but I still think that proposed fee is way off.

Thanks

ABajaninCork

Ask for a complete breakdown of the bill.

RQ2013

Yes I have done that and they're going to send it on - however I can't help feel that they will make the hours fit the bill..

ABajaninCork

I'd make an appointment to see them in person, armed with the bill and tell then to break down the costs - line by line...

wisejohn

before you engage solicitor , make him agree to set fee for so much work, the legal profession are all the same .

MarkAnthony

wisejohn wrote: »

before you engage solicitor , make him agree to set fee for so much work, the legal profession are all the same .

Bastards all! Just like plumbers, builders, electricians, expecting to be paid for the work they do, arseholes!

There's a taxing system in place for the legal profession unlike the professions listed above. Search here, google or wait for someone who has a clue about it unlike me.

rubberdiddies

Do they not have to outline all fees upfront before you engage them these days? Maybe a call to the law society would clarify.

sh1tstirrer

MarkAnthony wrote: »

Bastards all! Just like plumbers, builders, electricians, expecting to be paid for the work they do, arseholes!

There's a taxing system in place for the legal profession unlike the professions listed above. Search here, google or wait for someone who has a clue about it unlike me.

Have you any plumbing job that needs doing we can set the price after the job is done.

Arbiter of Good Taste

RQ2013 wrote: »

Hi All
What options are available to a person if they are unhappy with the level of fees that a solicitor is charging them.

Original engagement letter makes reference to a minimum fee of 1,000 plus Vat plus outlay.... Now solicitor is trying to charge 13,000 stating that case was more complicated then first thought.

I complained and they are willing to knock off 750 but I still think that proposed fee is way off.

Thanks

13,000! Is that correct? If so, that suggests there was a hell of a lot of work done. Did you not expect a fee higher than €1,000.

Also there is a difference in giving a fee quote and advising a "minimum". All a minimum means is that you should have expected your bill to be at least 1,000 and possibly more. Although in fairness the solicitor should have warned you that the fees were building up to that extent.

MarkAnthony

sh1tstirrer wrote: »

Have you any plumbing job that needs doing we can set the price after the job is done.

Every plumber I've ever used has done exactly that, came out, quoted, got underway, suggested that extra work needed doing and I settled up with them at the end.

If he told me is was going to be there for 2 days and had said nothing on day 68 I might have asked him if this was gonna cost extra.

Arbiter of Good Taste

sh1tstirrer wrote: »

Have you any plumbing job that needs doing we can set the price after the job is done.

Actually only last week I had to pay a plumber more than originally qouted as the job was more complicated than he had expected. Didn't see a problem, as people are entitled to be paid for their time and expertise.

RQ2013

Arbiter of Good Taste wrote: »

13,000! Is that correct? If so, that suggests there was a hell of a lot of work done. Did you not expect a fee higher than €1,000.

Also there is a difference in giving a fee quote and advising a "minimum". All a minimum means is that you should have expected your bill to be at least 1,000 and possibly more. Although in fairness the solicitor should have warned you that the fees were building up to that extent.

I did expect a higher fee... My first meeting my solictor advised 2-3k fee and even allowing additional work undertaking I would have expected maybe double that max... I just feel now that they are trying to take the p*ss.

I have requested a breakdown and I will go in and meet them to discuss the fees however I want to know what options are available to me before I meet them.

MarkAnthony

Dont get me wrong, it should have been communicated to you. There is a taxing system to resolve these disputes and from the little I've read they're pretty hard on solicitors that extract the michael.

Roubled

RQ2013 wrote: »

I did expect a higher fee... My first meeting my solictor advised 2-3k fee and even allowing additional work undertaking I would have expected maybe double that max... I just feel now that they are trying to take the p*ss.

I have requested a breakdown and I will go in and meet them to discuss the fees however I want to know what options are available to me before I meet them.

As far as I know the breakdown should be detailed. It's worth keeping your own records including phone calls by taking note of the call duration which should be in your mobile phone. One woman I know was sent a bill and checked it against her own records which she'd kept in detail. She returned a cheque which was only a little over half the total they were charging and a list from her records. She never heard from them again.