The price of a phone call??

[Ilovecaindingle]

Long divorce /child care etc. Huge payment will eventually be paid after sale of house in the future. Had legal aid at the time. .
Fast forward 4 years. Needed a copy of the court order - refused one as apparently I owe my barrister £2.200 as my last legal aid certificate forms weren't completed properly. . They recited dates 4 letters were sent out but not replied to. . So after being a client for 4 years and the time from hell I wasn't worth a phone call advising me of this??? No chance to appeal etc they want the cash ASAP!! For clarification I have had the same mobile number for nearly ten years and voicemail facilities!!

[Allthebestnamesareused]

Usually the solicitor completes the legsl aid forms so if they did so incorrectly their problem!

You should be able to ask the court for a copy if you know the case number

[RedHelenB]

Did you not get any of the 4 letters?

I really cant see why they would ring you in that situation. Will they take the £2200 out of the house sale?

[MrsBertBibby]

Is what you are saying that your legal aid costs will be paid when your house is sold (deferred statutory charge) but that somehow some costs weren't picked up in that process, and they are trying to get you to pay out of your own pocket?

[Ilovecaindingle]

MrsB exactly that. . They said I didn''t hand relevant bank statements in for legal aid qualification. One of the dates was 2 days before the final hearing!! I tried to tell her why would I have ignored a letter that technically could have had me attend the final hearing after 4 years on my bloody own??

[Collaborate]

If you had a hearing that LA didn't cover they will need to show they sent you their terms of business and a cost estimate prior to the work being carried out. I suspect they didn't. If that's the case they have a problem.

Looks like the cost is not at LA rates.

[MrsBertBibby]

If you went into that hearing believing in all good faith you had a live funding certificate they have zero right to ask you to pay a penny.

If your certificate was suspended because you hadn't provided evidence, they should have told you then. If they were only notified of the suspension after the costs were incurred, they can get the costs covered. I'm pretty sure there's a specific issue about acting privately when a certificate has been suspended in any case.

I think they have some serious explaining to do.