Can’t continue paying solicitors fees

[DaydreamBeliever72]

Hi,

I have paid solicitor fees for almost 3 years and have got nowhere. Due to other issue in my life causing distress I have also accepted the 50% offer put forward by my stbx. I am coming off a lot worse than him as he has a second property that hasn’t been factored into this. I have also received no child maintenance from his as he reckons he can’t afford it.

I have already changed solicitors once as they were not doing anything to help me. Although the solicitor I have now is better (and not online) he is expensive at £300 an hour. I have been unable to take this to court due to the effects on my emotional health. My job is currently at risk so I am in a state. No family apart from my children (teens).

Due to racking up credit card bills paying for everything (I’m still in the family home and paying all maintenance costs etc.), and paying for a funeral for my sibling (didn’t have any life insurance or savings), I owe about £15k. I am still getting solicitor fees each month for nothing really. Just sent a £500 bill for a few letters sent! I am also having to pay credit card bills on top of everything else and struggling. I am in a good job but all of my salary is funding a solicitor and I am better off, in terms of offer from the other side, to what I would’ve been 3 years ago. House was meant to go on sale (I also need a mortgage which is worrying me) but has been shelved until I find out about my job in January (re-structure). I’m worried sick tbh.

Im starting to think of just calling it a day with the solicitor as I’m still paying out money each month (£500-£1000) that I can’t afford! Especially when getting no child support. My daughter’s school costs alone this month were £400 as I had to pay for a leavers hoodie and prom! And, her bus pass and school lunches. Her father paid nothing.

As we have already done the necessary paperwork would it be wise for me to cut the solicitor and take over myself so I don’t have to pay anything else?

Also, my pension is less than his as I was part time for over ten years. This won’t be included in the settlement. Pensions remain untouched.

I am no better off it should say!

Is there something that you are not telling us?

I am sorry for asking this question but the easiest option would have been to apply for the financial order and then take it from there.

It seems you are paying the solicitor to send letters with your "demands",with the hope that your ex caves in.

All the assets including the second property plus both the income will be taken into the pool and divided accordingly.

Plus you need to raise a CMS case asap.

Search bhavna radia divorce right and have chat with her

@LetsTryToHelp
No, not hiding anything and the letters the solicitor is sending aren’t demanding ones. They’re just things like checking who earns what, what bills are you paying and stuff like that.

As it stands, I’m going to struggle financially and into retirement whereas stbx is mortgage free and has been able to go part time.

I don't understand why solicitors cost so much sometimes, it's not right. I couldn't keep mine (both lack of funds and mine was not very good at getting things/moving in the divorce), so I had to use whatever resources I could find. Considering how much you've had to spend, see if maybe these might help you in the long run and help cut down on costs. Use Mumsnet as there's a lot of good advice here and you can get answers to questions you have rather than asking a solicitor first. Same with Facebook divorce groups, I joined a bunch and they offer great advice there, there's so many people out there who have gone through the same thing as us.

I also used this - https://iamlip.com/ - it's a bunch of free help guides that take you through the entire process. I just followed the help guides and read the explanations/guidance on the website about the things I didn't understand which really helped get me through. My friend used it too but she also had a solicitor too. She just used the help guides to do a lot of it herself e.g. filling out forms rather than asking her solicitor do it and saved a lot.
It's 100% possible to do it yourself without a solicitor. Wishing you the best and hope this could help x

Proms & hoodies are wants, not needs.

I don't understand why solicitors cost so much sometimes, it's not right.

You do realise that running a law firm costs an absolute fortune, right?

Let me break this down:

• license to legal databases so your lawyer can advise you in accordance with the current law (which changes regularly)
• law firm's professional indemnity insurance required by Solicitors Regulation Authority to protect you, the client
• costs of practising certificates
• compliance and regulatory costs
• your lawyer's ongoing training
• your lawyer's earlier training as part of training contract
• the firm's overheads including leases, IT equipment, bills, salaries
• salaries reflect the fact you need to spend many years and a lot of money to qualify as a lawyer
• networking events, expenses and professional memberships

So if you think lawyers should be cheaper, I suggest you speak to the following:

• SRA
• insurers
• Practical Law/Lexis
• training providers
• corporate property owners

...the list goes on.

I'm so fed up with people moaning about fees as if lawyers were deciding fees and keeping them to themselves. You must realise that what goes into a solicitor's pocket is not the £300 p/h but a small fraction of that.

If you want professional service, you have to pay. Don't forget that fee is also worth your own time saved on DIY-ing it. The more money you normally earn, the more this is worth and/or value of time with your DCs and not having to worry about fitting everything in and doing it all correctly.

Just because to OP it looks like the solicitor sent some short letters doesn't mean they didn't take a significant amount of review work and consideration.

The fundamental point is, why is she paying a solicitor for 3 years in a divorce case which would rinse any individual out of money, instead of getting heads together with the ex and resolving at least some of the issues amicably. Is the ex unrepresented and not bothered about finances at all? Is he abusive and extremely difficult? Are you being difficult, OP? What is the real issue?

You've paid £24k in solicitor fees so far?
If you follow your current 'give up' plan now, what will you walk way with? Will it be enough to (probably) meet your needs?

I went through a similar thought process. So I ended my representation with my solicitor and I was fine to continue the rest of the divorce by myself.

They did the form E for me. Then I had to call it a day as they were crap. So many letters and emails I paid for which seemed unnecessary.

Do you still live in the family house?

I can completely relate! £32 000 so far on solictor’s fees. Had to take loans out to pay for my legal fees. I share 50/50 with him over children due to my work commitments so no maintenance. I am worried I will be unable to afford a home and have pets so a flat isn’t really an option with them and my active son who needs to be outside. I’m really struggling mentally and it’s effecting my job. My house is so cold that a frozen carton of milk that I got out of the freezer last night is still frozen. I can’t afford to put the heating on and eat one meal a day of cheap stuff, e.g beans on toast. I can’t afford anything. My dog is dying too and the medication is costing more than our food shopping every month. 😩 I work full time too so I can’t earn anymore money as exhausted after the end if a long working week.

I’ve posted on this again as couldn’t find the original thread but found it now. I’ve just paid another solicitor bill but it’s getting ridiculous and all for daft letters backwards and forwards. I think, like you, I am going to have to finish it myself as it’s just unsustainable and I am struggling to pay credit card bills on top of all of this, as well as pay child costs and car MOT/service etc.

Yes, although I’m desperate to move out!

@Berlioze
I know that the £300 an hour won’t be all going to the solicitor. I had been with another solicitor group, previously, who were slightly cheaper. Neither solicitor has got me a better offer. Stbx will get approx 70% of assets and has got away without paying child maintenance as he has gone part time (and reckons he can’t afford it). We don’t communicate so sorting something amicably isn’t an option.

I have maxed out credit cards (which I have never needed in my life) and am now paying those back as well as continuing to pay solicitor fees - of which have got me nowhere. Had I ginr for a simple divorce with 50% split on the family home then then (which is 30% of the total assets as there is inheritance involved) then I’d have been a lot better off than what I am now. I had brought in a financial solicitor as it was obvious that he wasn’t contributing a penny towards the children (who were both with me FT - one is at university now). I knew I would struggle but he is still getting away with not paying. As a result, paying child costs plus solicitor fees, plus credit card bills is taking its toll on my financial security and stability.

I really don’t know what to do next as my job is now under threat!

His solicitor has always been stronger than mine.

Well maybe you should've gone 50/50 if he's a difficult person, obviously the longer it drags, the more it costs.

Wish I had now. Although, this is 50/50 of the house, not the total assets.