@Timeforbubu
ChatGPT says this. (Although I think before formally writing and quoting regulations etc it's probably worth calling for a chat - it might be easily resolved)
Based on UK contract and consumer-protection principles, you have a very strong argument not to be liable for this £600 abortive fee — or at most for a much smaller, reasonable, pre-agreed amount.
Let’s break it down clearly.
✅ 1. You did not sign a retainer or agree to their terms
Until you accept their Terms & Conditions and fee structure, no binding contract on costs exists.
A solicitor or professional cannot simply:
- start charging you their hourly rate
- without telling you that communication is billable
- before you have agreed to their terms.
This is a common rule under SRA Standards, Consumer Rights Act 2015, and general contract law.
✅ 2. You were not told your emails/phone calls would be charged
This is key.
Professionals must tell you:
- their hourly rate
- when the clock starts
- what is and isn’t chargeable
- what initial work will cost
before charging you for anything.
If they didn’t, then charging £600 for “file setup” + emails/calls is
very likely unenforceable.
✅ 3. You only said you would “like to proceed with instruction”
This is an expression of intent, not legal acceptance.
A contract forms when:
- the offer (fees + terms)
- is accepted
- with clear agreement to be bound
- with price known or reasonably determinable.
You
did not accept once you saw the actual terms.
You withdrew
before any binding retainer was formed.
Therefore:
no contract, no fee basis.
✅ 4. Charging an undisclosed fee of £600 breaches fairness rules
Under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPRs) and Consumer Rights Act 2015, traders must not:
- hide key information (like charges)
- mislead about price
- impose fees not agreed in advance
- charge for unsolicited or unrequested work
Preparing a file or retainer
before you have accepted their terms is
at their own risk, not yours.
✅ 5. Case law supports you
Where a price has not been agreed:
➡️ A supplier may only recover a “reasonable” amount if the consumer knowingly requested chargeable work.
Here, you did not know it was chargeable, therefore the request was not “informed”.
📌 So what are you likely liable for?
Probably nothing, if:
- you were not told charges applied
- you did not approve terms
- you withdrew immediately once terms were revealed
- their “work” was part of onboarding, not substantive output you benefitted from
At most:
-
a nominal administrative fee (£20–£50), but only if they clearly told you one existed (which they did not).
A £600 fee for “abortive setup” without disclosure is almost certainly unreasonable.
📨 How to reply (copy/paste template)
You can send something like this:
Subject: Disputed Invoice – No Agreement to Fees
Dear [Name],
Thank you for your invoice dated [X].
I must formally dispute this charge.
I did not sign a retainer, did not receive or agree to your Terms and Conditions, and was not made aware that our initial phone or email communications were billable. As such, no contract for chargeable work was formed, in line with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.
My email expressing an intention to “proceed with instruction” was not an acceptance of your terms, and upon receiving the fee information I decided not to proceed, which I notified you of immediately. Any preparatory or file-opening work undertaken prior to agreement was done at your own risk.
For these reasons I cannot accept the invoice for £600, which is neither disclosed nor reasonable.
Please confirm that the invoice is withdrawn.
Kind regards,
[Your Name]
If you want, I can tailor that message to fit the exact tone you want (firm, polite, or more legal-sounding).
I can also look at the exact email chain (if you want to paste the wording) to give you a precise assessment of your position — but even from what you’ve shared, you are strongly in the right.