Solicitors Fees - £500 for one letter!!!

[Janos]

Yes, that's what I've been charged. For sending one letter to my XP. In actual fact, it's £589, minus £100 I've already paid.

I was expecting about £200, not this. Perhaps I was living in la la land.

It's come as a bit of a shock to say the least. Am panicking now because I have no idea where I will find the funds to pay it...money is tight as it is.

My friends and family encouraged me to send this letter, saying it would put XP in his place. ATM I feel quite angry with them, even though I know that's irrational and it isn't their fault - it's just come as a shock.

Anyone dealt with this sort of situation before?

god thats bad! are you entitled to any help with costs?? our solicior only cost £280 for letters and the court appearance plus 2 appointments, but this was 4yrs ago. still think £500 is a total rip off!

Janos you should have had a client care letter sent to you at hte very beginning, after your first appointment, setting out how much it was going to cost. If you didn't, then contact the firm and complain.

janos thats a disgusting amount i thought it was about £25 per letter? Contact their customer manager if they have one if not cab.

Its the PRactice Manager you'd be best speaking to first.

Check your clinet care letter.

Depends on hourly rates - Sols usually c harge in 6 minute units of time so if a letter took under 6 mins to dictate, you'd be charged 1 unit. i.e. a 10th of hourly rate, so if hourly rate £100, letter out is a tenner.

I assume you had an initial appointment? You would be charged for hte time they spent with you then, then dictating tgheri file note, admin costs for opening files etc etc

I'm not a lawyer, but...
They charge for time, and that includes listening to you explain the situation, not just drafting a letter.
Obviously I know nothing of your situation, but some clients do feel it necessary to unload all of the situation, and that is chargeable.

You can apply for solicitors charges to be "taxed" for reasonableness.
Note that "reasonable" can include charging 500 quid an hour, but does not include taking 3 hours to draft a simple note.

I want to be a solicitor. humphhhh

Not really, I was at one with a client of mine who is being sued last week and he charges £250 plus VAT per hour. We were there for two hours going over the paperwork so that's £500 so far and he's doing the letter which he usually charges a minimum of £125 for. Gulp.

I think you can talk to them and explain that the cost was a tremendous shock - they should explain how they got to it, or possibly reduce it. You should have had all fees etc explained to you at the start. Is it a Family Law solicitor? They are bound to keep costs down and won't take the piss. If you get no joy with the firm, and genuinely feel you are dissatisfied with how much things have cost so far, you can refer it to the Law Society. HOpefully it won't get to that. If they won't budge on the price, and you don't want to take it further, you can offer to pay them in installments. I paid off a massive legal fee over years at £30pm.

ps it does seem very steep btw!

Thank you all for your advice.

Have contacted the firm and will be discussing it with them on Monday when my solicitor gets back from holiday and will discuss it further then.

I've calmed down now..I think installments may be the way to go.

that does sound too much. I find they seem to take loads of holidays, usually whenever I could do with them being available!

I really really thought charges like that were an urban myth. I write, ooh, maybe 7 or 8 fairly detailed letters a day in the course of my work - I'm in the wrong job obviously.