any lawyers around? Strategy needed please.

[QueenOfLists]

I've just completed a remortgage and used an online conveyancer. The disbursements I've ended up paying are far higher than I was originally quoted - a couple of which I'm going to dispute (for instance they checked the buildings insurance "on behalf of the lender" but the lender tells me that wasn't a requirement and they didn't instruct them to check that) but the rest were hidden away in their 17 pages of small print.

I would chalk it up to experience except for one thing. I got the quote from a website (of a different name but I suspect is actually the same company) and it was so low that I rang up and asked if there were any other costs I should be aware of or was that it? I was told, no, that was the total cost.

So clearly that wasn't true so what's my best line of attack? I have the date/time of the call on my phone records but unless they record the calls presumeably they will deny they told me that. If I ring the conveyancers they will say they're not responsible for things the website company told me.

Am I stuffed?

(And I hang my head in shame to all solicitors for not using a proper solicitor in the first place )

In case that wasn't clear, it was the website helpline that I called to check the cost - at that time I wasn't aware of which conveyancing company they were using.

bump

Anyone?

Thanks Thunderbolt. They're not a legal practice, just a convenyancer, so I don't think they are covered by the law society (might be wrong).

Some of the disbursements were things like
Archive fee £48 (for filing my documents )
landlord notice fee £100 (for notifying the landlord - fair enough but I specifically asked whether there were any additional costs for leasehold properties and was told 'no').
Are they making a profit on these sort of things? You bet!

I'm not in England, but I work in legal for a professional conveyancing body. Here, they're not covered by the Law Society but there is a professional body to whom you can complain. See if there's something there like an Institute of Conveyancers, and talk to them.

It's definitely grounds for complaint.

Some of those fees are costs incurred, though - like an archive fee is charged by the place where they're filed, and paid by the conveyancer. Some of the others sound like they're not. Ring the professional body.

Ah yes - there is a professional body and they have a complaints procedure.

Thanks Tortoise - I have very politely raised it with the conveyancer as "an issue" as a first step but it helps a lot to know where I can eventually go if they don't resolve it somehow.

No problems - happy to talk further about it if it helps; I'm the legal officer for the professional body where I am, so I handle those complaints as part of the role.