What Fees are Involved?

What fees are involved?

Our Find a Solicitor Service is free to use but once you engage a solicitor there will normally be fees to pay.  The fees involved in your case will vary from solicitor to solicitor, and then again depending on the barrister instructed if one is required.

With the law being such a complex area, and each case being entirely unique, a set price cannot be fixed on the majority of cases**, although it is common for a solicitor to charge for services by the time spent on the case at hand.

It is important to remember that with solicitors and legal advice, like many other services, you get what you pay for. In terms of quality, the more experienced professionals are likely to charge accordingly. If you have any queries however on the bill you have been presented by a solicitor then see our quick guide below.

**Some ‘text book’ claim case such as bank charges or PPI refund cases can be approximated in advance and charged accordingly, often offering a no win no fee service at a lump sum.

Checking your solicitor’s bill

What should my bill show me?

You should be able to clearly see dates and a brief description of the work carried out, and in some instances a solicitor will offer a computer time record or work summary.

For further information the client will have the right to request a more detailed bill itemised fully, as long as it is three months within the billing date. This bill will be recognised as a replacement for the one previously presented.

Assessing solicitor payment on contentious and non-contentious work

Charging methods are assessed depending on the specifics of the work carried out, i.e. whether it is recognised as contentious (including court proceeding) or alternatively non-contentious (with no court proceedings).

In both contentious and non-contentious billing alike, the claimant/defendant should be able to clearly define what work has been done and the value of their solicitor's time, so that they can understand the charge given. If still unsure it is possible to request to get it checked by the courts.

Contentious work billing: in the instance that a court case is involved in the claim or case, then a brief summary of costs is required to break down the different areas (also known as a gross sum bill). It must be requested within three months of billing and must be prior to any legal action being taken for unpaid costs.

Non-contentious work billing: this is legal advice that has not at any point involved the courts, but may however have involved tribunals, further details may also in this instance be provided upon request.

Are there any upfront fees?

Each solicitor has different terms and conditions on their services, and different methods of payment, however you can rest assured that there is no upfront solicitor matching fee on our part, in fact there is no fee from us at all, as our service is completely free.

The only money you will be parting with will go directly to the solicitor once your case is underway.