Jamo

iTrader: (23)

I have just recently gone through with a purchase of a house, the solicitor that we used was great very quick and efficient, because of this when one of our friends wanted to purchase a house in the same street for the same value we immidietly suggested the same solicitor.

now, he charged us £820 inc vat, for everything fees, searches blah blah blah.

ive just talked to my mate, and he has been charged £420 not inc vat, for everything searches blah blah blah.

can they do that? where do I stand? is there any legal body that I can appeal to?

pretty mad about this especially as its a friend of my fathers, hence why im asking the question here first instead of just letting rip, so to speak.

your help as always, much appreciated.

jamo

carl

You can apply to the Law Society for the bill to be "taxed" (effectively, reviewed). But the reality of it is that the solicitor will come up with a load of crap about why your case was more complex, etc.

djuk

I have no idea what the position is legally but surely it's the same as the supply of any goods or services and the supplier can charge whatever figure they see fit providing they disclose this to you at the outset?

Harry_Boy

Can you clarify? Does your bill include Land Registry fees that might be more than your mate's?

As Carl says, you can apply to the Law Soc for 'taxation' but it's by no means cut and dried.

Sorry, can't really advise further unless you can post up a full itemisation of each bill.

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

the way im looking at this is:

mr A walks into the shop and buys a mars bar, he pays 30p

mr B walks into the same shop a week later and has a mars bar same size wrapper weight etc, but is charged 62p

if you get what i meen?

jamo

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

the price includes all fees, the house is next door but one, same size, same bedrooms, basically the same house, the value is exactly the same (they used our price as a benchmark)

they have had all the same searches, all the same work carried out, and all in the same space of time.

cheeky git even sent me a letter thanking me for the recommendation of my friends to them

basically I have been charged double for the same service just a matter of a month apart tell me you wouldnt be mad?

jamo

Harry_Boy

Agree mate on the face of it.

My question was, if you were charged that much more, then it would normally indicate some variable, such as a higher LR fee. Obviously, you've factored stamp duty out of the equation, as otherwise we'd be talking much higher figures in that eventuality.

I know you said these houses are on the same street, but was there much difference in purchase price?

Harry_Boy

Sorry, just seen your fresh post.... Yup, would be mad!! Have a 'chat' with the senior partner at the firm, then suggest a complaint to the Law Soc....

carl

Maybe, having done the searches and stuff recently, they didn't need to them again hence saving the second purchaser money?

Harry_Boy

Shouldn't work like that mate.

The conveyancer HAS to carry out fresh searches for each property, as these are particular to each specific address.

Additionally, where the buyer is purchasing with the aid of a mortgage, the conveyancer generally has a dual responsibility to act for the lender as well, and must avoid the potential for negligence by conducting searches on that exact property.

It seems like the only potential area of difference in Jamo's case is which lender each party used. Having said that, this would not normally cause a variation in the fees charged.

carl

I was just thinking out loud...

Harry_Boy

No worries mate... I do that all the time....

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

funnily enough we both used the same lender!!

the purchase price was exactly the same.

even the deposit and time frame for moving in, was exactly the same!!

I will be ringing tommorow to discuss this. Ile be very interested in the outcome/excuses.

jamo

Harry_Boy

In that case Jamo, I've given up even looking for a rational reason.....

Let us know the outcome mate.

fast bloke

I put 20 quid on it being land registry fees. Harryboy will no doubt explain it, but over here, the land registry fee is £460.00 quid unless the house has been correctly registered within the last 12 years, in which case it is £80.00. Loads of clients ask me about it - I usually tell them their solicitor is trying to steal money off them, so ask the solicitor for an explanation (unless the solicitor is giving me a cut, in which case I blame the estate agent )

Dicke C

Were your friends 1st time buyers?
As in only buying and were you buying and selling. Could explain the difference.

Or maybe he just had a different handshake

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

were both first time buyers mate

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

the house is less than 10 years old, so therefore, I cant see how it could be registered incorrectly?

jamo

OllyK

Did the solicitor do the SALE on both your houses as well as the purchases? From the price it looks like he has been charged for a purchase only.

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

were both first time buyers mate.

Lum

Perhaps the solicitor charges a high hourly rate, and with the property being pretty much identical he just nicked copies of the letters he'd sent on your behalf and changed the address, already had certain bits of information to hand etc. etc.

I know when I do a job more than once, it takes me less time the second time.

Jap2Scrap

This almost makes sense except I couldn't see ANY solicitor passing some cost savings on to their client. Not in this world at any rate.

Cheers
Ray