Solicitor holding money in their accounts

Would appreciate some opinions on this please. Two queries really. First is a fee for a top up. I am topping up my mortgage on a investment property, have not changed solicitor and he has all the details on file. The deeds are already with the bank. He is charging me €650 professional fees plus outlays and vat, totally €931. Is this excessive for a top up. I don't need to do anything with life cover or household insurance, the existing cover I have is fine. I collected the loan offer from his office, didn't speak to anyone and it was just the loan offer I have to sign, no additional solicitor paperwork.

Second query is they said to me that they can use the €307 credit I have on my account. This is the first I've heard of any credit. Why wasn't this money refunded to me two years ago when I changed lender and paid solicitors fee. Can a solicitor hold on to this money in their account without telling me they have a credit.

Thanks

Why did you need a solicitor for a top up? When we got ours a couple of years ago we just went into the building society and they just gor some forms for us to sign. The only fee we had was €40 for a quick valuation on the house and we had to up our insurance marginally.

Mortgage is with ICS, they said I need a solicitor if it's a top up on an investment property, I wouldn't have needed one if it was on my ppr.

that money should be in a client premium account and they can't touch it until you instruct them. They should have told you about that €307.