Solicitor's fees for deal that has fallen through

[MrsJ]

Hi there,

We had a bit accepted on a house a while ago, and plumped for one of those 900 euro + VAT solicitors to handle the contracts for us. We had signed the contracts, sent the deposit to our solicitor and were waiting for the vendors to sign.

Unfortunately, the vendors decided they didn't want to sell the house after all (but didn't tell anyone - we had to chase them up ourselves through the auctioneer, they didn't even tell their own solicitor). But on top of the disappointment of not getting the house we really wanted, we have just received a bill from our solicitor for 400 euro.

Despite the fact that we were less than impressed with the service we got from our solicitor and can't possibly imagine how she could justify the amount she billed, it's really annoying that, in good faith, we employed a solicitor to handle the sale, and we have been prevented from completing the process. I know it's probably naive thinking of the highest order, but is there anything at all we can do?

 

[Guest107]

Hi there,

We had a bit accepted on a house a while ago, and plumped for one of those 900 euro + VAT solicitors to handle the contracts for us. We had signed the contracts, sent the deposit to our solicitor and were waiting for the vendors to sign.

Unfortunately, the vendors decided they didn't want to sell the house after all (but didn't tell anyone - we had to chase them up ourselves through the auctioneer, they didn't even tell their own solicitor). But on top of the disappointment of not getting the house we really wanted, we have just received a bill from our solicitor for 400 euro.

as these lads get legal executives for €25 an hour to do the work (and not solicitors a lot of the time the solicitors did up to 16 hours work and is billing you for it.

this includes

1. all correspondance seeking whatever from whoever
2. all searches in land registry and checking maps and folios supplied.
3. reading and checking the contract , these have pages and pages in them of the purest of ****e to keep the legal profession 'busy' or at least 'charging'

and they will gladly furnish you with copies of same and show you your full file when you visit them and then you will see how much work they did.

Once they show you all the work they did for you I feel you should then pay them in cash there and then.

Despite the fact that we were less than impressed with the service we got from our solicitor and can't possibly imagine how she could justify the amount she billed, it's really annoying that, in good faith, we employed a solicitor to handle the sale, and we have been prevented from completing the process. I know it's probably naive thinking of the highest order, but is there anything at all we can do?

Non completion does not mean there weas no work. I gave you an idea of what was most likely involved in setting up the transaction .

If you find there is nothing in that file of theirs when you visit then they OBVIOUSLY did no work and you can name and shame them in here .

Only the visit will ascertain the facts but I fear that work was done, Sue the vendor for the bill in the small claims court yourself , it cost €8 to file the case .

 

[CCOVICH]

Only the visit will ascertain the facts but I fear that work was done, Sue the vendor for the bill in the small claims court yourself , it cost €8 to file the case .

You cannot sue the vendor through the Small Claims procedure.

From :

To be eligible to use the procedure, you, the "consumer" must have bought goods or services (or the service) for private use from someone selling them in the course of business. The procedure is not available for use by one business person against another.

Unless contracts were signed and exchanged, there is no comeback against the vendor.