Solicitors Fees

Fees

Solicitors in Northern Ireland charge fees accordingly to the purchase price of the house (to reflect the responsibility and insurance risk assumed) and the amount of time and effort required. Fees can vary from ?300.00 to ?3000.00 per transaction. In addition Value Added Tax (currently 17.5%) and additional expenses such as stamp duty tax, searches, property certificates and registration fees have to be added. A solicitor charges two separate fees for a sale and a purchase and price quotations should be requested prior to engagement. Fees quoted will vary considerably.

Written Terms of Business

Solicitors are required by the Law Society of Northern Ireland at the start of a residential conveyancing transaction to give you a written estimate of fees or how they will be calculated together with likely expenses. Beware of verbal quotes!

Tips

  • obtain quotations
  • do not act upon verbal quotations; only consider using firms that have provided detailed written quotations
  • smaller firms or local firms do not necessarily quote less
  • conveyancing is complex work; select a firm that appears to have an efficient operation and which is large enough to have plenty of specialist staff and resources
  • the quality of service and the amount of fees do not always go hand in hand

Disputes

A Solicitors bill can be disputed either on the basis of a specific arrangement or under legislation governing the way Solicitors are allowed to charge. Solicitors are strictly regulated by the Law Society of Northern Ireland and have to keep records of every meeting, telephone call and letter. If a Solicitor significantly overcharges, or is in serious delay, he can be liable to penalties, disciplinary action and public embarrassment. In relation to any bill you can ask the Solicitor to obtain a certificate of fairness from the Law Society of Northern Ireland; this review is free. Alternatively you can require the Solicitor to prove any bill in the High Court; the expense of this review would have to be paid by yourself unless the bill is reduced by more than a sixth.

Legal content supplied by Wilson Nesbitt Solicitors.