Legal fees to be paid at settlement?

When do the legal fees have to be paid exactly? Would a solicitor require his /her fees to be paid prior to remitting funds to my account or do they do it after?

I signed a cost agreement with my guy at the beginning. Ive paid the 1st payment for doing the contract work.

I anticipate that my solicitor might add extra fees on top because its been slightly more complicated due to my residency status.

If I dont agree with his bill what can I do exactly? Can he hold back the settlement funds from me in the event there's a disagreement about the invoice?

thanks

 

From memory, solicitors will take their money at settlement.

 

If the property is in "Bangkok" the payment will be the least of your problems..

 

What is your agreement with them?
Usually they take them at settlement so they don't have to chase.

Your costs disclosure document will tell you what you can do if you don't agree with the fees.

 

Next time do fixed fees.

 

We do all at the end. Many do half or all up front (in trust). Up to the firm.

 

In NSW, legal fees are paid upon settlement of an existing property purchase via auction. I disagree with this as the solicitor can just slap whatever fees they want and invoice you weeks later.

 

Don't be silly!

 

Which part is silly?

My recent(3 weeks ago) property purchase with a recommended solicitor left me with a sour note especially customer service.

Firstly the solicitor:-
1. didn't have the courtesy to inform me what are the fees.
2. Didn't inform me the legal fees have to be paid on settlement.
3. Rang me an hour before settlement on the day, to inform me of the settlement shortfall which was caused by the legal fees were supposed to be paid on settlement(which I wasn't made aware).
4. Tax invoice came 3 weeks after settlement, with no room to dispute. I asked for a reduction in fees and was met with silence.

As I was new to the process and I told my solicitor, my expectations were to at least keep me informed. Maybe in this part of the world, customer service by solicitors aren't common thing!

 

All of it!

Legal fees do not need to be paid at settlement, this is up to you and the lawyer to decide on.

Lawyers need to enter into a costs agreement to charge fees higher than $750 - a written costs agreement otherwise the contract is unenforceable. For you to be charged fees you must have agreed to pay these fees.

you must have also received a costs disclosure document which outlines what you can do if you dispute or disagree with the fees charged.

 

Like I said, I wasn't made aware of the fees needs to be paid on settlement and to be told an hour before settlement time when I am on Melbourne holiday with no access to St.George bank is really frustrating.

I received the costs disclosure document 2 days ago, which is 3 weeks after settlement day. I raised my dispute with them on Monday to the firm director and was met with silence. I contacted t them on Tuesday and the director didn't bother to contact me back.

Thanks for your advice. I learned something.

 

You could take further action.

 

Feed should be agreed to upfront.

 

I promise to give you a steak?

 

have to exceed $1500 ex GST and disbursements before formal disclosure required in QLD

 

I get to see what the fees of conveyancers are when they act for seller as I sign the cheques. The advertised price is rarely what the final bill.

Attached is my list for September of those that exceeded the advertised price. This only for those that we had funds in trust for the purchase side and that I signed the trust cheques for. If I went through the settlement statements to see cheque requests for those matters where the bank is providing all the money then there would be more.

 

RPI, thanks for sharing. I think the lesson here is to ask whether the price includes GST for starters and what services does it cover especially in the event of delayed settlement like mine.

 

I think the lesson is to get the costs agreement up front - then you will know all the details.