Billing

Fixed Fee Work

Both Wills and Debt Collection work are usually carried out on fixed fee-scales. These scales are exclusive of VAT.

Standard Rate Work

Our fees are based upon the amount of time we spend on your case. Unfortunately, it is often not possible to give a realistic estimate or forecast of the overall costs at the beginning of a matter  as we will not yet know what the third party's attitude will be to your claim. When we are in a position to give meaningful information in this regard we will do so.

At the start of your matter we will give you information about our hourly charging rates. You will have to pay the fees with VAT thereon together with any monies expended on your behalf (known as "disbursements") such as Court fees, investigation fees and expert fees. Based upon the information given to us regarding the circumstances of your claim, we will inform you whether we expect to recover our fees and the disbursements from the other party.

Billing

Payment of any bill is due within 28 days of our sending the bill to you. If the bill is not paid within this time, we are entitled to charge you interest on it at the rate specified on the back of the bill.

Where an interim bill is not paid within 28 days, we reserve the right not to carry out any further work on the file until payment is made.

If you have a query about your bill you should contact the person dealing with your matter straight away.

Our costs

It is important that you understand that you will be responsible for paying our bill. We will discuss with you whether your costs might be paid by another person. Even if you are successful, the other party may not have sufficient money to pay your costs. Alternatively, they may not be ordered by the court to pay all your costs or these may not be recovered from them in full. If this happens, you will have to pay the balance of your costs. If the other party is legally aided, you may not get back any of your costs, even if you win the case.

If you are successful and the court orders the other party to pay some or all of your costs, interest can be claimed on them from the other party from the date of the court order. We will account to you for such interest to the extent that you have paid our charges or expenses on account, but we are entitled to the rest of that interest.

Other party’s costs

You will also be responsible for paying the costs of seeking to recover any costs that the court orders the other party to pay.

In some circumstances, the court may order you to pay the other party’s costs; for example if you lose the case. The money would be payable in addition to our costs. We will discuss with you whether our costs may be covered by insurance, and if not, whether it would be advisable to have insurance to meet the other party’s costs.