Are we being overcharged by Solicitor?

CompliMints

Hi,

Myself and my partner have just bought a house, just wondering what people here think of the the Law search fees we were charged?

First off, we were quoted €120 for the Law Search as an approximation.
We paid this amount, along with the rest of the fees (which were as we expected).

Then our solicitor got back to us with an amended bill, stating that the actual total for search fees came in at €370.

I'm not entirely sure what goes on at this step, but this seems like a huge jump and very excessive?

Is this normal?

Cheers

johnnyskeleton

What did you solicitor say when you said "why have the charges for searches which you quoted at around 120 gone up to 370?".

Maybe the searches were more complex if there were e.g. planning issues, and ask for a receipt from the law searcher involved

punisher5112

I paid €895 plus €120 for having a form signed by my dad as he gifted money.

This was all in no extras.

CompliMints

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

What did you solicitor say when you said "why have the charges for searches which you quoted at around 120 gone up to 370?".

Maybe the searches were more complex if there were e.g. planning issues, and ask for a receipt from the law searcher involved

Still waiting on a response to that very question. I will ask for a receipt when they get back to me.

In fact, just before closing, they did ask me to confirm if I was ever a resident in a certain town in Ireland (I wasn't), so is it possible they were searching against the wrong person?

I don't know what kind of search criteria is used, but surely they can at least narrow it down to me using DOB & PPS for example?

Claw Hammer

CompliMints wrote: »

Still waiting on a response to that very question. I will ask for a receipt when they get back to me.

In fact, just before closing, they did ask me to confirm if I was ever a resident in a certain town in Ireland (I wasn't), so is it possible they were searching against the wrong person?

I don't know what kind of search criteria is used, but surely they can at least narrow it down to me using DOB & PPS for example?

Most of the places they search would not have recorded a DOB or PPS. Somebody with your name may have had judgments against them or become bankrupt. All that would be given would be occupation (maybe) name and address.

Dolbhad

Searches are very complicated and can depend on a number of factors which they may not have known when quoting you. It can depend on how many people you’ve to search against. Also if the title is registry of deeds, that’s very expensive compared to land registry. It’s an outlay so the solicitor is only charging you what they got charged.

There are loads of searches to be carried out - insolvency, bankruptcy, sheriff searches, receiver of fines, judgment deals estate, judgment debt for every purchaser and vendor. And then searches against the property itself.

Now they should have made clear the searches were an estimate as they probably can’t know what they are until closer to closing.

Also the search name pops up anyone with that name with a issue again then. So I assume if searching against Patrick Murphy who rack up a lot of searches. It would have their name and address at the time and are asking you to confirm if that’s you or not.

CompliMints

Dolbhad wrote: »

Searches are very complicated and can depend on a number of factors which they may not have known when quoting you. It can depend on how many people you’ve to search against. Also if the title is registry of deeds, that’s very expensive compared to land registry. It’s an outlay so the solicitor is only charging you what they got charged.

There are loads of searches to be carried out - insolvency, bankruptcy, sheriff searches, receiver of fines, judgment deals estate, judgment debt for every purchaser and vendor. And then searches against the property itself.

Now they should have made clear the searches were an estimate as they probably can’t know what they are until closer to closing.

Also the search name pops up anyone with that name with a issue again then. So I assume if searching against Patrick Murphy who rack up a lot of searches. It would have their name and address at the time and are asking you to confirm if that’s you or not.

Thanks.
Yeah, that makes some sense.

However I would have assumed the system would be somewhat more streamlined.
My name is relatively common, so it looks like I am simply doomed to be charged for numerous searches. Seems a bit ridiculous.

I understand also that it's an outlay and the money is not going directly to the solicitor.

Not sure if it's related, but I can search on the courts.ie website (for free), and my name throws up a couple of results in some parts of the country. I would have thought there might have been some effort to rule out some or all of these, rather than blindly requesting law searches on each result.

Anyway, regardless, this solicitor has been absolutely woeful in terms of communication with us over the whole course of this house purchase.

Thanks for your reply.

wirelessdude01

punisher5112 wrote: »

I paid €895 plus €120 for having a form signed by my dad as he gifted money.

This was all in no extras.

A solicitor signed the gift letter for me for free.

punisher5112

punisher5112 wrote: »

I paid €895 plus €120 for having a form signed by my dad as he gifted money.

This was all in no extras.

Was the gift to the solicitor

Maybe if it was a HUGE amount of money and the solicitor felt entitled.

Dolbhad

CompliMints wrote: »

Thanks.
Yeah, that makes some sense.

However I would have assumed the system would be somewhat more streamlined.
My name is relatively common, so it looks like I am simply doomed to be charged for numerous searches. Seems a bit ridiculous.

I understand also that it's an outlay and the money is not going directly to the solicitor.

Not sure if it's related, but I can search on the courts.ie website (for free), and my name throws up a couple of results in some parts of the country. I would have thought there might have been some effort to rule out some or all of these, rather than blindly requesting law searches on each result.

Anyway, regardless, this solicitor has been absolutely woeful in terms of communication with us over the whole course of this house purchase.

Thanks for your reply.

It’s kinda streamlined it the sense that there is so many searches that usually solicitors will go to a law searcher company and give them the information who then do all the relevant searches. But that company will charge. So this can all the results in one go and got immediately so not to delay closing.

Unfortunately the systems operate by name and address only. Solicitors for both purchaser and vendor can only rule out anything by asking their clients is this you. Clearly if the name of the seller with the address you are purchasing shows up, it’s clearly them. Searches against you are because the bank require it.

punisher5112

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Was the gift to the solicitor

Maybe if it was a HUGE amount of money and the solicitor felt entitled.

I wasn't bothered as it was at least half the price I was quoted by any others for the whole process.