Another Solicitors Fees Query

M

marty1444

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Hi my wife's mother had an aunt who passed away 6 years ago.My wife was an executor of her estate,she has been waiting 6 years for the solicitor to bring the business to a close.
As it was the family solicitor she didn't question the amount charged( I know! many others on here falling into the same trap).
The house sold for €510,000 and the solicitor charged €6,464 for his part of the sale ( a straightforward sale as far as I know) the auctioneer charged €16,931 and the solicitor then charged €19,556 for administering the estate.
Can anyone tell me if these are reasonable charges for 6 years ago we think the admin of the estate is particularly high.
What recourse would my wife had if she thought the fee was too high.I'd appreciate any input anyone has in these matters.

Thanks
 
Well for starters, the auctioneer's fee seems outrageous, unless of course the house was sold at auction. "Standard" fees would be 1.0% to 1.5% of sales price + advertising + VAT

So 510,000 X 1.5% = 7,650 + advertising 650 = 8,300 + 21.5% = 10,085.

Subject to correction, but to me the fee charged looks like 60% over the odds.
 
The standard for solicitors is about 1.5-2 % but prices vary hugely. Where there other assets (what was the total value of the estate)?

Was there a reason the estate took 6 years to sort out? I'm assuming that there must have been some legal issue which would account for the fees high. Most straight forward estates would be sorted within 6-12 months.
 
Thanks Mathepac and Sam h for your replies, both very helpful indeed.

To answer your query the total value of the estate was €628,325 I work 2% of this to be €628,325 x 2%=€12,506.

There was no complicated legal issue that would allow the business to drag on for 6 years, just the solicitor not prioritising it as he deducted the fees upfront.

Would my wife have any recourse about the fees being more than 2% or is it that they can charge what they want.

Thanks again.
 
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The Solicitors final account would also have included all outlay and VAT thereon which may explain the finak figure , however the solicitor , in my view , should not have charged an apparently exorbitant fee for the sale of the house.
You should ask the Solicitor for an itemised account and if you think it excessive you can refer it to the taxing master who may reduce same
 
Hi Deiseblue

Thank you for your post, I will pass on your advice.Which fee do you think is apparently exorbitent the €6,464 for the sale of the house or the €19,556 for the administration of the estate or both, sorry we're just not sure on what average prices are although the previous posters gave an indication.

Thanks
Marty
 
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You have been the victim of a robbery + greed and I'm sorry to say you do not have much redress because the Solicitors so called Complaints Board is there to protect Solicitors and to tell you to xxxxx xxxooo, sorry I meant to say wear you out. You will wait patiently 9 months for a reply, and being human you'll imagine these little complaint board beasties will have your interests at heart, but you'll get a very professional 2 page letter if your lucky, saying "We have investigated the matter, and in our opionion Baron Greed of Twiddle Le thumbs is actually well within the law and fees scale we recommend, he tells us had huge problems with this estate [and a lot more more problems when he was sober] that needed extra effort and dedication like phoning up the council twice to ask them for a letter telling him that there's was no outstanding taxes owing on the property, and in the circumstances outlined to us by him his fee is more than reasonble," and dont you ever think of suing him because 6 years was reasonable in the circumstances. Don't you know that Solicitors have codes of conduct to follow and would'nt dream off overcharging clients, especially if their long dead and buried. And haven't you heard of probate success fees, you have'nt then you ought to do a Google search on the subject. And keep an eyeon on your aunts old house and watch for it being resold 'on the open market soon for a better price'. Even auctions can be rigged you know?
 
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