Solicitors looking for shortfall in fee 2 years later

O

orwell

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Received a letter from solicitors today confirming that our title has been registered and the Title Documents have been returned to our lending institute.
Letter then goes on to state "as the solicitor who dealt with the matter did not include outlay in respect of Land Registry fees on your bill there is a shortfall in repect of same in the sumof E568.99. I would be obliged if you could let us have a cheque to discharge this amount."

This is regarding purchase of my house in April 2007.At the time We had some money left and the solicitor was returning the cheque (from different house sale) to us. I asked her to take her full fee from funds before issueing cheque back to us and was verbally assured this had been the case.

2 years later, this arrives, do I have any grounds to refuse to pay this "bill" as surely it was their mistake??

Any suggestions/advice
 
Do you think you owe it? It seems to me that you do owe it. It was human error - it does happen.

I never really understand this argument - money/outlay was incurred on my behalf for my benefit, it was their mistake, why don't they pay it and I won't?

I can understand feeling ticked off but if you don't pay it, they'll be out of pocket and they would be entitled to sue you for it.

mf
 
It looks like you have to pay it, but pay it on your terms (e.g €100/month or whatever suits you best).

It is not nice to receive an unexpected bill a few years down the line (especially when they made the mistake).
That happened with me 3 years after moving in to my house. Engineer sent me back an expired cheque that he forgot to cash. He got his money (€50/month) eventually.
 
I realise that we more than likely will have to pay it, just wanted to get some other opinions/options on it.. Thanks for the tip Maggs, going to ring now and see will they take E100 pe rmonth,
 
Unusual fees for Land Registry - it doesn't work in cents.

I'd ask for a breakdown, just to check.
 
Had something similar happen to me orwell - my solictor came back to me 3 years after my land purchase and subsequent build looking for an odd amount €243.79. I rang them looking for a breakdown and was told that the solicitor was busy, reception took my number and said she'd call me back..... that happened 3 days in a row. On the 4th day the message that I left was that unless I was given a return call and a breakdown for these charges, I wasn't paying. Heard nothing since and that was 2005!

Whilst I do know that mistakes can happen.... they couldn't have been that stuck for it!!
 
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