Challenge your solicitor's bill
Printable version
1. Overview
You can challenge your solicitor바카라 사이트檚 bill if you think you바카라 사이트檝e been charged too much.
Ask the Senior Courts Costs Office to make a 바카라 사이트榙etailed assessment바카라 사이트� of your bill. They can reduce your bill if they agree it바카라 사이트檚 too expensive.
There바카라 사이트檚 a different process if you want to complain about your solicitor바카라 사이트檚 behaviour.
Before you apply
Try to solve the problem with your solicitor before contacting the court.
You can complain to your solicitor directly by following their complaints procedure.
You can also get free legal help and advice from:
- your local
- your local
- the
When to apply
You must apply to the court before asking for a detailed assessment. You must do this within one month of getting your solicitor바카라 사이트檚 bill.
If you do not, you can still apply within a year of getting the bill, but the court might ask you to pay part or all of what you owe upfront. You바카라 사이트檒l get back what you바카라 사이트檝e overpaid if the judge agrees you바카라 사이트檝e been charged too much.
You might also be able to apply if you바카라 사이트檝e already paid your solicitor바카라 사이트檚 bill or it바카라 사이트檚 been over a year since you got it. You can only do this in special circumstances - you must explain what these are when you apply.
2. How to apply
Download and fill in 3 copies of Part 8 claim form (N208). You must pay 拢67.
Send a cheque made payable to 바카라 사이트�HMCTS바카라 사이트� with all 3 copies of your completed form and a copy of your solicitor바카라 사이트檚 bill to:
Senior Courts Costs Office
TM 7.12
Royal Courts of Justice
London
WC2A 2LL
You can apply to your local District Registry (a court that deals with certain High Court cases) instead if you live outside of London.
Apply to your nearest if the original case was dealt with by a county court and your solicitor바카라 사이트檚 bill is for 拢5,000 or less.
What happens next
The court will keep one copy of your claim form. The other copies will be sent to you and your solicitor and stamped with an issue date.
You바카라 사이트檒l then get an 바카라 사이트榓cknowledgement of service바카라 사이트� from your solicitor confirming they바카라 사이트檝e seen your application.
You바카라 사이트檒l be asked to attend a hearing if your solicitor does not think you should have a detailed assessment. You바카라 사이트檒l get a 바카라 사이트榥otice of hearing바카라 사이트� from the court saying when and where the hearing will take place.
You바카라 사이트檒l get a letter from your solicitor if they agree to a detailed assessment. Send a copy of this letter to the court.
If your solicitor does not challenge your application, you can ask them to give their consent. If they agree then the court might decide neither of you will need to go to the hearing.
If you have a hearing
Both you and the other side will present your case to a Costs Judge (or a District Judge if the hearing is held outside London).
You must bring with you copies of any documents you바카라 사이트檝e sent to the court as part of your application.
The court will decide whether to order a detailed assessment. You바카라 사이트檒l get the decision then or by post within a few days of the hearing.
If you disagree with the decision
You can make an appeal if you disagree with the court바카라 사이트檚 decision.
You must get permission before you appeal - you can ask the Costs Judge at the hearing.
You can ask the appeal court for permission if you바카라 사이트檙e refused or do not ask for it at the hearing. Read leaflet EX340 for more information.
3. Get a detailed assessment
You바카라 사이트檒l be given a court order after the hearing that says whether you can have a detailed assessment.
The detailed assessment will take place at another hearing.
Download and fill in request form (N258C). You must also pay a court fee. How much you pay will depend on the size of your solicitor바카라 사이트檚 bill.
| Amount on your solicitor바카라 사이트檚 bill | Fee |
|---|---|
| 拢15,000 or less | 拢335 |
| 拢15,000.01 to 拢50,000 | 拢675 |
| 拢50,000.01 to 拢100,000 | 拢1,005 |
| 拢100,000.01 to 拢150,000 | 拢1,345 |
| 拢150,000.01 to 拢200,000 | 拢1,680 |
| 拢200,000.01 to 拢300,000 | 拢2,520 |
| 拢300,000.01 to 拢500,000 | 拢4,200 |
| 拢500,000.01 or more | 拢5,600 |
Other fees
You must pay your own costs and the other party바카라 사이트檚 reasonable costs of the detailed assessment, unless:
- the judge reduces your solicitor바카라 사이트檚 bill by 20% or more
- there are special circumstances, for example you originally offered to settle the bill for an amount more than the final amount fixed by the court
How much you pay will depend on how much time your solicitor has spent in court - this is usually worked out from their hourly rate.