Terms & Conditions

Unless and until an alternative fee arrangement has been agreed and confirmed in writing by us the basis for calculation of our fees is as follows.

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Our charges for consultations are fixed at prices as confirmed below. If following the consultation, you would instruct us further to facilitate legal representation on your behalf, we will do so as your Legal Representative and will be paid an agreed fee or such fee as is calculated mainly by reference to the time spent by us as your Legal Representative, which may comprise of Solicitors or Barristers or both. We reserve the right to use external Legal Representatives (solicitors or barristers) for any work required and inform you of the cost of instructing external Legal Representatives, which you will be responsible to pay.  This may include advising, attending on you and others, dealing with incoming and outgoing papers, letters and emails, researching, correspondence, telephone calls, travelling and waiting time. In the event of your case involving exceptional circumstances (for instance, but not exclusively, exceptional complexity, out of hours work or particular requirements as to speed) ONELAW reserves the right to increase the fee for that particular work.

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We charge a fixed fee of £150 plus VAT for consultations booked within office hours between 9am and 5pm. Subject to availability we can offer consultations outside office hours on evenings and weekends at a higher fee.

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ESTIMATES: It may be difficult to estimate how many hours of work will be necessary to spend on your matter as your Agent partly because so much depends upon the way in which others react. Where appropriate, an estimate of charges is set out in the attached letter based on information presently known and is given on the basis that your matter does not prove to be substantially more urgent, complex or time consuming than currently anticipated. You may, at any stage, wish to set a limit on the costs and disbursements that can be incurred by us on your behalf without further reference to you. Any limit must be notified to us in writing by signed letter sent by recorded signed for post and are not effective until we communicate our acknowledgment of notification of such limit in writing to you. Estimates may change as the matter proceeds and it becomes clearer how much time is likely to be needed. Wherever possible we will let you know as soon as we can, if it becomes apparent that your matter has become more urgent, complex or time consuming than presently estimated. We will try and give you an indication of the anticipated future costs. However, this is sometimes difficult and figures given are only estimates.

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FIXED FEES: Where we undertake to work for a fixed fee please refer to the letter delivered at the start of the matter in which we will confirm the agreed rate. The charges that we will be making in your matter cover the work that we have been instructed to undertake. If we are instructed to undertake further work we would need to make additional charges and we will either provide you with an estimate of what they would be or in default revert to our hourly time spent rate. Should a matter not proceed fully we reserve the right to retain the full fixed fee or charge for our time at applicable hourly rates.

 

DISBURSEMENTS: There will be certain additional expenses (known as disbursements) for example for items such as Legal Representative’s fees, Court fees, Counsel’s fees, HM Land Registry fees, copying fees, local search fees, Probate Registry fees. These expenses are all your responsibility and you must pay them to the intended recipients directly. In the event that we make such a payment we reserve the right to charge interest on the outstanding amount at the rate applicable to outstanding bills until reimbursement is received. VAT is payable on certain disbursements.

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The charging rate(s) quoted are generally reviewed annually to take account of changes in salary and other overhead costs. If your matter is not concluded before the next review, we will confirm any new rates which apply for work done from then as soon as they have been set.

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In certain matters our charges may also contain an element based on the value of the matter or claim which is known as “care and control”. This is because the value is a reflection of the importance of the matter and, consequently, the responsibility of the Agent.

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Unless otherwise specifically agreed with you in writing, if for any reason, the Agent does not complete the work you have instructed us to do, then a charge will be made in respect of the work that has already been completed. VAT will normally be payable on that amount and you will also be billed for any "disbursements" (expenses and payments to third parties) incurred on your behalf.

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Bills, whether interim or final must be settled within 14 days of it being delivered to you.

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It is normal practice amongst solicitors to ask clients to make payments on account of anticipated fees and disbursements. Where appropriate, the person with responsibility for your matter will discuss this with you. It is helpful if you can meet requests promptly; if there is any difficulty, please let us know as soon as possible.

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Unless otherwise agreed in writing, you will be personally responsible for payment of our fees and VAT and for reimbursing any expenses we incur on your behalf.

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In the event of any fees, expenses or VAT (whether in respect of fees and expenses already incurred or in respect of fees and expenses to be incurred) not being paid we reserve the right to decline to act any further in relation to any or all matters we are dealing with until payment is made. If there are any funds held on our client account we may set off as against said mentioned fees, expenses or VAT.

It we are asked to give a legal undertaking on your behalf, we are entitled to require you to make a deposit of funds with us or give other security.

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CREDIT/DEBIT CARD FEES: There are costs involved in us accepting payments by card. Please note that (a) we charge a credit/debit card processing contribution fee of 1.4% plus 20p of the amount paid for European cards and (b) we charge 2.9% plus 20p for of the amount paid for non-European cards. There are no charges for bank transfers.

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ADMINISTRATIVE FEES: From time to time we may be required to charge administrative fees in connection with your matter. Administrative fees may be incurred where we are need for example to send original documents by post, where a paid consultation/meeting has been cancelled and we have agreed not to apply the full charges, where we are required to retrieve a file from archive or where additional photocopying needs to be carried out, and those fees are not covered by any of fees as stated above. Please note that these examples for administrative fees are not exhaustive nor are we able to specify the exact fees in advance. We shall inform you if an administrative fee arises and the amount.

 

PHOTOCOPYING CHARGES: Whilst we are actively instructed, we charge for copying all documents in your case at a cost which is less than or equivalent to the charges of external copying agencies (such agencies fees if incurred will be treated as a chargeable disbursement). The cost per A4 copy is 5p per page for black and white A4 copies and 10p per page for colour copying. Once your matter is closed the cost per A4 copy is 25p per page. These charges are subject to VAT and will be set out on any invoice as our photocopying charge.

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PERSONAL CONTRACT OF GUARANTEE (BY DIRECTORS OR PARTNERS): Directors of a Company or Partners in a Partnership which instructs us are personally responsible for the payment of our bills. This is to ensure that our bills are paid either by your Company or Partnership and in the event they are not, by you personally (as an individual). This ensures that we are able to advise at all stages notwithstanding that the Company or Partnership is in financial difficulties or we do not have monies on account.

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