Mislead solictor fees for a settlement agreement

[Starangel123]

Hi any advice would be welcome really stressed and worried. I used a solicitor for a settlement agreement. At the start, he said the employer contribution (£600) was low but he could cap fees at that “with a little room for negotiation.” I assumed that meant the fees would be covered.

They did send me a customer care letter, but I didn’t view it as that at the time — and because he’d said about the £600 cap, I genuinely thought everything was included. I was under a lot of stress and struggling with my mental health at the time, which made it even harder to process all the documents and back-and-forth.

What I didn’t realise was that he was charging me for every call and email. I only found out later the fees had gone up to nearly £2,000. I raised concerns straight away (before signing the settlement), but he became hostile and unhelpful.

After settlement, I heard nothing for weeks. Then the firm reduced the bill from £2,600 to £1,500, and later sent a six-page letter justifying everything, saying I must pay £1,200+VAT or they’ll recover it.

I feel misled and pressured. I’ve not made a formal complaint yet, but it seems like they’re pre-empting one. In reality, they gave me very little value — I did most of the work myself.

Has anyone else experienced something like this? What are my options? Should I go straight to the Legal Ombudsman?

[atticus]

What does the client care letter say about fees?

[Starangel123]

Hi thanks for the response. He sent it at the same time he went to the employer asking for an increase in employer contribution including another line of 3-5 hr cost as he stated it was complex. They came back with an increase to employer contribution but said they won’t cover the other charges. Client care letter was 17 pages looking at it he provides a few sentences of the settlement agreement generic statement of how cost will be incurred also talk about they need ID from the outset. I never sent my ID not intentionally I should never picked up what they required as it was intense few days not just from the employer applying pressure but the solicitor also. I sent my ID just prior to me signing the settlement agreement.

When the employer stated they would increase the contribution. He emailed me and asked how I would like to proceed he states he would cap the fee at £600 plus vat with little room for negotiation and therefore i thought this would cover the cost.

[atticus]

Have you replied, relying on that email? Maybe you should make a formal complaint using the firm's complaints procedure.

[Starangel123]

I raised concerns directly with him as soon as I was aware and put this in writing. After everything was done I never heard anything for 3 weeks thinking phew hopefully they got my point. Sadly I received an email where they said they will discount it to £1.5K plus vat I spoke to their complaint handler.

Raised concerns with her said at this point I’m not looking to do a complaint if I need to I will have to explained an outline and advised I had already emailed and spoken to him she said she will speak to him. She also came out with they get complaints and work with the ombudsman all the time. She kept me waiting for about 3 weeks as she said she going to speak to him then Friday I get a 6 page document including dates, time defending him. This spiralled my mental health I wasn’t expecting that! Including they will reduce it to £1.2k plus vat and they reserve the right to claim the fees and for me to sign the document.

i actually have not got the mental or physical capacity for this I suffer with anxiety which they knew about they even have it in writing that I was having nightmares due to how my employer was treating me.

My concerns are tactially they have beat me to it by premptying my complaint and appearing to provide a gooodwil gesture. When all I feel is she just done to me what the other solicitor did mislead me. I was expecting her to come back with on discussion the fee still stand if I want to complain his
here the complaint process. Or at this stage we will void it. Looks like I have to raise a complaint but I don’t know if I have a leg to stand on I genuinely didn’t think I was being charged because of what he had communicated, plus I did the majority of the negotiations myself, also felt he was on the employer side (it was mind boggling), putting me under pressure to respond, he even made a error.

When raising a formal complaint can she now deal with my complaint I would have thought she wouldn’t be able to as it would not be impartial? As she has already done an investigation unknowingly to me.

[atticus]

Just make your formal complaint.

[Starangel123]

atticus thanks for getting back to me I appreciate it I will raise a formal complaint