DISPUTE RESOLUTION Costs
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Fixed fee initial consultation
Taunton Solicitors offer a fixed fee initial consultation (maximum of one hour) at a cost of £255 plus VAT. This enables us to take your instructions and to provide advice in relation to relatively simple disputes or otherwise to provide initial advice and guidance, together with an estimate of the likely cost of you pursuing the particular dispute in which you are involved.
This firm does not undertake any personal injury work or any cases related to clinical negligence.
Disputes come in all shapes and sizes and, therefore, it is not possible to give a generalised cost estimate, without knowing the case background.
You should be aware that the “small claims” jurisdiction of the County Court covers cases up to the value of £10,000. In such cases, whilst you may be able to recover from the Defendant any court fees that you incur together with a very small amount of fixed costs and, possibly, part or all of expert fees incurred. However, the majority of legal costs incurred will not be recoverable by you (or against you), other than in exceptional circumstances. In such cases, you should be cautious about incurring the cost of legal representation, but should still take legal advice at an early stage. Even if representing yourself, it may also be prudent to take legal advice at various stages of the claim (whether you are bringing the claim or defending it). Taunton Solicitors are happy to provide such advice, on a time recorded basis, as and when the need arises.
Taunton Solicitors regularly deal with debt recovery, landlord & tenant disputes, including recovery of possession, boundary disputes, faulty goods and services, disputed estates and a variety of other matters. As general guidance:-
A typical undefended claim for debt recovery of, say, £15,000 would involve court fees of £750 and legal costs of approximately £600 plus VAT up to the point of judgment, with further costs incurred in order to enforce that judgment.
A typical landlord & tenant claim for recovery of possession would involve:-
1- The costs of taking initial instructions, preparing and serving the notice to quit : £350 plus VAT
2 – The costs of preparing and issuing County Court proceedings and attending the first hearing : £400 plus VAT (with court fee of £355)
3 – The costs of enforcement : £255 plus VAT (with Bailiff fee £121)