How much do solicitors charge?

At the beginning of the case, the solicitor must give you information about the likely cost of the case and how the charge is calculated, for example, a fixed fee, an hourly rate or a percentage fee.

In some cases, for example, personal injury cases, you may enter into a conditional fee agreement with the solicitor. This means that if you lose the case, you will have to pay the costs of the other side and, depending on the agreement, the solicitor's expenses and any barrister's fees. If you win the case, you will have to pay the solicitor's fee at the higher rate. Generally, only people who are not receiving publicly-funded legal services can enter into a conditional fee agreement.

In all cases, the solicitor must discuss how the costs are to be met and whether you are eligible for publicly-funded legal services. If the solicitor does not do publicly-funded legal services work, they must still explain the advantages of publicly-funded legal services to you if you are eligible, and give you the opportunity of going to a solicitor who does publicly-funded legal services work.

The solicitor must keep you informed about the costs throughout the case.

If the solicitor is holding your money, it must be kept in a separate deposit account and you maybe entitled to interest.