solicitor refusing to complete a transaction

[jantra]

our solicitor is refusing to complete a transaction unless we agree to their fees.

We were given a completion statement for a business purchase, say £x, which we forwarded to our solicitors. We queried one part of the charge at the time saying we hadn't been advised of the charge previously, nor had we asked for the service (it was property DD).

The solicitors are now saying that they won't transfer funds to the other side until we confirm we accept their charges. It feels like we are being held to ransom here.

Can solicitors act in this way and use coercion (as that is what it feels like) to increase their fees?

[atticus]

Have you read their full terms of business, that ought to have been provided at the outset? My firm's TOB's require payment of fees on or before completion.

If they did something you did not instruct them to do, and are seeking to charge for it, then you need to thrash that point out with them. Did you raise the point at the time they reported on the results of their property due diligence?

[jantra]

We were advised of the property DD when we received the completion statement, which we queried immediately.

They have relented, completion has happened and we are to discuss the charge at a time to be determined.