Challenge your solicitor's bill
Overview
You can challenge your solicitor’s bill if you think you’ve been charged too much.
Ask the Senior Courts Costs Office to make a ‘detailed assessment’ of your bill. They can reduce your bill if they agree it’s too expensive.
There’s a different process if you want to complain about your solicitor’s behaviour.
Before you apply
Try to solve the problem with your solicitor before contacting the court.
You can complain to your solicitor directly by following their complaints procedure.
You can also get free legal help and advice from:
- your local Citizens Advice Bureau
- your local Law Centre
- the Royal Courts of Justice Advice Bureau
When to apply
You must apply to the court before asking for a detailed assessment. You must do this within one month of getting your solicitor’s bill.
If you do not, you can still apply within a year of getting the bill, but the court might ask you to pay part or all of what you owe upfront. You’ll get back what you’ve overpaid if the judge agrees you’ve been charged too much.
You might also be able to apply if you’ve already paid your solicitor’s bill or it’s been over a year since you got it. You can only do this in special circumstances - you must explain what these are when you apply.