Purchasing a property is an experience both with joy and stress. A professional property lawyer will guide you step by step to settlement with high-quality services.
In this short article, we will give you an overview of what to do if you are not happy with your property lawyer.
Raise the concerns to your lawyer to seek resolution
Hiring a good lawyer means they should always protect your best interest and always be respectful and responsive to you. However, sometimes you may find your lawyer is not that helpful. For example, if you are not able to contact your lawyer and cannot obtain any necessary update and information, you may need to contact the broader team of your lawyer to raise your concerns or formally lodge a complaint. If you feel your rights are seriously violated, you can raise a complaint or dispute to the independent body that regulates lawyers in Victoria, the Legal Services Board.
Move to another lawyer
If your concerns are still not resolved, then terminating your engagement with your lawyer and finding a one could be a good choice and is quite a simple process. The key step before you engage with a new lawyer is to talk to your current one and advise that you wish to terminate your engagement with them. You should then instruct them to hand over your file to your new lawyer, as your new lawyer will generally need a file handover to best assist you (and avoid you needing to provide information and background all over again).
Checking fees that you need to pay for existing work completed
Fee structures and payment terms vary among lawyers and your current lawyer may be entitled to charge a portion of fees for the work they have already completed on your behalf. We advise you check the engagement terms with your current lawyer to see what fees you may need to pay before you stop using their service. For example, your current lawyer may charge you for works that they have already done for you, like reviewing a contract, ordering certificates, or preparing forms and documents. You may be able to negotiate these if they have not performed their services to an acceptable standard.
Make sure you are comfortable with the terms you sign with the new lawyer
Before signing engagement documents with a new lawyer, it is important to review their service scope, fee structures, and make sure you are happy with those.
At W Legal Group, we provide high standards of service to assist with your property transaction. We are qualified and experienced property lawyers who can assure you through to a smooth settlement, and have taken over conveyancing work from other lawyers on many occasions where our clients have been unhappy with their previous representative.
If you are considering engaging with a new lawyer, feel free to contact us for an obligation free quotation and find out how we can help you.
