Lawyers mistake.

[Mazoka]

I have used a certain lawyer in Tenerife over the past 5 years for various things including the purchasing of properties.

He was granted Power of Attorney by myself and my wife some time ago. Recently I have been involved in the process of selling a property. The buyer arrived in Tenerife put down the deposit for the property last week. While in Tenerife recently met with the lawyer to discuss the possible sale of the property. I informed the lawyer that I had to return to the UK and ask if you could represent me at the notary for the completion date. I asked if the Power of Attorney was in order to for him to carry out this request...he said that it was in order.

I yesterday received an email from the lawyer saying that he had made a mistake, and that the power of Attorney was only for purchasing property and not selling. He wanted to mail a consent document giving him the power to represent me, the problem was I would have to see a notary in Liverpool to carry out whatever procedure was required, then post the document to the Foreign Office in London to have it legalised and sent back to me. I would then have to send the hard copy to the lawyer in Tenerife, given that there is only 6 working days to the completion date and the purchaser's intention to return to the UK I decided to book a flight to Tenerife immediately.

I arrive in Tenerife tomorrow evening the purchaser has kindly agreed to bring forward the completion date to Friday 12th April. The cost to me for the lawyers oversight is £600 for flights to and from Tenerife in a space of 4 days.

Does anyone think that lawyer should show goodwill by way of a reduction in his costs?

[Perikles]

Does anyone think that lawyer should show goodwill by way of a reduction in his costs?

Well, he obviously should, but unless you have a very special relationship with him, I'm willing to bet that he won't. Lawyers charge a fortune for conveyancing, totally out of proportion to the work involved, and are certainly no better than anybody else at it.

By the way, I take it that the cost involves the travel for all persons named on the deeds. 

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

I take the view that if you don't ask, you don't get.  Give it a try!

[Mazoka]

Well, he obviously should, but unless you have a very special relationship with him, I'm willing to bet that he won't. Lawyers charge a fortune for conveyancing, totally out of proportion to the work involved, and are certainly no better than anybody else at it.

By the way, I take it that the cost involves the travel for all persons named on the deeds. 

My relationship with the lawyer is very good, I have  lot of respect for him as a lawyer and as a person.

I would like to believe that he will, without a promt, make some sort of goodwill gesture. If he were a client of mine I would have no hesitation in acknowledging an oversight.

For the sake of the friendship I would, if offered a monetary gesture, probably politely refuse. It is the act of acknowledgment that would be more important to me. 

[Perikles]

For the sake of the friendship I would, if offered a monetary gesture, probably politely refuse.

That's nice. I for one would not want to be friends with a lawyer who is charging me his usual fee for a conveyance, because I won't befriend people who rip me off. Needless to say, that leaves me with a very small pool of potential friends in Tenerife. A typical conveyance would take 20 hours work in total, by the way. But the particular circumstances of this conveyance are none of my business.

[Mazoka]

I appreciate your comments.

The lawyer at the moment is looking after the legal side of the sale of a property that belongs to me. The quote he gave me for taking care of the legal side of this sale, was 1200 euros, which I have been led to believe is about the right cost. It has been more expensive when he has handled the legalities when I have purchased properties...where apparently there is more work for him to do.

I would find it difficult to view a lack of goodwill on his part as him ripping me off. I suppose it would come down to the person to define whether or not they feel they are being ripped off.

My anger over his oversight concerning the power of attorney has subsided. Although I'm still hopeful that he will acknowledge the turmoil and cost that his mistake has caused me.

If not I will put it down to experience and move on...life is too short.

[Perikles]

The quote he gave me for taking care of the legal side of this sale, was 1200 euros, which I have been led to believe is about the right cost. .....I would find it difficult to view a lack of goodwill on his part as him ripping me off.

I meant that what he charges for the sale is a rip-off, not the lack of goodwill. If he charges you that much and then half as much again due to failure to read the power of attorney, then his oversight has resulted in his charging you almost four times what I would consider reasonable. But that's only my opinion, which is worthless but free.

[Delderek]

I meant that what he charges for the sale is a rip-off, not the lack of goodwill. If he charges you that much and then half as much again due to failure to read the power of attorney, then his oversight has resulted in his charging you almost four times what I would consider reasonable. But that's only my opinion, which is worthless but free.

And a lady sitting not too far from you, does indeed charge a lot less, for a very efficient service.

[Mazoka]

Janet my apologises. I did not realise that you could have taken care of all those aspects that the lawyer just has...and is about to charge me 1200 euros for.

As you live, you learn.