I have been asked to give an existing client a quotation for conveyancing costs. On a modest terraced property valued at £167,000, I quoted £600 plus VAT and disbursements.

The client was also given a quotation by other solicitors with whom the selling agents have a connection under a referral scheme. Their quotation was £580 plus VAT and disbursements. However, a helpful explanatory note showed how the £580 was to be apportioned. Some £423 inclusive of VAT was to go to the selling agents ‘for providing transaction management services which will include 9-5 Mon–Friday customer service, web updates and service level agreement monitoring’ and the remaining £258.50 would be the solicitors’ conveyancing costs. This equates to £220 plus VAT.

The quotation did not list a separate charge for a CHAPS transfer, so presumably the solicitors would include this in their fee. I do not know whether they would make an additional charge for completing a stamp duty land tax return.

Frankly, I’m embarrassed for them that they should sell their services for such a pathetic amount. There cannot be any profit in doing work for this level of charge. It brings to mind the stories we hear in the news of women in impoverished countries selling their bodies for a pittance just to survive.

Geoff Gafford, Dyakowski Gafford, Chipping Norton