PRICE IS RIGHT

Peter Gildener was lucky to be charged only 55 plus VAT for the information provided by the management company he quotes regarding leasehold administration fees (see [2001] Gazette, 13 September, 16).If he were based in London, he would think that amount the essence of moderation.

Recently, clients of ours were required to pay managing agents no less than 280 plus VAT for dealing with the usual enquiries and supplying a copy policy schedule and maintenance accounts.The landlord's solicitors charged 500 plus VAT for dealing with the standard form licence to assign - more than half our own fees for conducting the whole transaction.At least we have the satisfaction of being able to say that the greed of others shows that the exacting work that we have carried out for our clients has been at a bargain price.Lenza Breytenbach, Breytenbach & Co, London