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*blinks in disbelief*

I fail to see how this benefits anybody. There is no such thing as a 'basic' contract. There is no such thing as a 'basic' dispute. Everyone is different. Everyone's situation is different. Everyone's legal issue is different. Repeating previous posters' words, what is wrong with giving an estimate of time to be taken and publishing hourly rates, if that is indeed needed? Clients can make their own decision based on like for like quotes on that basis, surely? Are we not able to rely on clients having that level of ability? Does Nanny State want to chop that information up further and feed itty bitty client with it?

A divorce - okay, yes, we can probably price that out at being submitting petition, applying for decree nisi, applying for decree absolute - but, what happens if the respondent doesn't respond to the service of the petition, which happens quite often? This is no longer a straight forward divorce as quoted for and it involves more work. But, I know that my firm has not added anything further on to a bill for this on a lot of occasions because contrary to popular belief, we do try to help out those people left in limbo due to LASPO etc. However, if we are forced to publish prices, I would expect that we would firmly put in place actual steps that are covered by that price, and therefore we would ask for extra for anything that deviates from the steps. Thus, client worse off, we feel both manipulated and awful, but have to survive the business market.

It is inane. It is not like comparing, for the sake of argument, car insurance cover. That CAN be split down because 1. it is a legal requirement for everybody who drives a car; 2. there are three basic levels ie TP, TPFT and Fully Comprehensive; and 3. everybody can provide details of any no-claims bonus they have available to bring to the table for discount. All other things like free car hire, legal expenses cover etc are optional extras and even they are given a price so they can be compared.
Nothing about legal services is standard.

I had further rant within me, but to be honest, what's the point? Nobody listens to us, the actual people dealing with clients on a day to day basis. We're all just algorithms after all.