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Hello I'm desperate for advice. In June 2018, I decided to take solicitor to help me with divorce matter. We decide for fix price of £1500 plus tax, for process of uncontested divorce.
In beeginging of 2015 my marriage break down, I was married actually less than year, before we got separate in begging 2015. We didnt even live togethere (I'm not british, she is), we dont have kids, flat, debts togethere or anything like this.
In June 2018 I payed to solicitor for uncontested divorce. In end of the same year (2018), I and my solicitor where aware that my wife will not sign divorce petition freely. Until today, April 2020, almost 2 years time, my solicitor manage to do service of the Divorce Petition and Acknowledgment Of Service, as the same we already used all possible option on this stage.
I need to mention that on couple of occasion there where misunderstoods between me and solicitor, and as well I have to chase her for updates as she doesn't inform me almost at all about what happening with case, even for time of month or longer (each time when I'm trying to call her or send email she tells me, I'm asking the same questions, and she will charge me extra for it). Somewhere in middel of all of this my solicitor change as well office, about which court was not aware, and my solicitor didnt know that court didnt record this fact. I discover it by calling to court, as it was moment that I start to have doubts about my solicitor, and I wanted to check on my own what with my divorce by calling court. When I get in touch next day with my solicitor to talk about it, she was completely not aware and suprised that court is still sending everything to her old company (which I assume put my divorce matter in delay).
I think it's important as well to mention that my solicitor is forgeting about things (she actually ask me on one of face to face appointments if I been married before, she just forgot that she didnt divorce me yet) she didn't notice important email with details regarding address, day rutine, photos of my wife, necessary for Acknowlegment of Service, and she accused me that I didnt provide her this details.
Now I been informed by my solicitor that we use all possible options of uncontested divorce and therefore next step will be applying for bailiff, and the same, case is from now one contested divorce and she will be charging me on hourly rate of £250 plus tax.
Over 10 days ago I send her email with my concerns regarding time frames, quality of work done, and questions regarding break down of how she will exactly charge me. I didnt get respond until now.
I want to know if all this is normal, and if it should look like this, regarding time frames, way how she work and how she provide me her services?
I would like to know if my solicitor should charge me just extra for bailiff now, and then when we will apply for decree nisi it's something for what I already pay as a uncontested divorce?
I want to know if we need consent of my wife as it's already 5 years time when we are separately and we even didnt saw each other from beegingn of 2015?
I really get to point that I'm not able to handle it anymore, it's such stress, it's takeing 2 years, it's a lot of money, I cannot move forward with my life.
Apologized for my English.
I would really appreciate if somebody would be able to advice me.
Many thanks.
Replies (1)
Sounds like you may need to contact the Legal Ombudsman for some advice about this solicitor.
She is correct on the pricing for a bailiff to deliver the notice. Divorce is expensive, moreso when the other spouse does not cooperate. Consider switching solicitors before you pay the bailiff. Given the ability to remote-work now, you could always hire someone in a cheaper area. Don't consider sunk costs as a reason to stay.