When you instruct a solicitor to carry out some work for you, your solicitor is obliged by law to give you information in writing about the legal charges you will incur.

The information you will be given will be:

1. the solicitor’s actual charges, or (where this is not possible or practicable)
2. an estimate of the solicitor’s charges, or (where this is not possible or practicable) 
3. the basis on which the solicitor’s charges are to be made.

The Law Society has published a leaflet about legal charges.

When you instruct a solicitor, they will provide you with a letter of engagement which forms the basis for your relationship. If you have any queries about the content of the letter you should ask them to clarify.