Concerns on Post Office scandal legal fees
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has invited victims of Britain’s Post Office scandal to come forward if they believe they are being overcharged by solicitors.
According to the Law Society Gazette of England and Wales, the regulator responded after the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board (HCAB) flagged concerns that some former sub-postmasters were unsure how and why they were being charged certain fees.
A letter from the board to the SRA last month said that matters had been raised by individuals that required investigation. No lawyers were named in the letter, according to the Gazette.
Last week, SRA chief executive Paul Philip responded to the board, confirming that a dedicated referral contact had been established for sub-postmasters to raise issues they were having with lawyers over costs.
Philip said that the regulator would be keen to hear from sub-postmasters who had experienced issues linked to fees charged for legal services, “particularly if they have concerns about or do not understand what it is that they are being asked to pay for”.