Earlier in 2016, the Legal Services Board found that just 17% of legal service providers published service prices on their websites. This can leave clients unable to judge value for money properly. Based on our own research of more than 2,000 people, thousands of individuals and businesses may be paying inflated prices because they cannot compare providers side by side.
For some common legal services, the difference between firms can be as much as 100%. Across the industry, our study suggests that clients may be overpaying by as much as £500 million a year.
Price differences for common legal services
- Estate administration: Grant of probate ranged from £450 in the lower quartile to £900 in the upper quartile, a difference of £450 or 100%.
- Divorce: Uncontested divorce involving children ranged from £583 in the lower quartile to £1,100 in the upper quartile, a difference of £517 or 87%.
- Conveyancing: Sale and purchase of a freehold property ranged from £990 in the lower quartile to £1,500 in the upper quartile, a difference of £510 or 52%.
With such significant differences, it is hardly surprising that just 9% of the people we polled said they were confident they understood the price of common legal services such as conveyancing, divorce, wills, and probate. More concerning still, only 22% said they always used legal services when they needed them.
Find and compare legal service providers with The Law Superstore.
The recent Competition and Markets Authority report stated that comparison websites are an important part of helping other sectors, such as insurance and finance, offer greater choice and competition. As the first comparison website for legal services, The Law Superstore is bringing that same transparency to the legal market.
Our online comparison platform is the only place where you can find and compare legal service providers in your area offering the services you need. In fact, we have more than 8,000 listed prices for services on our website, something that 80% of people polled in our study supported.
What The Law Superstore says
The Law Superstore’s CEO, Matthew Briggs, says: “We believe consumers have the right to understand how much a straightforward legal service should cost and what they will get for the money they spend. We live in a market economy where digital-savvy consumers have benefitted from greater competition when buying financial services, financial advice and utilities. We don’t think legal services should be any different.”
Are you in need of a legal service? If you like the idea of getting the best legal assistance at the best price, find and compare legal service providers with The Law Superstore today.