Please help ... solicitors are awful

[Rose143]

Hi peeps,

Sitting here in tears at the moment, I've just got off the phone with a solicitor who was highly recommended. According to the commercial agent I've been dealing with I need a solicitor to deal with god knows what for the lease signing for the shop. From my experience this morning, they're a bunch of idiots and I feel like a fool.

I asked the solicitor what their involvement would be and where I start. Then he said, why don't I tell you what the fee is first and we can go from there so I agreed. He said 650-750 + vat. So I said ok, please bare with me here as I've never done this before but what can you do to help me and he said, whatever you want me to do. I just sat there ... what can they do!!! He probably thought, oh well, another beauty person with no brains maybe if I tell her what I charge she won't want to speak to me. I seem to give alot of people this impression but I was very nice to them as I need the help, I'm normally very assertive and don't put up with crap but I want this to go smoothly and making enemies is not what I want to do, I have enough of those!

I am really upset, this idiot has really put me off phoning other places now incase the treat me like I'm stupid as well. :cry:

Can you guys give me some questions I should ask or what I should do please?

xxxx

 

[Sassy Hassy]

I had a pompous oaf like that, so I went elsewhere and found this really lovely bloke (really lovely charges too!) who treated me with some respect! Phone around Rose, there are solicitors out there that treat you like a human being.

 

[weezie]

I can't help with questions I'm afraid. Sorry to hear how they delt with you, but they have probably done you a favour, who wants to work with someone with that attitude?

People like that are not open to changing their views, it is them who are ignorant. It's fine to ask questions on anything you don't understand this actually shows intelligence. Some people go through life pretending they know stuff rather than just asking-this is pretty dumb in my opinion

Don't let him put you off please x

 

[Rose143]

I had a pompous oaf like that, so I went elsewhere and found this really lovely bloke (really lovely charges too!) who treated me with some respect! Phone around Rose, there are solicitors out there that treat you like a human being.

Thanks Sass, glad to hear I'm not the only one but what do I ask first?

xxxx

 

[Sassy Hassy]

I've not read this through Rose but it may help (it's from the Law society's website) http://www.lawsociety.org.uk//documents/downloads/CCG_eng_business.pdf

When I was looking into my salon the solicitor just asked me loads of Q's like how long for the term of the lease, if it was full repairing (he said that a lease of 10 years or less should not have this because you could be liable for a complete structural rebuild if necessary - I advise you get a proper survey done of the place if you have to enter into this), if I would have an automatic entitlement to renew after the term ends. your guy should have asked you this - keep phoning til you find someone who does.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Actually I think this page may be of more use Law Society of England and Wales - Search results and then click on the link that says "taking on leased premises" and it will give you all the Qs you need to ask. Get the solicitor to check out the terms of the lease before you apply for your planning permission. I'd have saved myself a lot of heartache (and money) if I'd done it that way around as he said that the terms of the lease were too onerous and my landlord would not budge one inch ... he advised me to walk away from it, and so I did.

 

[Rose143]

Hi Sass,

That has helped thanks, but now I'm worried as I've agreed a full insuring and repairing lease, was that wrong? I don't want to get a survey done if I haven't got the planning permission yet.

Who would I need to contact to get a survey done? Sorry, I've never done any of this ever!!!

Obviously the solicitor I spoke to didn't want to ask questions as her probably charges for advice over the phone. Does eveyone charge over the phone? I refuse to pay anyone if they can't help me.

I don't know ...

Thanks anyway love :hug:

xxxx

 

[Rose143]

Actually I think this page may be of more use Law Society of England and Wales - Search results and then click on the link that says "taking on leased premises" and it will give you all the Qs you need to ask. Get the solicitor to check out the terms of the lease before you apply for your planning permission. I'd have saved myself a lot of heartache (and money) if I'd done it that way around as he said that the terms of the lease were too onerous and my landlord would not budge one inch ... he advised me to walk away from it, and so I did.

Oh my God ... what a nightmare but what does he mean your landlord wouldn't budge? My landlord said the 3 years I requested is absolutely fine and it's a full repairing and insuring lease. Does this mean I'm shooting myself in the foot?

xxxx

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Have a peek at that Law Society website hun, you can usually get the first half hour free with a solicitor. You need to contact a Chartered Surveyor to get the survey done (as you would with a house). Your commercial agent should be able to recommend someone to you. It is very hard to get a lease that is not full repairing these days, but you can try. My solicitor said a way you can get round it is that if anything is picked up on the survey then you can put a clause in the contract to say that you would not be liable for this ... but the landlord wasn't having any of it and the place was so run down that I could see myself being nicely tucked up.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Oh my God ... what a nightmare but what does he mean your landlord wouldn't budge? My landlord said the 3 years I requested is absolutely fine and it's a full repairing and insuring lease. Does this mean I'm shooting myself in the foot?

xxxx

Rose hun I'm not a legal expert and you are getting yourself panicked now! He wouldn't budge re the survey (see post above) and he woudn't give me an automatic right to renew after the end of the lease. What you may be better to do is a longer lease with a 3 year no penatly get out clause, otherwise if you wanted to renew after your 3 years as it stands you'd have to pay all the legal fees again. a good solicitor would advise you of all this so phone around.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Actually I think this page may be of more use Law Society of England and Wales - Search results

doh just checked and this link doesn't work. go onto Law Society of England and Wales - Home and do a search for "business premises", it will then take you to the right page, and you need to click on the heading "taking on business premises". It's all the info you need there.

 

[Urban Geek]

Rose - I can't advise you any more than Sass has. If a solicitor makes you feel stupid, you should certainly look for one you feel comfortable with and who you think you can trust.

Good luck hun xx

 

[Rose143]

I know the link was a little dodgy so I looked it up and found it, thanks for your help :hug:

I know I am a little panicked but Sass I've heard so many horror stories about solicitors I've lost count. I am petrified of ringing as I don't know anything and could get stabbed in the back and this is the last thing I need.

I also don't understand all the jargon, I'm no law expert either but you have helped immensley. I've printed off the advice, thanks again.

xxxx

 

[*Garfield*]

Just remeber Rose, that the solicitor is working for YOU, you are paying them to protect your interests so shop around and find someone that you trust, and that dosnt treat you like something they just trod in!

 

[Rose143]

Thanks Chris and Sharron, just that my confidence is a bit low now, took alot for me to ring the p***ks!

xxxx

 

[alli]

Rose, I'm in a similar situation, just going through the legalities of it at the mo, I gave my solicitor the draft copy of the lease and he then outlined everything he wasn't happy with, in the end he's saved me the best part of 1500 quid by not paying landlords fees and also a few other things, one thing he wouldn';t budge on is the full repairing and insuring lease, again I have to constantly phone my lawyer and he never returns calls, makes you wonder how they can justify their fee
ali

 

[Rose143]

Rose, I'm in a similar situation, just going through the legalities of it at the mo, I gave my solicitor the draft copy of the lease and he then outlined everything he wasn't happy with, in the end he's saved me the best part of 1500 quid by not paying landlords fees and also a few other things, one thing he wouldn';t budge on is the full repairing and insuring lease, again I have to constantly phone my lawyer and he never returns calls, makes you wonder how they can justify their fee
ali

Thanks for replying ali, aren't the solicitors supposed to be handling this amoungst themselves? My commercial agent has asked me for my solicitors details to contact him. Even though I don't have one :irked:

How much is your solicitor charging you honey, if you don't mind me asking?

xxxx

 

[Loufd]

Rose, if you are looking for a good solicitor that won't cost you the earth PM me and i will give you the details of the one i use all the time. He's really good, always available on the end of the phone and very thorough. Even though he's based in Northampton and im in Hampshire I wouldn't go to anyone else :lol: .

 

[The Beauty Zoo]

Aww, Rose hun you sound in such a state. :hug: Look for a solicitor who is experienced in Commercial Leases, they should be able to point you in the right direction.

I called a couple and got quotes before I chose the one that I went with. It is really hard to ask the 'right' questions when you dont know what the 'right' questions are!!!!! A good solicitor will be able to take over for you. Mine did and told me what the problems were with the lease and got changes made. It is a minefield but the solicitor is working for you.

Take a deep breath and call a few, you will find the right one!!!!:hug: xxx

 

[Rose143]

Thanks guys for replying to my thread, I think today has been a better day than yesterday.

I don't mind paying anyone, even if they are a little on the pricy side, I just need this sorted quickly and efficiently. Quality always costs more ... my motto in life really :wink2:

xxxx