Earlier in 2016 the Legal Services Board found that just 17% of legal service providers currently publish service prices on their website. This is thought to leave clients unable to accurately gauge value for money. Based on our own research of more than 2000 people, this means that thousands of individuals and businesses are paying inflated prices for their services because they are unable to compare legal service 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 are overpaying by as much as £500 million a year.
| Legal Service | Upper quartile | Lower quartile | Inter-quartile range | Difference in 0% terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estate Administration | ||||
| Grant of probate | £900 | £450 | £450 | 100% |
| Divorce | ||||
| Uncontested - Children | £1,100 | £583 | £517 | 87% |
| Conveyancing | ||||
| Sale & Purchase (Freehold) | £1,500 | £990 | £510 | 52% |
With such significant differences, it is hardly surprising that just 9% of the people we polled were confident that they understood the price of common legal services such as conveyancing, divorce, wills and probate. Perhaps more worrying was that only 22% of people said they always used legal services when they have needed them.
Find and compare legal service providers with The Law Superstore
The recent Competition and Markets Authority report stated that comparison websites were an important part of the way other sectors such as the insurance and finance industries were both able to effectively offer choice and competition. As the first comparison website for legal services, we are doing the same thing here at The Law Superstore. 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 were in favour of.
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? Like the idea of getting the best legal assistance at the best price? Find and compare legal service providers with The Law Superstore today.