Vast majority of firms reluctant to disclose prices online.

Vast majority of firms reluctant to disclose prices online.

Just 17% of firms display their prices online, with three quarters (76%) of firms avoiding doing so.

When it comes to conveyancing this may not be surprising, as other research undertaken by tmgroup revealed consumers viewed price as secondary in importance with the majority happy to go with their estate agent’s recommendation.

According to the recently published research by the Legal Services Board, 4% of firms still have no online presence at all.

When it came to movement on price, 29% of legal firms have put prices up in the past twelve months according to the survey by the legal services board with 4% bringing prices down

According to the telephone survey of 1,506 conducted between November and January, just 4% had reduced prices, with the vast majority of firms leaving well alone.

The research revealed that the average cost of conveying a freehold sale was £640, and £730 for a leasehold. For purchase, the mean cost of conveying a freehold was £722 and a leasehold £815. The mean cost of managing both for a freehold was found to be £1,283.

36% of firms said services occasionally cost more than initially estimated with 58% saying this rarely or never happened. 4% said this happened often and 1% very often.

The research also found, perhaps unsurprisingly, that firms that marketed themselves on the basis of cost by advertising their fees were generally cheaper, and that lower prices could be found for the same services by calling several providers, with those in the south east of England tending to be more expensive.

Legal Services Board Chief Executive, Neil Buckley,said: “This research demonstrates that it really does pay to shop around.

“For many consumers, substantial savings on commonly purchased legal services – especially those which do not require face to face delivery – can be made by searching the market across England and Wales.

“For consumers in the South East in particular, our research shows that a premium may be paid for direct, locally sourced legal services of the type covered by this report.

“The legal services market is changing and we are seeing numerous signs of innovation as new providers enter the market and existing providers develop their services. But there is still some way to go before all consumers can be confident of finding the legal service they need at a price they can afford.

“Firms who are yet to adapt will have to look at what their competitors are providing. This is a market with huge potential for delivering a better deal for consumers.”

Josh Morris

Josh is the Journalist for the Today's Group and writes many of the articles for Today's Conveyancer. He graduated with a degree in Physics from Cardiff University in 2009 before training as a journalist. He has previously written for The Times, The Mirror and The Daily Express.

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