Guy Smith-Ferrier
Unexpectedly long and expensive
I engaged Alison Bradley of Wards Solicitors, Bristol, in July 2023 to handle my no-fault divorce. Throughout the process my ex-spouse and I remained on amicable terms and were able to reach agreement on all matters. On the advice of Wards Solicitors, we used a mediator who prepared a Memorandum of Understanding and Financial Statement at a cost of £600 (paid to the mediator). At the outset I was advised that the divorce should take around six months and would cost a fixed fee of £600. The Final Order was eventually obtained in May 2026, two years and ten months after I instructed Wards Solicitors. During that period I paid Wards Solicitors a total of £4,817. I was disappointed by the difference between the original estimate and the eventual time taken and cost incurred. It is true that my ex's first solicitor was far from optimal. It is also true that my ex was slow to respond but neither of these factors can account for the two years and ten months that it eventually took.
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