At a time when we are squeezed financially, we will often look for a cut price service and one that on the face of it, looks like a bargain. Timms Family Law Solicitor & Mediator, Adrian Rose, explains why a 'quickie' divorce may not be the best of options...

Where – rightly or wrongly – there is a fear of seeing a solicitor because of high legal fees, and where there can seem to be more convenient and less expensive choices, it can be easy to be seduced by headline low prices and promises of fast solutions.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) – the UK's competition watchdog has recently announced that it will examine claims made by online divorce services, which have become more popular since lockdown. See the recent news headline: Firms offering that offer a 'quickie' divorce are to be investigated.

The CMA said there were now many alternatives to law firms, especially where the adviser is not a Solicitor.

It said these alternatives to conventional law firms can be more convenient and cheaper, but "where they are unregulated, it becomes all the more important that normal consumer protection laws are complied with and, if necessary, enforced"

The need for this investigation highlights difficulties we often see. Clients regularly come to us to ask for help in undoing mistakes that have been made by non-lawyer advisors, however well-meaning those advisors might have been, or where the funding limit has been reached or the matter become too complicated, and the cut price service provider has refused to complete the work the client thought they’d asked to be done.

In a lot of cases the resolution is simple and inexpensive, for an experienced family solicitor to achieve but even so, the client will incur costs in doing so that might have been avoidable if professional advice had been sought at the outset. In other cases, the consequences can be more extreme and long standing. For example, if a divorce is finalised without taking steps to protect financial claims between partners or financial agreements are not recorded properly.

Although seeing a solicitor and the thought of costs associated with that can be daunting, in circumstances where life changing decisions are made, there’s no substitute for professional advice and any costs incurred are likely to be a good investment in your future.

How Can Timms Help?

When dealing with family matters you need the best legal advice and guidance available, our breadth of expertise means that we can respond to your individual needs. Specialising in all aspects of family law, childcare and divorce, we treat every client sensitively and provide advice in an efficient and clear way.

Separation and divorce can be an emotional and distressing time so our prime aim is to ensure that you receive the very best service appropriate to you and your specific circumstances. We will support you in achieving an outcome that works for you. One size does not fit all.

For further information, please contact the Family Law team on freephone 0800 011 6666 or via email at legal@timms-law.com.