Frequently Asked Questions

• Why would I need to use Bidlegal.co.uk?
• Who can use Bidlegal.co.uk?
• So how does Bidlegal.co.uk work?
• Are my details made public to the solicitors when I submit a tender?
• Do I know which law firms or solicitors are bidding for my work?
• How much does it cost me to use Bidlegal.co.uk?
• So how do you make any money? Do you take a success fee?
• Ah, so you sell my details to advertisers then?
• How much will the solicitors charge me for doing my legal work?
• Do I have to choose the cheapest pitch?
• What if I don't want to accept any of the pitches?
• Is there a deadline for the solicitors to pitch for my work?
• Can I tell you not to send my tender to certain solicitors? Can I ban certain firms from pitching?
• Will the solicitors know I've 'blacklisted' them?
• What if no one responds to my bid?
• How long does it take to register with Bidlegal.co.uk?
• Do I need to send a confirmatory email each time?
• What if I change address or my email?
• What if the solicitors think my tender isn't clear?
• So why isn't everyone using Bidlegal.co.uk?

Why would I need to use Bidlegal.co.uk?

There may be many reasons. You may not have a solicitor to do all your legal work. Sometimes you may need a specialist solicitor or you may find that your usual solicitor cannot act for you this time. Or you may want to check that you're getting good value for money. You can use Bidlegal.co.uk to find a new solicitor (general or specialist) or to compare fees for a particular job.

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Who can use Bidlegal.co.uk?

Individuals, companies, partnerships and all other businesses can use Bidlegal.co.uk. There is only one restriction. You must be over 18 (and of sound mind) to instruct a solicitor. Otherwise you'll need a parent or guardian to act for you.

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So how does Bidlegal.co.uk work?

It's simple. You have to register your details first, but you only have to do this once. We'll remember your details next time. Once you're registered, you describe what you need a solicitor for. This is your 'tender'. We send your tender to all the solicitors we have registered with us and they decide whether to pitch for your work. We then email you the pitches. You just have to choose which pitch to accept.

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Are my details made public to the solicitors when I tender?

No. We keep all your details entirely confidential. Your tender is anonymous, but with just a bit of general information such as whether you're an individual or company and where you are located. The solicitors do not know who you are when they pitch for your work.

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Do I know which law firms or solicitors are bidding for my work?

No. We also keep their details confidential. That way you get a truly independent choice. Again, you'll get a bit of general information, such as the size and location of the law firm. Once you have picked which pitch you want to accept, we'll then give your details to the solicitors and let you have their details. We only release your details to the 'successful' solicitor, not to anyone else who may have pitched for your work.

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How much does it cost me to use Bidlegal.co.uk?

Absolutely nothing! The service is entirely free to use.

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So how do you make any money? Do you take a success fee?

We do not take success fees. We charge law firms and solicitors an administration fee to register and then an annual fee. We may also get advertising revenue from carefully selected partners whose services may be of interest to you.

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Ah, so you sell my details to advertisers then?

Absolutely not. Your details are held in our secure and highly confidential database. We do not give your details to anyone else and we won't contact you ourselves to try to sell you double glazing, insurance or anything else! If you see an advert on our web-site, you are entirely free to ignore it!

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How much will the solicitors charge me for doing my legal work?

The solicitors have to explain their fees to you in their pitch. They may suggest a fixed fee, which is the total amount you'll pay (plus any third party expenses or disbursements). The solicitors may suggest a success fee, if this is allowed. Or they may give you their hourly rates and an estimate of how long they think it will take to deal with your legal work. You can choose whichever pitch appeals to you most. Don't forget, most (probably all) solicitors have to charge VAT on their fees.

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Do I have to choose the cheapest pitch?

Not at all. You may feel more comfortable paying a little more to use a larger firm of solicitors, or one that is nearer to where you live. You can choose whichever of the pitches you want, for whatever reason.

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What if I don't want to accept any of the pitches?

You do not have to accept any of the pitches. There is absolutely no obligation on you.

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Is there a deadline for the solicitors to pitch for my work?

Yes. Our usual deadline is 1 month, but you can make this shorter if you want. Sometimes it may be vital you get an answer the same day. More often, you may want to hear by the end of the week or within 2 weeks. It all depends on how urgently you need a new solicitor.

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Can I tell you not to send my tender to certain solicitors? Can I ban certain firms from pitching?

Yes. If you've found you cannot use a particular solicitor or firm, perhaps because of a conflict or if you've had a problem with them before, then just tell us. When you describe your legal requirements for the tender, we give you the option to exclude certain solicitors or firms from receiving that tender.

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Will the solicitors know I've 'blacklisted' them?

No. We simply won't send your tender to them. They'll never see it and they won't know who you are or that you didn't want to use them again. So there's no embarrassment!

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What if no one responds to my tender?

This is very unlikely to happen, but if it does, we will automatically be notified. We'll then be able to get in touch with you. It may be that we can help you reword your tender or we may be able to recommend you to a law firm we know that can help you. Either way, we won't make any charge for helping you.

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How long does it take to register with Bidlegal.co.uk?

It should only take you 5 minutes to answer the simple questions and give us the information we need to register you. We'll then send you an email to check that your email address is live. When you get that email, simply click on the link so we know you're really there. We won't release your tender to the solicitors until we've had this confirmation.

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Do I need to send a confirmatory email each time?

No. You only have to respond to our check-email once when you first register. Once you're registered, you can use Bidlegal.co.uk as many times as you like, for all your legal needs.

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What if I change address or my email?

That's no problem. We give you access to change your registered details at any time. Just remember that each time we get a new email address for you, we'll have to send you a check-email. You'll need to click on the link in that email to confirm we have the right email address.

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What if the solicitors think my tender isn't clear?

It is possible the solicitors might need some further information from you, before being able to pitch for your legal work. If so, we will forward their queries on to you. As always, this is done entirely confidentially. The lawyers won't know who you are and you won't know who has asked the questions. We'll forward your reply only to the solicitors who asked the question, not to anyone else.

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So why isn't everyone using Bidlegal.co.uk?

That's a very good question! We think everyone should use Bidlegal.co.uk. However, once you've found a solicitor through Bidlegal.co.uk, you may want to go back to them directly next time. Just remember Bidlegal.co.uk is always here if you need a new solicitor for any reason or want to compare prices.

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