<p>Oooh, why’d you delete your verbiage, lookingforward? I liked it better than mine!! Was clearer and to the point. They both work, though,</p>
<p>LasMa - I thought the OP said her attorney is a “she” :)</p>
<p>Sorry – she. :)</p>
<p>Any update, Consolation??</p>
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<p>As I have said, I am NOT going to send a check until the lawyer retracts his initial bill and states in writing that a) we are not liable for any legal costs, and b) we are <strong>choosing</strong> to reimburse him for out-of-pocket costs associated with altering our loan agreement and registering the deed as a good will gesture, and we have no OBLIGATION to do so and the fact that we CHOOSE to do so implies no obligation now or in the future to pay ANY legal costs associated with this matter. And provides copies of receipts, just for the sake of form. </p>
<p>So it is not a matter of simply “hoping.”</p>
<p>I realize that there are those here who think that anyone who parts with a nickel that they don’t absolutely have to is stupid, and that I am stupid and naive for not simply sticking it to my neighbor and this neighbor atty because I legally could, but I am not that dumb.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, H continues to be the point person for communications, and he is very busy, so no progress.</p>
<p>Maybe we define things differently, Consolation, but I don’t define “sticking it to someone” as paying all that I owe. And that is what many here have urged you to do: pay all you owe, no more, no less. The one that contracted the atty is the one that owes the atty for his time, advice, costs, etc. So as I see it, you have explained you know you owe nothing to the neighbor’s atty, so if you paid only what you were obligated to pay to your neighbor, you would not be “sticking it” to him. Of course, whether your neighbor pays his debts to his atty is another matter, but that’s between the neighbor and his atty.
Personally, I am pleased to hear you you have changed your mind about sending a check with a note that it was a conditional good will payment. Please try to understand page after page of advice and comment on this thread was based on your expressed intent to pay their atty’s oop costs in the form of a conditional gift to their atty. Everyone here that commented on that plan, was against it. But why? Because you’re stupid?(your words) No, in part, some felt you should pay nothing because you said you owed nothing. Some felt a good will payment should go to the neighbor because he is the one that owes the atty. Some others felt you should not do it because even though you say it was a gift, it might appear you agreed that you owed the debt. Some thought that angle made the payment too risky. So it isn’t just your paying money that many disagreed with, but the way that you were going to pay it. Now you have a better plan.</p>
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<p>Good. You need a much clearer “bill” for what you are paying than the $3000 one you initially received. The message should be (in my opinion) “we did not contract you for $3000 in services. Please itemize the amounts for recording our deed, and HELOC information”. You should get an itemized bill with EXACTLY what this entailed and the amount of billable hours for the services. </p>
<p>If it were me and I was you…I would also check my local building folks, and the bank to see how much they actually CHARGE for recording these changes. I know that at my town hall, a change to a land record costs $150. A change on my HELOC would be FREE.</p>
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<p>No, I am not going to pay for any of his time at all. BTW, he did already provide us with an itemized list of the out of pocket fees. I just want them listed without all of the hours for his “services.”</p>
<p>Agree with your change on strategy. Agree also that you should check around to see if these “charges” for which you will be given receipts are normal. For me, changes in HELOC do NOT involve fees; easy to find out fees for recording–simple call to the Bureau of Conveyances should do it (or ask your favorite real estate agent).</p>
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<p>Yes…this is what I meant. You want the bill to be an accurate one reflecting ONLY what you actually owe him…and nothing else. And you want to be certain that the previous bill is tossed.</p>
<p>Actually, you don’t OWE anyone ANYTHING. You want and should have the attorney send a letter verifying that you do NOT owe anything and that the bill was sent to you in error as you NEVER retained him or agreed to pay for his services AT ALL. Only then, can you start talking about what you are offering to pay as a goodwill gesture, NOT because anything is owed by you.</p>
<p>consolation-- can we have an update?</p>
<p>Sure, but don’t get mad at me, everyone!</p>
<p>H sent a check to the lawyer for the out of pocket costs, without following the plan of asking for a new bill, and a written statement that we did not owe anything. At least he did not send 1/3 of the bill, which was his original plan!</p>
<p>Now we have to hope that the atty leaves it at that. I’m actually fairly certain that he will, but it certainly would have been nicer to get it in writing.</p>
<p>I did, by the way, compile many of your posts for him to read…</p>
<p>I think we should all send him a bill for consultation services. Will he pay that too? :D</p>
<p>I wouldn’t let him! Although I seem to recall that someone was going to send me their roof repair bill. :D</p>
<p>Indeed! While no one here thought that was the best way to handle it, all a person can do is be fully informed and then do what he/she thinks is best and hope it works. I’m hoping at the very least, hub sent a letter explaining this was a one-time goodwill gesture, and not a payment of a debt, and marked it so on the check??<br>
I hope the atty considers it “case closed” with you, and that the neighbor is appreciative of you paying a part of his bill. Good luck.</p>