A small business owner instructs a solicitor to draft a commercial lease for new premises. At the initial meeting, the solicitor provides a written estimate of £2,000 to £2,500 based on the information available. During the drafting process, the landlord’s solicitor introduces several unusual clauses relating to service charge calculations and break provisions, which require the solicitor to spend additional time reviewing and negotiating. The final bill is £3,500. The client argues that the estimate was a binding commitment and that the solicitor cannot charge more than £2,500.
A solicitor provided a client with a costs estimate of £2,000 to £2,500 for drafting a commercial lease. The work took longer than expected because the landlord raised several unusual provisions, and the final bill was £3,500. The client refuses to pay, stating that the solicitor should have charged no more than £2,500. What is the correct legal position?