VIC UK estate lawyer's fee dispute

[KittyKaz]

My mother died in the UK and I was contacted by a law firm from Wellington, UK advising they were handling her estate. Two years later, with the estate yet to be finalised, my brother passed away, leaving me as the sole beneficiary.
I have just received their account and am shocked at the amount. They have charged for "estate research" which I explicitly did not give authority for. There was also a charge for "certainty will search" which I also did not give authority for. The amount charged for "admin" seems very excessive.
Am I able to dispute these fees from Australia? Also, if I do dispute the fees, are they entitled to withhold the estate moneys?
Thank you in advance.

Karen.

 

[Docupedia]

You would have to seek specific advice from someone who knows the law in the UK, as that will be the law that applies. You might be lucky, but I think the chances are slim that you’re going to find someone on this forum with that specific knowledge.