Do you need a solicitor to change your name?

The answer to whether you need a solicitor to change your name, is a very straight, no, you definitely do not under any circumstances need to instruct solicitor to change your name.

A quick scout of solicitors websites show that the average price for a deed poll prepared by a solicitor advertising on Google is £100 + vat.

Before the advent of the internet, Solicitors owned the market for legal documents as people had no choice but to make an appointment to see a solicitor who would then take your instructions and dictate to their secretary the details, which would then be typed into a deed poll template and printed off.

You would then make another appointment to visit the solicitor and have the document executed ( signed and witnessed). This convoluted process allowed them to charge high fees as a personal service was being provided.

With the advent of internet technologies, these processes have been automated and you can go online, fill out an application form and have your deed poll sent to you by post and e-mail the same day.

As with all automation the price invariably falls as companies are able to scale their businesses to mass produce the documentation, cheaply and quickly, yet providing exactly the same service.

You don’t ever need to change your name using a solicitor or pay solicitor prices when it can be done online for a fraction of the cost.