A study from the Legal Services Consumer Panel has indicated that price transparency on legal services websites is alarmingly low.
Results from the 2017 tracker survey show that just 6% of consumers were able to locate the price on a provider’s website, with just 4% finding it through a comparison site.
The survey also indicated that an annual drop of almost 10% in the number of consumers who said comparing providers was easy.
The results increase the pressure on law firms to increase transparency, both in terms of price and details of service. Regulator proposals on this issue aim to allow consumers to make informed choices when choosing a legal service provider, as well as potentially leading to a boost in market competition.
Expressing her disappointment in the results of the survey was Dr Jane Martin. The Chair of the Legal Services Consumer Panel stressed the need for regulators to work collaboratively, stating: “It is very disappointing to note that change has been slow and basic information is not sufficiently available to help consumers make a proper choice.
“The sector now has both the challenge and opportunity to put this right as all the regulators are working together to implement the recommendations of the Competition and Markets Authority’s report. I hope we will see serious improvements when we repeat the survey in the coming years.”
The full results of the survey can be accessed here.
