The sale that quietly died
A purchase file had searches ordered and paid for, the contract pack reviewed, and enquiries raised. Then the buyer's survey came back badly and they withdrew. The case handler noted it on the file, sent a short email to the client, and turned to the next file. The file stayed open. The search fees stayed on the ledger. Nothing was billed.
Months later, accounts find it in a list of old balances and ask what happened.
Why abortive work is rarely billed
When a transaction falls through, the case handler's attention goes to the live files, and the client is disappointed. Raising a bill feels awkward, and many firms have 'no completion, no fee' offers with conditions that nobody checks against the file. Disbursements already paid are left for accounts to notice.
There is also no event in the system for 'aborted'. The file simply goes quiet, so reports never pick it up.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| File not marked as aborted | Stays open, goes quiet |
| Abortive terms not linked to the file | Case handler unsure what can be charged |
| Disbursements left on the ledger | Paid by the firm, not recovered |
| No prompt to bill | Nothing happens |
What unbilled aborts cost
Searches and other disbursements paid on the client's behalf are money the firm has spent. Where your terms allow a fee for abortive work, the work was done and not charged. In a market where a share of transactions fall through, the total is not trivial, and it hides in old files.
Open aborted files also clutter reports and caseload counts.
They also make caseload figures misleading. A case handler whose list includes several dead files looks busier than they are, and allocation decisions based on those numbers send new work to the wrong person.
How we build abort tracking and billing
- Spot likely aborts: the tool watches for signals such as notes or emails mentioning withdrawal, a sale marked fallen through by the agent, or files with no activity since a key stage, and asks the case handler to confirm.
- Record the abort: confirming records the date, the reason and which side withdrew, and moves the file to an aborted status.
- Apply your terms: the tool reads the fee basis and abortive terms from the client care documents on the file, and the stage reached, and shows what your terms allow, plus disbursements paid.
- Draft bill and letter: a bill and a letter to the client are drafted for the case handler to review, adjust or decide not to send.
- Close the loop: once billed or waived, the file moves to closure with any balance handled by accounts.
- Insight: the firm sees aborts by stage, reason and introducer, which helps when setting terms and choosing introducers.
What changes after a fall-through
Aborted files are recognised and recorded, not left to go quiet. Case handlers can see what the client care terms allow, and the bill is drafted for them. Disbursements are recovered where your terms allow it. Partners can see which stages and introducers produce most fall-throughs.
Whether to charge a particular client remains a human decision, but it is now a decision rather than an omission.
Signs you are losing money on aborts
- Aborted files stay open with nothing billed.
- Search and other disbursements sit on ledgers of dead files.
- Case handlers are unsure what your terms allow for abortive work.
- You cannot say how many files fell through last quarter.
- Old aborted files appear in balance reviews.