What dispute resolution help costs, and how it's usually charged

You've just received a SARS assessment that seems badly off, and you're thinking about getting professional help to challenge it. Before you ring anyone, you need to understand what you're actually paying for—because a cheap quote often means someone else is paying later, and expensive doesn't always mean thorough.

What dispute resolution really breaks down into

When you hire someone to handle a SARS dispute, you're paying for several distinct pieces of work, and each one carries different cost drivers. First comes the diagnostic phase: reviewing your original return, the assessment letter, and your records to figure out whether an objection or appeal makes sense and what the weak points are. Then there's the preparation phase, which involves gathering evidence, building your argument, and drafting the formal objection document itself. If SARS doesn't budge after your objection, you move to the appeals process, which may involve presenting your case to an independent review panel or the Tax Court. Finally, if negotiations happen—because many disputes settle before trial—there's the back-and-forth work of hammering out a compromise.

Each phase requires different skills and different time. An experienced adviser might spend five hours on diagnosis and four on drafting an objection for a straightforward VAT discrepancy. The same dispute might blow out to thirty hours if it hinges on a grey-area transfer pricing question or a judgment call about whether an expense is deductible. That variance is why two practitioners can quote wildly different amounts for what sounds like the same job.

How practitioners structure their fees

Dispute resolution is charged three main ways, and each one rewards or punishes different dispute profiles. Some advisers charge by the hour, which is transparent but creates uncertainty—you don't know whether your case will take eight hours or eighty until it's nearly done. Others charge a fixed fee based on the amount in dispute or the complexity level they assess upfront, which gives you certainty but can leave them under-resourced if the dispute turns out harder than expected, or over-rewarded if it settles quickly. A third group works on a success or contingency basis, taking a cut of what they save you—which sounds attractive until you realise they may decline borderline cases or push you toward quick settlements rather than fighting hard.

The cheapest quote often reflects one of three things: the adviser is new and building a portfolio, they're planning to do minimal work and hope you won't notice, or they're bundling this into a retainer where you're also paying for other services. The expensive quote might reflect genuine expertise, or it might reflect overhead you don't need—a big firm's rent and staff costs. Neither price tells you whether they'll actually fight hard for you or manage the case efficiently.

What most quotes leave unpriced

This is where cheap quotes get risky. A practitioner might quote you for preparing and lodging an objection, but not mention that if SARS formally asks for additional information, there's a time-sensitive document-gathering phase that'll cost extra. They might price the initial objection but assume you'll pay separately if the case goes to appeal. Some don't budget for the admin work of liaising with SARS (phone calls, emails, chasing responses), which can add hours you don't see. Others exclude the cost of having an accountant or auditor verify your records so evidence is watertight.

Before you compare quotes, ask each practitioner exactly what's included in their fee and what isn't. Ask what happens if SARS requests more information, what they charge if you move to appeal, and whether they handle all liaison with SARS or if you're managing some of the back-and-forth. That clarity matters more than the headline number.

Finding fair value, not just low cost

The right fee is one where you understand what work is being done, who's doing it, and what happens if the dispute becomes more complex. A practitioner who can explain why their fee is structured the way it is—and can point to disputes they've handled in your industry or with your assessment type—is usually safer than one who simply undercuts everyone else. When you're comparing, ask what support you get if SARS comes back with questions, or what they do if the dispute stalls waiting for a response.

You'll find experienced dispute advisers vetted and available on Strove; use that as a starting point to gather quotes and check what each one actually includes.