Thank you for looking at our probate services. Coping with the death of a person can bring a mixture of emotions and the legal side of dealing with a person’s death can often be overwhelming and confusing. Having compassionate, experienced legal advice can make this difficult situation much easier on you and your loved ones.
Whether the deceased person left a Will or whether there is substantial wealth and property involved, the sense of burden can increase. Where a Will is in existence the Executors may need to apply for a Grant of Probate which will give them the legal right to administer the estate. Where there is no Will in existence, the Will is invalid, or it does not specify an Executor, an Administrator will need to be appointed.
Why Us
We have an experienced team who can assist you with every aspect of the probate process, reducing the administrative burden and advising sensitively on key decisions which need to be made when managing an estate. We are aware that administering an estate comes at a time of grief and high emotion, and that most people do not know the processes and legal requirements involved.
We will give you a clear timeframe of how long probate should take and will keep you and any beneficiaries advised throughout.
You will have the confidence that you are our priority, with our aim being that any member of the team is available to speak with you when you need some clarity and certainty at any stage in the process. We feel this provides reassurance and gives you an outlet for any concerns that you may have. Fees are generally paid out of the estate, so there may not be a need for you to fund the administration.
We are proud to hold the Lexcel accreditation, issued by the Law Society. This involves the firm undergoing a rigorous audit process which ensures we maintain high levels of client care and practice management.
Pricing
The fees involved in a probate matter can vary and will depend on the individual circumstances involved.
We offer the options of both fixed fees and an hourly rate charging rate, whereby you will be charged for each hour of work undertaken. We do not charge according to the value of the estate, but by the amount of work involved. Our hourly rates range from £185 to £240 plus VAT. Full details of our lawyer’s charge out rates are included in the confirmation of instructions that are sent to you following instruction.
- Fixed Fee “Grant only” application
We are able to offer this fixed fee service in cases where you provide valuation information to us to enable us to complete the relevant probate and inheritance tax papers.
For an estate that is not subject to inheritance tax and will not require a transferable nil rate band application, our fee will be £1250 to £1500 plus VAT and disbursements.
If the estate is liable to inheritance tax or a full Inland Revenue account (IHT400) is required, our fee will be £1750 to £2250 plus VAT and disbursements.
The Executors are then responsible for finalising the estate. If you would prefer more assistance we offer a full estate administration service.
- Full Estate Administration Service
This work is not offered on a fixed fee but we will always provide you with a cost estimate once we know what is involved in the estate.
On average, our fees are in the region of £3000 to £3500 plus VAT for a basic estate and £4000 to £4500 plus VAT for a straightforward taxable estate.
These fees are for estates where:
- There is a valid Will.
- Whether or not any executors have died or refuse to act.
- There is no more than one property.
- There is no more than four bank or building society accounts.
- There are no shareholdings.
- There are no more than four beneficiaries.
- There are no disputes between beneficiaries on the division of assets.
- Where there are no trusts in the Will.
- Where there are no missing beneficiaries.
- No income tax returns are required.
- There are no claims made against the estate.
We will handle the entire estate administration from start to finish including the distribution of the estate to the beneficiaries.
For more complex estates the fees can vary and would normally be dealt with on an individual basis.
Disbursements (for both options)
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees or court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Anticipated Disbursements
Item | Amount |
Online ID verification (per person) | £3.00 plus VAT |
Probate Court fee | £273.00 |
Office copies of the Grant of Probate | £1.50 per copy |
Land Registry search fee | £3.00 plus VAT per search |
Bankruptcy search (per beneficiary) | £2.00 plus VAT |
Bank transfer fees (per transfer, if required) | £25.00 plus VAT |
Trustee Act Notices | £150.00 - £220 plus VAT (dependent upon publication) |
Additional Costs
In the event that there is no Will or the estate consists of any shareholdings (stocks and bonds), there is likely to be an additional cost that could change significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be handled. We will discuss this with you in detail and advise of any additional fees.
The cost of selling or transferring or selling a property is not included in this price. If you require this service please let us know and we will provide you with an estimate in that regard.
Timescales
On average, probate for the typical estate will take between 6 to 15 months. Generally, the time taken to obtain the Grant of Probate will take between 6 to 9 months, followed by the collection of assets and distribution of the assets which can take between 3 to 6 months. The range takes into account handling everything from straightforward estates through to more complex estates. The process is likely to take a longer period of time where inheritance tax is involved or there is property to be dealt with.
Thank you for looking at our probate services. Coping with the death of a person can bring a mixture of emotions and the legal side of dealing with a person’s death can often be overwhelming and confusing. Having compassionate, experienced legal advice can make this difficult situation much easier on you and your loved ones.
Whether the deceased person left a Will or whether there is substantial wealth and property involved, the sense of burden can increase. Where a Will is in existence the Executors may need to apply for a Grant of Probate which will give them the legal right to administer the estate. Where there is no Will in existence, the Will is invalid, or it does not specify an Executor, an Administrator will need to be appointed.
