Probate Matters – Price and Service Information
1. Grant of Probate – Fixed Fee
We can obtain the Grant of Probate on your behalf based on a fixed legal fee.
We set out below the typical costs for estates where:
This work can be undertaken on the basis of a fixed fee. The range of fixed fees we charge fall between £750 (plus VAT) and £950 (plus VAT).
Possible Disbursements: (Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.)
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What services does this fee include:
The following steps are included:
establish the extent of the estate by identifying the various assets and liabilities;
which are then submitted to the appropriate Probate Registry together with the
Will, if there is one;
to you in order for you to administer the estate.
Potential additional costs include:
If for example the deceased has died without a will or the estate assets include any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there are likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with.
We can give you a more accurate quote once we have more information; If any additional copies of the grant are required, they will cost £1.50 (1 per asset usually);
Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included, but we could provide you with further information and likely cost relating to this.
On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 3 – 6 months.
Typically, obtaining the grant of probate can take between 2 -6 weeks.
If you would also like us to deal with administering the estate for you after the grant of probate, please see below under “Administering an Estate”.
2. Administering an Estate
We also have specialists to deal with the administration of the estate and dealing with the deceased’s assets, relieving you of the anxiety of doing it yourself at a time when you may need help the most.
Work involved would include:
The costs of this type of work would vary significantly and would be considered on its own merit, and dependant upon the assets that need to be dealt with and the complexity.
On a matter where there is:-
• a valid will
• no more than one property and the value of the estate doesn’t exceed £325,000
• no more than 5 bank or building society accounts
• no other intangible assets
• no more than 4 beneficiaries
• no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
• no claims made against the estate and no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
• the estate does not include:
A business, farms, farmhouses or farmland, an interest in another estate, loans or mortgages payable to the deceased, foreign assets, assets held in trust, national Heritage assets or unlisted stocks
and shares and control holdings.
On average, estates that fall within the above range are dealt with within 3 – 6 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate from court can take between 2 -6 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 4 - 8 weeks. We aim to do this as promptly as possible.
Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes another 4 - 8 weeks.
Our costs could be charged in two different ways.
We would usually charge between 1% - 2% of the value of the estate or, if the circumstances require an hourly rate basis, could be between £180 and £260 per hour depending on who is best dealing with the matter. We would discuss this with you when taking your instructions.
When you instruct us we will send a letter to you setting out the basis we will send a letter to you setting out the basis upon which we will charge our fees.
Possible Disbursements:
• Probate application fee of £155 plus £1.50p per copy
• Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)
• Land Registry Official Copy of Title £6.00
• £69.50 plus VAT Post in The London Gazette – Protects against
unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
• £300 - £350 plus VAT Post in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims.
Peter Docherty our Head of Wills and Probate will carry out the work. Peter Docherty is a Solicitor and a Director. Peter Docherty has more than ten years’ experience of delivering wills and probate services and you can see more about his qualifications and experience on the “Solicitors” part of our website. The work is also supervised by a Director of the firm.