Probate, Applying for the Grant, Collecting and Distributing the Assets
We undertake probate work under a fixed fee arrangement or taking a percentage of the estate depending on the complexity of the case. We have an initial consultation with our clients to discuss this and give a fee quote. Our hourly rates start at £190 per hour for a grade D fee earner (trainee solicitor, paralegal and other case workers) to £460 per hour for a grade A fee earner (director, solicitor or legal executive with over 8 years’ experience). The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end.
Our consultation fee is £100 plus £20 VAT (£120 total) however, if you decide to instruct us to deal with your matter then this fee will be waived.
We anticipate that work on probate cases will take between 9 – 15 hours work but this can be discussed at the initial consultation once the work that needs to be done has been discussed.
As part of our fees, we handle the full process for you including:
- Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter
- Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries
- Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
- Obtain the relevant documents required to make the application
- Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms
- Make the application to the Probate Registry on your behalf
- Obtain the Probate and securely send two copies to you
Estimate for Work on a Case with a Simple Estate
Our fees for private client vary and are case specific based on the instructions we receive at our initial consultation. Depending on your instructions we may offer you the following:
For a simple probate matter, we offer a fixed fee of £2000 plus £ 400 VAT (£2,400 total). Generally a straightforward probate matter will consist of the following elements:
- There is a valid will
- There is no more than one property
- There are no other intangible assets
- There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
- There is no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
- There are no claims made against the estate
For more complex probate matters, we offer a hourly rate based on your case handler, as follows:
- Tahir Shahab Khan (Solicitor, 27 years PQE): £460 + £92 VAT (£552 total)
- Awais Mahmood (Trainee Solicitor): £190 + £38 VAT (£228 total)
Please note all our fees are case specific and you are encouraged to contact us to discuss the matter. Based on the particulars of your situation, we will advise you on the fee during the initial consultation.
NOTE: VAT has been calculated at the current rate of 20%
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.
Disbursements are NOT included in this estimate and are additional to the fixed fee.
- Probate court fee of £273 * (please see below)
- Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)
- Post in The London Gazette £93 – £95 – protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors
- Post in a Local Newspaper £450 – £500 – this also helps to protect against unexpected claims.
- The application fee is £273 if the value of the estate is £5,000 or over – there’s no fee if the estate is under £5,000
Potential Additional Costs
- If there is no will or the estate consists of 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 £0.50 (1 per asset usually)
- Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property which is not included in the estate
How Long Will This Take?
Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes a minimum of 6 weeks. Collecting assets then follows and once this has been done, we can distribute the assets. On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 6 weeks – 6 months.
Other Probate Work Undertaken at Law Lane
We can help in situations where there are:
- Disputes
- More than one property
- Outstanding creditors
- Overseas assets
- Other forms of assets
Please contact us to discuss any help you might need in relation to the above or any other Probate related matters and to obtain a quote for the work that is needed. You can contact the Private Client team directly on 0203 745 3133 or send an email to awais@lawlanesolicitors.com
Disclaimer
Law Lane Solicitors Ltd has provided the materials on this website for informational purposes only which does not, and cannot, constitute a legal advice. The use of this site does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Additionally, email or other communication with our representatives through this site should not be considered confidential or privileged.