Probate Charges

Probate

Dealing with the estate of someone who has died can be stressful and time
consuming. We aim to work with the executors and beneficiaries to deal with the administration in a sensitive yet efficient manner and to remove some of the burden.

If there are any business or agricultural assets involved, we can provide specialist advice in order to minimise tax liabilities and business disruption.

How much does this service cost?

We can work on a fixed fee or hourly rate basis. Our initial meeting with you to discuss the terms of our instruction will be free of charge. Our service includes obtaining the Grant of Probate, collecting assets and distributing them in accordance with the Will or intestacy rules as appropriate.

If you opt for an hourly rate basis instruction, we will be able to provide you with an accurate cost estimate range at the outset of the matter. This estimate will be based on uncontested cases where all the assets are in the UK. This includes both testate and intestate and taxable and non-taxable estates.

We can also manage transactions where property is situated abroad but it is difficult to accurately estimate the likely charges that would apply in these circumstances as we often need to work with organisations in the Country where the asset is situated.

You will be advised of the hourly rate of the solicitor dealing with the matter on your behalf. This will be between £195 +VAT to £250+VAT per hour depending on the experience of the solicitor dealing with your matter.

Fixed Fee Service

We also offer a fixed fee service where you want us to act on your behalf to obtain a Grant of Probate only i.e. not to collect in and distribute assets. Our cost for this service is £1,800 +VAT (total £2,160).
This fixed fee applies to estates where:

  • There is a valid will
  • There is no more than one property
  • There are no more than 5 bank or building society accounts
  • There are no other intangible assets
  • There are no more than 5 beneficiaries
  • 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

As part of our fixed fee Grant of Probate only service we will:

  • 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
  • Generate a legal statement for you to sign
  • Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
  • Obtain the Probate and securely send the requested copies to you

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.

In addition to our charges the following disbursement charges would apply:

  • Probate Court fee which is currently £273
  • £1.50 for each additional copy of the Grant of Probate required
  • £3 for each HM Land Registry property title required (if any)

Additional charges would also apply for applying to enter notices in the London Gazette and a local newspaper to protect against unexpected claims from unknown creditors. The charges vary and these would be advised on a case by case basis.

What is not included

Charges for selling properties that form part of an estate are quoted separately in line with our conveyancing charges.

Menu