The following information is provided to give you an understanding of our general prices for particular areas of work that we undertake.
The following information is provided to give you an understanding of our general prices for particular areas of work that we undertake. Please be aware that this information is not to be regarded as an offer of engagement, as the terms of our instruction will be agreed in our Client care letter and terms of business, which are sent to you at the outset of a matter.
We have provided an online quote generator for purchase, sale, remortgage and purchase & sale transactions. The instant quote is provided online and can be emailed to you directly.
The quote will detail legal fees and disbursements.
Please note that the fees may not apply to more complex transactions, such as small holdings and those including farmland. A bespoke quotation should be obtained in respect of these types of matters.
These costs apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice which is not disputed and enforcement action is not needed. If the other party disputes your claim at any point, we will discuss any further work required and provide you with revised advice about costs if necessary, which could be on a fixed fee (eg if a one-off letter is required), or an hourly rate if more extensive work is needed.
| Debt value | Court fee | Our fee (incl. VAT) | Total |
| Up to £5,000 | Between £35 – £205 | £480 | Between £515 – £685 |
| £5,001–£10,000 | £455 | £600 | £1055 |
| £10,001—£50,000 | 5% value of the claim | £900 | Dependant on court fee |
Anyone wishing to proceed with a claim should note that:
Our fee includes:
Matters usually take around 3 to 12 weeks from receipt of instructions from you to receipt of payment from the other side, depending on whether or not it is necessary to issue a claim. This is on the basis that the other side pays promptly on receipt of Judgement in default. If enforcement action is needed, the matter will take longer to resolve.
Our pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal are calculated on the following hourly rates exclusive of VAT:
Partner: £255.00 per hour
Solicitors and Legal Executives with over four years’ post qualification experience -£218.00 per hour
Other solicitors and legal executives £177.00 per hour
Trainee Solicitors, paralegals and fee earners of equivalent experience £126.00
Simple case: £3,500-£6,000 (excluding VAT)
Medium complexity case: £7,000-£17,000 (excluding VAT)
High complexity case: £18,000-£50,000 (excluding VAT)
Factors that could make a case more complex:
There will be an additional charge for attending a Tribunal Hearing of £2,500 per day (excluding VAT). Generally, we would allow 1-5 days depending on the complexity of your case.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as tribunal fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. If counsel is instructed and we also attend we would normally charge between £900.00 per day and £2,500 per day depending on the complexity of the case and the level of fee earner from this firm required to attend.
Counsel’s fees estimated between £1,750.00 to £2,750.00 per day (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).
Key stages
The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:
The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.
How long will my matter take?
The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take 1-3 months. If your claim proceeds to a final hearing, your case is likely to take 9-15 months. This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.
How we can help you when someone dies
We know how upsetting and stressful it can be when a loved one dies. Dealing with the associated legal, tax and administrative process may add to the distress. We can help and support you as the executor (where there is a Will) or the administrator (where there is no Will) as much as you wish and offer the following options:
Bespoke
Probate Application/Grant Only
Advice/checking
Although the executor or administrator can choose to deal with matters personally, we are often involved in dealing with the entire estate. This involves going through the papers to find out what assets and liabilities must be taken into account and obtaining valuations as appropriate. We will then compile and submit the application to the Probate Registry for the Grant of Representation and, where necessary, liaise with H M Revenue & Customs regarding Inheritance Tax and Income Tax requirements.
Once the Grant has issued, we will send copies to the banks, company registrars etc to collect in the funds or transfer the assets to the beneficiaries. We will then pay any debts and specific gifts left to beneficiaries and arrange for any property to be placed on the market. We will prepare an Estate Account for approval and distribute the estate in accordance with it once approved. The Estate account is a document that sets out the details of all of the assets made and the balance due to the beneficiaries. This may be needed in the future if beneficiaries ever need to establish what they have inherited. Once the administration of the estate is finalised, we will distribute the estate. During the administration of the estate, we will work closely with you.
Costs
Our when we are instructed on a bespoke basis are based on the time that we spend on the file at our hourly rate (link to hourly rate). Each estate is different, and an accurate cost estimate will be given in each estate as soon as possible. You will be kept fully updated about this.
For example, a straightforward estate when all the assets are in the UK would cost somewhere in the region of £1,000 – £3,000 plus VAT.
A straight forward estate would be where:
Payments in addition:
If there is the property, the cost of the sale/transfer will be dealt with separately. (link to property)
In the administration of more complex estates, fees may be calculated both by reference to the time spent and also by reference to a value element based on the size of the estate or the value of the financial benefit. The value element reflects the importance of the transaction and the consequent responsibility falling on the firm. You will be advised of this if the value element affects the amount of the fees being sought.
Timescales
The first step of administering an estate is to ascertain what the estate comprises. Depending on the value and type of assets, it may or may not be necessary to apply for a Grant of Representation from the Probate Registry.
If the deceased owned a property in their sole name, it is always necessary to obtain this Grant. If the deceased did not solely own property, it will depend on the value of the assets in their names.
A Grant of Representation is a court order which confirms the authority of the person (or people) dealing with the estate. If there is a Will, the executors apply for a Grant of Probate. If there is no Will, the next of kin (the administrator) applies for Letters of Administration.
In order to apply for a Grant of Representation, the following steps must be taken:
It is not usually possible for us to say precisely how long the administration will take. This depends on what the estate comprises, what arises (e.g. where share certificates are missing or where an investment cannot be encashed without incurring penalties) and matters can be complicated further if a beneficiary cannot easily be located, if a claim or dispute arises in the estate or, e.g. there is a business that needs to be wound up or a property remains to be sold. In cases where the deceased was in receipt of a means tested benefit, the Department for Works and Pensions may decide to investigate and claim back any overpayments made. This may take months to resolve.
If you apply personally for probate, you will have to attend an interview at the Probate Registry. To avoid this, we can prepare the papers to apply for a Grant of Representation, but you can obtain the information that is required from the banks, insurance companies and can arrange the valuation of the property etc. Once the Grant has been obtained, we will supply you with copies so that you can contact the banks etc, collect in the funds and deal with the distribution of the estate yourself.
This service involves an initial meeting to discuss the estate and to advise what information needs to be obtained. Once we receive the requisite details, we will prepare the papers to apply for a Grant of Representation and submit the application. Once the Grant has issued, we will provide copies that can be produced to the banks etc to release the money.
Costs:
£750 plus VAT (where the application is made directly to the Probate Registry)
£1,200 plus VAT (where the form IHT400 is required for HMRC before an application can be made to the Probate Registry)
Between £1,500.00 + VAT – £2000.00 + VAT (where the form IHT400 is required and where there is inheritance tax to pay)
Payments:
Optional extras:
If you require our assistance in dealing with other matters, there will be an additional charge based on the amount of time spent and we will advise you of this e.g. distributing the estate, income tax, capital gains tax and any subsequent inheritance tax queries raised by HMRC, preparing a deed of variation, liaising with the Department for Works & Pensions.
If there is a property, the cost of the sale/transfer will be dealt with separately.
If you intend to deal with the estate personally, including applying for the Grant of Representation, we offer you up to thirty minutes to advise of the procedure and to advise on how the probate papers should be completed. If you wish us to check the application before you submit it to the Probate Registry, we offer a further appointment of up to thirty minutes to do this.
Costs:
£250 inclusive of VAT for initial advice;
£250 inclusive of VAT for checking service
Payments
You will be responsible for ascertaining and paying these.
Timescales
From receiving the information drafts will provided within the fortnight and you will then need to make arrangements to sign the papers at your convenience. We will then submit the application.
NB The Probate Registry aims to process grants within 12 weeks of receiving the application.
We have provided an online quote generator for purchase, sale, remortgage and purchase & sale transactions. The instant quote is provided online and can be emailed to you directly.
The quote will detail legal fees and disbursements.
Please note that the fees may not apply to more complex transactions, such as small holdings and those including farmland. A bespoke quotation should be obtained in respect of these types of matters.
These costs apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice which is not disputed and enforcement action is not needed. If the other party disputes your claim at any point, we will discuss any further work required and provide you with revised advice about costs if necessary, which could be on a fixed fee (eg if a one-off letter is required), or an hourly rate if more extensive work is needed.
| Debt value | Court fee | Our fee (incl. VAT) | Total |
| Up to £5,000 | Between £35 – £205 | £480 | Between £515 – £685 |
| £5,001–£10,000 | £455 | £600 | £1055 |
| £10,001—£50,000 | 5% value of the claim | £900 | Dependant on court fee |
Anyone wishing to proceed with a claim should note that:
Our fee includes:
Matters usually take around 3 to 12 weeks from receipt of instructions from you to receipt of payment from the other side, depending on whether or not it is necessary to issue a claim. This is on the basis that the other side pays promptly on receipt of Judgement in default. If enforcement action is needed, the matter will take longer to resolve.
Our pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal are calculated on the following hourly rates exclusive of VAT:
Partner: £255.00 per hour
Solicitors and Legal Executives with over four years’ post qualification experience -£218.00 per hour
Other solicitors and legal executives £177.00 per hour
Trainee Solicitors, paralegals and fee earners of equivalent experience £126.00
Simple case: £3,500-£6,000 (excluding VAT)
Medium complexity case: £7,000-£17,000 (excluding VAT)
High complexity case: £18,000-£50,000 (excluding VAT)
Factors that could make a case more complex:
There will be an additional charge for attending a Tribunal Hearing of £2,500 per day (excluding VAT). Generally, we would allow 1-5 days depending on the complexity of your case.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as tribunal fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. If counsel is instructed and we also attend we would normally charge between £900.00 per day and £2,500 per day depending on the complexity of the case and the level of fee earner from this firm required to attend.
Counsel’s fees estimated between £1,750.00 to £2,750.00 per day (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).
Key stages
The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:
The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.
How long will my matter take?
The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take 1-3 months. If your claim proceeds to a final hearing, your case is likely to take 9-15 months. This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.
Although the executor or administrator can choose to deal with matters personally, we are often involved in dealing with the entire estate. This involves going through the papers to find out what assets and liabilities must be taken into account and obtaining valuations as appropriate. We will then compile and submit the application to the Probate Registry for the Grant of Representation and, where necessary, liaise with H M Revenue & Customs regarding Inheritance Tax and Income Tax requirements.
Once the Grant has issued, we will send copies to the banks, company registrars etc to collect in the funds or transfer the assets to the beneficiaries. We will then pay any debts and specific gifts left to beneficiaries and arrange for any property to be placed on the market. We will prepare an Estate Account for approval and distribute the estate in accordance with it once approved. The Estate account is a document that sets out the details of all of the assets made and the balance due to the beneficiaries. This may be needed in the future if beneficiaries ever need to establish what they have inherited. Once the administration of the estate is finalised, we will distribute the estate. During the administration of the estate, we will work closely with you.
Costs
Our when we are instructed on a bespoke basis are based on the time that we spend on the file at our hourly rate (link to hourly rate). Each estate is different, and an accurate cost estimate will be given in each estate as soon as possible. You will be kept fully updated about this.
For example, a straightforward estate when all the assets are in the UK would cost somewhere in the region of £1,000 – £3,000 plus VAT.
A straight forward estate would be where:
Payments in addition:
If there is the property, the cost of the sale/transfer will be dealt with separately. (link to property)
In the administration of more complex estates, fees may be calculated both by reference to the time spent and also by reference to a value element based on the size of the estate or the value of the financial benefit. The value element reflects the importance of the transaction and the consequent responsibility falling on the firm. You will be advised of this if the value element affects the amount of the fees being sought.
Timescales
The first step of administering an estate is to ascertain what the estate comprises. Depending on the value and type of assets, it may or may not be necessary to apply for a Grant of Representation from the Probate Registry.
If the deceased owned a property in their sole name, it is always necessary to obtain this Grant. If the deceased did not solely own property, it will depend on the value of the assets in their names.
A Grant of Representation is a court order which confirms the authority of the person (or people) dealing with the estate. If there is a Will, the executors apply for a Grant of Probate. If there is no Will, the next of kin (the administrator) applies for Letters of Administration.
In order to apply for a Grant of Representation, the following steps must be taken:
It is not usually possible for us to say precisely how long the administration will take. This depends on what the estate comprises, what arises (e.g. where share certificates are missing or where an investment cannot be encashed without incurring penalties) and matters can be complicated further if a beneficiary cannot easily be located, if a claim or dispute arises in the estate or, e.g. there is a business that needs to be wound up or a property remains to be sold. In cases where the deceased was in receipt of a means tested benefit, the Department for Works and Pensions may decide to investigate and claim back any overpayments made. This may take months to resolve.
If you apply personally for probate, you will have to attend an interview at the Probate Registry. To avoid this, we can prepare the papers to apply for a Grant of Representation, but you can obtain the information that is required from the banks, insurance companies and can arrange the valuation of the property etc. Once the Grant has been obtained, we will supply you with copies so that you can contact the banks etc, collect in the funds and deal with the distribution of the estate yourself.
This service involves an initial meeting to discuss the estate and to advise what information needs to be obtained. Once we receive the requisite details, we will prepare the papers to apply for a Grant of Representation and submit the application. Once the Grant has issued, we will provide copies that can be produced to the banks etc to release the money.
Costs:
£750 plus VAT (where the application is made directly to the Probate Registry)
£1,200 plus VAT (where the form IHT400 is required for HMRC before an application can be made to the Probate Registry)
Between £1,500.00 + VAT – £2000.00 + VAT (where the form IHT400 is required and where there is inheritance tax to pay)
Payments:
Optional extras:
If you require our assistance in dealing with other matters, there will be an additional charge based on the amount of time spent and we will advise you of this e.g. distributing the estate, income tax, capital gains tax and any subsequent inheritance tax queries raised by HMRC, preparing a deed of variation, liaising with the Department for Works & Pensions.
If there is a property, the cost of the sale/transfer will be dealt with separately.
If you intend to deal with the estate personally, including applying for the Grant of Representation, we offer you up to thirty minutes to advise of the procedure and to advise on how the probate papers should be completed. If you wish us to check the application before you submit it to the Probate Registry, we offer a further appointment of up to thirty minutes to do this.
Costs:
£250 inclusive of VAT for initial advice;
£250 inclusive of VAT for checking service
Payments
You will be responsible for ascertaining and paying these.
Timescales
From receiving the information drafts will provided within the fortnight and you will then need to make arrangements to sign the papers at your convenience. We will then submit the application.
NB The Probate Registry aims to process grants within 12 weeks of receiving the application.
We are pleased to inform you that we are one of the first firms in Wales to become an accredited member of WIQS and we are proud to have achieved the high standards of practice and integrity required to achieve this. This Scheme’s logo is your guarantee that our practice will provide high quality will drafting, probate and estate administration services.
We will carry out our work for you in accordance with the good practice standards of the Law Society’s Wills and Inheritance Protocol.
This means that we will:
If you would like to find out more about WIQS, please visit their website.
