Our costs are calculated by the hour, by estimating how many hours it will take to administer the estate. This is based on the assets in the estate, the value of the estate and the beneficiaries. The work will be handled by one of our solicitors

• Steph Potter at £200 plus VAT an hour
• Sharon Woodward at £300 plus VAT an hour
• Catrin Lloyd at £325 plus VAT per hour
• They may be assisted by a trainee at £150 plus VAT an hour or a paralegal at £120 plus VAT an hour.

Once we’ve established how many hours we think it may take to administer the estate we will then quote you. This is either based on time spent and the hourly rate or a fixed fee alternative so you can choose which option you prefer.

Applying for the grant, collecting and distributing the assets

We expect this will take between 16 and 24 hours work at an estimated average rate of £250 per hour plus VAT. Total costs are estimated at £6,000 plus VAT at 20% and disbursements.

The exact cost depends 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.

We’ll handle the full process for you. This is for estates where:

• There is a valid will
• There is only one property
• There are no more than two bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are no more than three 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 is no capital gains tax or income tax
• There are no claims made against the estate

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 for a smoother process. 

• A probate application fee of £300 (including VAT) plus £1.50 for every sealed copy
• Bankruptcy-only land charges department searches (£2 per beneficiary plus VAT)
• £200 post in the London Gazette – this protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors
• £150 post in a local newspaper – this also helps protect against unexpected claims
• Land Registry search fee of £3.00 plus VAT
• Asset search fee £198 inc VAT - this identifies all assets in the estate
• Missing will search £99 plus VAT - this checks for a more up to date will or confirms there is no will if intestate
• If any beneficiaries live abroad- bankruptcy fees will be higher than £2 plus VAT, that fee is just for UK based bankruptcy fees

Services not included in the cost:

• If there is no will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there are likely to be additional costs. These costs 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 (one per asset usually)
• Estate agents may need to be instructed to give a valuation for the property
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included
• House Clearance specialists may need to be instructed
• If any beneficiaries cannot be located, tracing agents may need to be instructed

 How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 8-12 months, depending on when the property is sold. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 12 weeks from the date when we receive our signed and approved client care letter back. Collecting cash assets then follows after the grant is obtained, which can take between 3-6 weeks. Once this has been done, we can then, depending on circumstances, make an interim distribution, which normally takes 2 to 3 weeks.  

 Once the property is sold we can then finalise the administration of the estate.

Applying for the grant, collecting, and distributing the assets

We anticipate this will take between 50 and 68 hours work at £250 plus VAT per hour. Total costs estimated at £17,000 (+VAT) and disbursements.

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.

We will handle the full process for you. This quote is for estates where:

• There is a valid will
• There is no more than one property
• There are no more than eight bank or building society accounts
• There are other intangible assets
• There are no more than 10 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 inheritance tax payable, and the executors need to submit a full account to HMRC and we are required to calculate the inheritance tax due
• There are no claims made against the estate

Disbursements included in this fee:

 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.

• Probate application fee of £300 plus £1.50 for every sealed copy
• Bankruptcy-only land charges department searches (£2 per beneficiary plus VAT)
• £200 post in the London Gazette – this protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors
• £150 post in a local newspaper – this also helps to protect against unexpected claims
• Land registry search fee of £3.00 plus VAT
• Asset search fee £198 inc VAT - this identifies all assets in the estate
• Missing will search £99 plus VAT - this checks for a more up to date will or confirms there is no will if intestate
• If any beneficiaries live abroad- bankruptcy fees will be higher than £2 plus VAT, that fee is just for UK based bankruptcy fees

Services not included in the costs:

• If there is no will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there is 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 (one per asset usually)
• Estate agents may need to be instructed to give a valuation for the property
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included
• House Clearance specialists may need to be instructed
• If any beneficiaries cannot be located, tracing agents may need to be instructed

How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 12 -18 months, depending on when the property is sold. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes six to eight months from the date we receive a signed and approved client care letter. Collecting cash assets then follows once the grant is obtained, which can take six weeks. Once this has been done, we can then, depending on circumstances make an interim distribution, which normally takes two weeks.

 Once the property is sold we can then finalise the administration of the estate.