Wills


Our single Wills starts from £395 + VAT and £500 plus VAT (VAT - currently 20%) for a couple (2 Wills) on the basis they are mirror Wills. Once we have had an initial conversation with you, we will be able to provide a more precise idea of costs depending on your personal circumstances and what you require.


Our prices are based on our knowledge and our experience and normally it takes approximately several days to produce a Will but the time can be less or more depending on complexity.



Probate


The illustration below gives you an idea of the sort of cost you can expect for a simple probate matter, based on the criteria listed, and priced on the basis of the number of hours that we spend:


Applying for the grant, collecting and distributing the assets


If we handle the full process for you, and the following factors apply:


  • Estate is less than £1m
  • There is a valid Will and no codicils
  • There are no more than two properties
  • There are no more than 4 bank or building society accounts
  • There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
  • There are no claims made against the estate


Then as a guide you could expect that estates of this nature will take between 15 to 20 hours work at £250 per hour, and therefore based on an hourly rate pricing structure, costs would be estimated to be between £3750 – £5000 (plus VAT - currently 20%)


The precise cost will depend on the circumstances of the case. 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.


Disbursements in addition to 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 (may be slightly higher of £1.50 per sealed copy of the grant of probate). 
  • Land Registry office copy entries of title to property and plan (£6)
  • Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)
  • £75 plus VAT Statutory Advertisement in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
  • Approximately £95 plus VAT  (VAT - currently 20%)  (depending on local area newspaper charges) Statutory Advertisement in a Local Newspaper


As part of our fee we will:


  • Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate lawyer to work on your matter
  • Identify the legally appointed executors and beneficiaries
  • Accurately identify and value the assets and liabilities of the estate
  • 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
  • Draft a legal oath or Statement of Truth for the Personal Representatives to swear/sign
  • Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
  • Obtain the Probate and send one copy to each Executor
  • Collect and distribute all assets in the estate
  • Provide appropriate Estate Accounts

How long will this take?


On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 4– 7 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 16 weeks once the application is made. Collecting assets then follows, which can take approx.  2 months. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 3-4 weeks.


Initial Meeting


Our charges for an initial meeting which includes an initial review of the paperwork followed by a letter setting out our pricing options is £150 plus VAT.


If the estate is larger than described above or in excess of £1m than our hourly rate will still apply but our fees may be more and we will then go through the options and give you normally a fixed fee price.


Normally your case will be handled by our Solicitors Edwin Segall or Ronnie Hermon

Residential Conveyancing Fees and Disbursements


Our fee estimates are on a fixed fee basis. However, each property tends to be unique and our fee will reflect the requirements of your particular transaction. For example, dealing with a listed building or newly built property may, cost more than dealing with a standard freehold property because of added complexities.

Our range of fees are set out in the table below.

It will assume:-


1.    your matter will be a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise, including (for example, but not limited to) a defect in the title which requires remedying prior to completion or the preparation of additional documents ancillary to the main transaction;

2.    the property is registered at the Land Registry;

3.    a leasehold transaction relates to an existing lease and not the grant of a new lease;

4.    the transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complication arise;

5.    all parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties;

6.    you supply us promptly with all information we request from you;

7.    no indemnity policies are required.

8.    Your matter will dealt with by our solicitors - Havva Conway, Liat Frankly or Ronnie Hermon.


If one or more of the above do not apply then the fees will increase with the range. For example, an unregistered freehold sale for £850k could be charged an additional £500 due to the extra work involved.


Legal Fee Range (excluding disbursements are plus VAT  (VAT - currently 20%) ):


 Transaction value              Freehold sale      Freehold purchase        Leasehold sale     Leasehold purchase Re-mortgage


  £0 –£499,999                          £1,350                      £1,350                          £1,500                        £1,600                      £750

 

£500,000 - £999,999                £1,500                      £1,650                          £1,650                       £1,650                      £795

   

£1,000,000 - £1,249,999          £1,750                      £1,900                          £1,900                       £1,900                      £1,000


£1,250,000 - £1,499,999          £1,850                      £2,000                          £2,000                       £2,000                      £1,000


£1,500,000 - £1,999,999          £2,000                      £2,400                          £2,200                       £2,400                     £1,200


£2m+                                                                              0.15%  of the transaction value                                         


Add:

  1. Acting for a lender - £350 on a purchase (Leasehold or Freehold)
  2. New build - £350
  3. Fee for sending an electronic transfer - each payment will attract a fee of  £50
  4. Management pack on sale of a flat -vary from approx £150 to £400 (payable to the management company/freeholder)
  5. Searches  £425 (they may vary on the property and location)
  6. Land Registry Fees  depending on the purchase price and scale of the transaction - Vary from £20 upwards - which you can calculate via the link - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hm-land-registry-registration-services-fees
  7. Stamp Duty Land Tax (or Land Transaction Tax for properties in Wales): The amount of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) / Land Transaction Tax will depend on the purchase price of your property. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC’s website  - https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/calculate-stamp-duty-land-tax/#/intro (if the property is located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority’s website - Calculate Land Transaction Tax | GOV.WALES.


What does our fee include:

Our fee includes acting for you on all stages of your transaction. The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. We have set out below some of the likely key stages: 

   

    Purchases

  •    Take your instructions and give you initial advice
  • Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender’s solicitors if needed
  • Receive and advise on contract documents
  • Carry out searches
  • Obtain further planning documentation if required
  • Make any necessary enquiries of seller’s solicitor
  • Give you advice on all documents and information received
  • Go through conditions of mortgage offer with you
  • Send final contract to you for signature
  • Agree completion date (date from which you own the property)
  • Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened
  • Arrange for all monies needed to be received from lender and you
  • Complete purchase and mortgage
  • Deal with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax
  • Deal with application for registration at Land Registry
  • For leasehold purchases register your purchase with any landlord / managing agent.

 

    Sales

  • Take your instructions and give you initial advice
  • Collate pre-contract information from you
  • Obtain landlord’s sales information pack in the event of leasehold sale.
  • Download title.
  • Draft contract.
  • Send pre-contract information and contract to buyer’s solicitor.
  • Check funds needed to redeem any mortgage
  • Respond to further enquiries of seller’s solicitor
  • Send final contract to you for signature
  • Agree completion date (date from which you leave the property)
  • Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened
  • Arrange for redemption statement to be received from your lender
  • Complete purchase
  • Repay existing mortgage

 

    Re-Mortgage

  • Take your instructions and give you initial advice
  • Collate pre-mortgage information from you
  • Obtain landlord’s sales information pack in the event of leasehold re-mortgage.
  • Download title.
  • Check funds needed to redeem any mortgage
  • Arrange for redemption statement to be received from your lender
  • Complete re-mortgage
  • Repay existing mortgage
  • Deal with application for registration at Land Registry
  • For leasehold purchases register your re-mortgage with any landlord / managing agent.

 

Length of transaction:

Sales and Purchases: The average process takes between 5-11 weeks.

Re-mortgages: the average process takes between 2-6 weeks.

These timescales can be quicker or slower, depending on a number of factors, e.g. the length of any chain, the type of property involved, whether or not mortgage offers have been received.




Civil Litigation, Family Law, Children, Landlord & Tenant and Employment Law


Hourly rates vary between £250 to £300 per hour based on complexity

We do offer an initial consultation for £150 plus vat  (VAT - currently 20%)

Please call our office for further information