Probate Fees

If there is a registered title for a property that needs to be sold, our fees for the conveyancing process will also be included in the 1.75% fee. This is a popular choice for our client’s as the fees are capped and they know exactly what the fee will be.

Alternatively, you may choose to have the estate charged on a time cost basis, which is charged ranging from an hourly rate of £190.00 per hour to £300.00 per hour for work carried out by the Senior Partner. Any conveyancing that is required to be undertaken under this option will be charged separately and will not be included in any estimate provided. 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 lower. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be higher.

We will handle the full process for you and includes estates where:

• There is a valid will
• There is no more than one property
• There are minimal bank or building society accounts
• 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

Disbursements

• Probate application fee of £158.00 which includes 6 additional sealed copies
• £13 Swearing of the oath (per executor)
• Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2.00 per beneficiary)
• £87.50 Post in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors and is the current fixed price set by the London Gazette which may be subject to change
• £40 – 80.00 Post in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims and is subject to each individual Newspapers charge, dependent on where the deceased was located and which Newspaper the post is to appear in
• 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.

Potential Additional 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 £0.50p per additional copy, however, it is usual practice to obtain six at the time of applying for the Grant
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included unless you opt for the estate to be charged at 1.75% of the total assets.
• If you require a Deed of Variation to alter entitlements under a will or intestacy or to make any additional gifts from your inheritance, there will be a further fee.
• Unregistered properties or Leasehold properties
• Disputes between beneficiaries, claims against the estate by the DWP or other relatives/persons

How long will this take?

On average, estates that are uncontested and do not require inheritance tax to be paid are dealt with within 6-12 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes up to 12 weeks.

Collecting assets then follows, which can take up to another 12 weeks and is subject to the response time of third parties. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 1-2 weeks.

Obtaining the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration only Probate

We can help you through this difficult process by obtaining the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration on your behalf.

How much does this service cost?

TOTAL: Fixed fee of £750.00 (+VAT) where no Inheritance Tax is required to be paid. This includes: Obtaining the grant, preparation of the Inheritance Account and Oath for Executor or Administrator.
Breakdown of costs: Legal fees £750.00
VAT on legal fees £130.00

Disbursements

• Probate court fee of £158.00 which includes 6 sealed copies of the Grant.
• £13.00 Swearing of the oath (per executor).
• Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2.00 per beneficiary).
• Post in The London Gazette for £87.50 – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors and is the current fixed price set by the London Gazette which may be subject to change
• Post in a Local Newspaper is in the region of £40 – 80.00 – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims and is subject to each individual Newspapers charges, dependent on where the deceased was located and which Newspaper the post is to appear in

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.

As part of our fixed fee we will:

• Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor or Chartered Legal Executive Probate Practitioner 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
• Draft a legal oath for you to swear
• Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
• Obtain the Probate and securely send copies to you

Typically, on average, obtaining the Grant of Probate takes up to 12 weeks where there is no inheritance tax to be paid.

If you require help with an estate that does require inheritance tax to be paid, please call our office and we will be able to discuss the matter with you.

Sushil Gaikwad

Solicitor – B.Sc., L.L.B.

Radhika Bansal

Solicitor – L.L.M.