We want you to be clear about our fees.
Under SRA rules, Solicitors are required to publish information regarding their fees and services, particularly in relation to the administration of a deceased person’s estate (also referred to as “probate”). We are required to publish information regarding our fees and services in relation to uncontested probate cases where all of the assets are in the UK.
Our fees will be based on the time expended on the administration, as outlined in the accompanying terms and conditions leaflet. There may also be expenditure we incur directly on your behalf (disbursements).
We also provide information on our fees for Litigation work below.
The cost and timescale of administering an estate depend on its circumstances, including the number and type of assets, the inheritance tax position, the number of beneficiaries and the work required.
Our hourly rates range from £169 to £300 plus VAT, according to the experience of the person carrying out the work. All probate work will be undertaken or supervised by a qualified solicitor.
If you intend to administer the estate yourself, we can prepare and submit the application for a grant of probate or letters of administration.
Our estimated fees up to and including submission of the application are:
Type of estate
Estimated fees
VAT at 20%
Excepted estate (no IHT reporting)
£950-£3,000
£190-£600
Estate requiring a full inheritance tax account
£2,500-£6,000
£500-£1,200
Depending on the agreed scope, this includes:
• identifying the persons entitled to apply;
• advising on the appropriate application;
• considering the inheritance tax position and available reliefs;
• preparing the probate application and required HMRC forms;
• advising on payment of inheritance tax, where applicable; and
• submitting the application to the Probate Registry.
Work required after submission, including responding to HMRC or Probate Registry enquiries, would involve additional charges to be discussed with you beforehand.
We can also deal with the full administration, including:
• identifying and valuing assets and liabilities;
• preparing the inheritance tax and probate documents;
• obtaining the grant;
• collecting estate assets;
• paying liabilities and administration expenses;
• completing assents, transfers or appropriations to beneficiaries;
• preparing estate accounts; and
• distributing the estate.
Our fees are calculated by reference to time spent at hourly rates of £169–£300 plus VAT. We will provide an estate-specific estimate once the nature and extent of the work are known.
Please note whilst we can assist with property transfers, we do not deal with conveyancing i.e. property sales.
A value element may be applied to the estate in addition to our time-based fees. It reflects the responsibility and professional risk involved in identifying, safeguarding, accounting for and distributing estate assets.
Where applicable, it is generally calculated at:
• 0.5%–0.75% of the value of the deceased’s home; and
• 1%–1.5% of the value of the remaining estate.
VAT is added at 20%.
In deciding whether it is appropriate and what rate should apply, we will consider:
• the value and nature of the assets;
• the extent of our responsibility for the estate;
• whether we are appointed as executors;
• whether estate assets or funds will pass through our client account;
• the complexity and risks involved;
• the work undertaken by the executors or administrators themselves; and
• whether the resulting overall fee is fair and proportionate.
The value element percentage may be reduced, tapered or capped for a higher-value estate to ensure that the total charge remains proportionate.
Our estimates assume that there is a valid Will, no more than one property and 15 bank or building society accounts, between one and ten beneficiaries, UK assets only, and no claims or disputes.
Costs may be higher where there are complex tax issues, trusts, business or foreign assets, missing beneficiaries, property sales, claims or disputes.
Item
Amount
Probate application fee
£526
Additional copies of the grant
£2 each
Electronic identity check
£8 plus VAT per person checked
Missing asset search, if required
£165 plus VAT
The Gazette notice, if required
£102.50 plus VAT
Property valuation, if required
Dependant on provider
Bankruptcy search
Approximately £3.50 per person
HM Land Registry title information
£7 per title checked
BACS payment
£17
Internation BACS payment
£35
Local newspaper notices and specialist valuations may also be required, with costs depending on the provider. VAT may apply to certain items, and third-party charges may change.
These estimates apply only to simple estates. Taxable or complex estates, and those involving property sales, trusts, business or foreign assets, claims, disputes or HMRC enquiries, may take 12–24 months or longer. Probate Registry, HMRC and third-party processing times are outside our control.
We generally charge between £150 and £350+VAT an hour depending on the nature of the work, its location and urgency. We do sometimes charge more and sometimes less, but you will always be aware of the fees in advance.
We will always endeavour to give you a quotation for our fees, but this is not always possible such as cases where the scope and extent of the work is unclear or conditional on external factors. You can contact us at any stage to obtain a fee quotation or estimate. Please call, email or contact us and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
There are several ways which we charge for our work to assist our clients. The traditional way is to bill monthly for all the work done up to that point. We also work to set goals/targets and charge fixed or capped amounts for those steps. We can also work to novel charging methods where we are not paid unless a claim is successful and we either are paid our fees by the opponent or from the damages received. We will always agree the method with you in advance, but please note that the decision on the charging structure is at our sole discretion.
We all want things done fast. When it comes to legal matters, we aim to undertake work promptly. However, there are often external factors that can influence the timescale of a matter such as the time it takes an opponent to respond, the capacity of a Court or Tribunal or other third parties. We will ensure that you are kept informed of progress and any delays to the anticipated schedule.
As a client, you will have received our Terms and Conditions which sets out our complaints policy. We want you to be happy and will do everything we can to make sure you are. If you are unhappy with our services, please contact us first so that we can try to help.
Request a FREE 15 minute callback by telephoning 01606 212 291, emailing info@hgglaw.co.uk or filling in our form below.
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