Probate Pricing

We can help you at this difficult time by obtaining the Grant of Probate on your behalf. We will also undertake the collecting and distributing of assets.

 

How much does this service cost?

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 given range or even less. 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. We anticipate this will take between 12 and 18 hours work at £250 per hour plus VAT at 20%. Total costs estimated at £3,000 to £7,500 plus VAT at 20%. This estimate is for estates where:

  • There is a valid will
  • There is no more than one property (The above estimated costs do not include the sale of any properties.)
  • There are no more than 3 bank or building society accounts
  • There are no other intangible assets
  • There are 2-6 beneficiaries and payments to them are made by cheque
  • 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 to be added to the 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 £273.00
  • Swearing of the oath (per executor) £7.00 Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches £3.00 per beneficiary
  • Post in The London Gazette £93.00 to £95.00 – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
  • Post in a Local Newspaper £450.00 to £500.00 – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims.

Potential Additional Costs:

  • If there is no will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there are 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 £0.50 per copy (1 per asset usually).
  • Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.

 

How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 6 to 10 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 12 to 16 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which usually takes between 12 to 20 weeks or longer if there is a property to sell. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 2 to 4 weeks.

Included as part of our services we will:

  • Provide you with a dedicated and experienced solicitor 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 two copies to you
  • Collect and distribute all assets in the estate