We can help you through the difficult process of obtaining the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration on your behalf. This option is perfect for an executor or administrator who wishes to administer the estate themselves.
For a straightforward estate where no inheritance tax account is required the firm’s fixed fee will be between £1,000.00 to £1,500.00. VAT is payable on these fees. The current rate of VAT is 20%.
The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances
Applying for a Grant of Probate, collecting in and distributing assets
We anticipate this will take between 10 and 15 hours work at £300.00 per hour. Total costs therefore would be £3,000.00 – £4,500.00. VAT is payable on these fees. The current rate of VAT is 20%.
The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is only 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 3 bank or building society accounts
• There are no other assets (other than personal items such as house contents)
• There are between 1 – 4 beneficiaries, all UK based and contactable
• 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
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included
Disbursements not included in this fee:
• Probate Registry fee: £300.00
• Any additional copies of the Grant of Probate will cost £16.00 each and we usually apply for 2 – 5 of these depending on the number of assets. No VAT is payable on Probate Registry fees.
• Identification and Bankruptcy Search Fees £11.00 plus VAT. These are undertaken for each executor/administrator and each beneficiary
• Post in The London Gazette (Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors): £100.00 – £120.00 plus VAT
• Post in a Local Newspaper (Also protects against unexpected claims): £150 – £400.00 plus VAT
There may be other disbursements that are required which we will discuss with you at the outset of the matter such as a Missing Will Search or a Financial Credit and Liabilities Search.
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees and Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
How long will the administration take?
On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 6 – 12 months. Typically, obtaining the Grant of Probate takes 8 – 16 weeks. Collecting in assets then follows, which can take between 4 – 12 weeks. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 2 – 4 weeks
We anticipate the estate will take more than 15 hours work at £300.00 per hour. Total costs therefore would exceed £4,500.00. VAT is payable on these fees. The current rate of VAT is 20%.
It’s not possible in large estates to quote the exact cost as it will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. However, we will keep you updated as the matter progresses and interim invoice at regular intervals.
We will handle the full process for you. For estates where:
• There is no valid Will and/or
• There are multiple properties and/or
• There are more than 3 bank or building society accounts and/or
• There are other assets such as bonds/stocks/shares and/or
• There are more than 4 beneficiaries and/or
• There are disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets and/or
• There is inheritance tax payable and the executors are required to submit a full account to HMRC and/or
• There are claims made against the estate
There are likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with. We will give you a more accurate quote (and where possible confirm a fixed fee) as soon as we have full information about the estate assets
Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included
Tax which may be payable in relation to the estate is not included
Disbursements not included in this fee:
• Probate Registry fee: £300.00
• Any additional copies of the Grant of Probate will cost £16.00 each and we usually apply for 5 to 10 of these depending on the number of assets. No VAT is payable on Probate Registry fees.
• Identification and Bankruptcy Search Fees £11.00 plus VAT. These are undertaken for each executor/administrator and each beneficiary
• Post in The London Gazette (Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors): £100.00 – £120.00 plus VAT
• Post in a Local Newspaper (Also protects against unexpected claims): £150 – £400.00 plus VAT.
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees and Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
How long will the administration take?
On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 12 – 24 months.
All Estates (Apart from Grant Application only)
As part of our fee we will:
• Provide you with a dedicated and experienced Probate solicitor or chartered legal executive 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
• Identify what tax liabilities may arise. You can find information about tax and in particular inheritance tax at https://www.gov.uk/inheritance-tax
• Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms
• Make the application to the Probate Registry on your behalf
• Obtain the Grant of Probate
• Collect in all assets in the estate
• Prepare an Estate Account showing the estate assets or funds received and transferred or paid out, and the balance due for distribution to beneficiaries
• Distribute all estate assets
Our team has over 50 years of collective experience in delivering high quality work in all matters relating to Wills and the Administration of Estates. The team has particular expertise in taxable estates and intestate estates (where there is no Will).
Kelly-Marie Brown – Director
Jo McGill – Consultant Solicitor
Elizabeth Jones – Consultant Solicitor
Meet the team