Our Costs

Will

Our fees cover all the work required to draft your new will, including an initial appointment to discuss your wishes, preparing and sending you a draft will, making any necessary amendments and arranging an appointment to sign the will.

Fees and disbursements:
For a single will:
Legal fee £250
VAT payable £50
Total £300

For two wills:
Legal Fee £350
VAT Payable £70
Total £420

Lasting Power of Attorney

Our fees cover all the work required to draft your Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), including an initial appointment to discuss your wishes, preparing and sending you a draft, making any necessary amendments, arranging all of the necessary signatures and registering it with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG).

Fees and disbursements:
For a single LPA:
Legal fee £375
OPG Fees £82
VAT payable £75
Total £532

For two LPAs:
Legal fees £450
OPG fees £164
VAT payable £90
Total £704

For four LPAs:
Legal fees £600
OPG fees £328
VAT payable £120
Total £1048

Application to the Court of Protection

Our fees cover all the work required to make your application to the Court of Protection, including an initial appointment to discuss your wishes, preparing and sending you a draft, making any necessary amendments, arranging all of the necessary signatures and registering it with the Court of Protection.

Fees and disbursements:
Legal Fee £1,000
VAT Payable £200
Court of Protection Application fee £385
Court of Protection Appeal fee £320 (if required)
Court of Protection Hearing fee £500 (if required)
Court of Protection Annual Supervision fee £320 inc VAT

Purchase of a Freehold Residential Property

Our fees cover the work required to complete the purchase of your new home, including dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty).

Conveyancer’s fees and disbursements:

Property Price Costs VAT Total
Up to £199,000 £1,000 £200 £1,200
£200,000 to £299,000 £1,200 £240 £1,440
£300,000 to £399,000 £1,400 £280 £1,680
£400,000 to £499,000 £1,600 £320 £1,920
£500,000 to £899,000 £2,000 £400 £2,400
£900,000 to £999,000 £2,500 £500 £2,000
£1,000,000 to £1,999,000 £3,000 £600 £3,600

Search fees £364.50 plus VAT (being £72.90)*
HM Land Registry fee £150*
Electronic money transfer fee 2 x £40 plus VAT (being £8) (for the purchase the property and payment of the stamp duty)
Anti-money laundering searches £15 per client plus VAT (being £3)
Land Registry searches £3 per item

* These fees vary from property to property based on location and value and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above. We can give you an accurate figure once we have sight of your specific documents. The summary above assumes no indemnity policies are required. Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity policies are required.

Disbursements
These are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Stamp Duty or Land Tax (on purchase)
This depends on the purchase price of your property. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC’s website.

Estimated total costs
Our average fees: £1,920 inclusive of VAT
Disbursements: £500-£600 (estimated)

How long will my house purchase take?
How long it will take from your offer being accepted until you can move in to your house will depend on a number of factors. Average for conveyancing is between 11-13 weeks. It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain.

Key Stages of the process
• Take your instructions and give you initial advice
• Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender’s solicitors if needed
• Carry out searches
• Obtain planning documentation if required
• Make any necessary enquiries of seller’s solicitor
• Give you advice on all documents and information received
• Send contract to you for signature
• Agree completion date (date from which you own the property) and exchange contracts
• Arrange for all monies needed to be received from you
• Complete purchase
• Deal with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax and registration of your ownership at the Land Registry

Sale of a Freehold Residential property

Our fees cover the work required to complete the sale of your home, including dealing with obtaining title information, preparing the contract, responding to any enquiries raised by the buyer and account to you for the proceeds of sale.

Conveyancer’s fees and disbursements:

Property Price Costs VAT Total
Up to £199,000 £1,000 £200 £1,200
£200,000 to £299,000 £1,200 £240 £1,440
£300,000 to £399,000 £1,400 £280 £1,680
£400,000 to £499,000 £1,600 £320 £1,920
£500,000 to £899,000 £2,000 £400 £2,400
£900,000 to £999,000 £2,500 £500 £3,000
£1,000,000 to £1,999,000 £3,000 £600 £3,600

Electronic money transfer fee £40 plus VAT (being £8) (sending out the sale proceeds)
Anti-money laundering searches £15 per client plus VAT (being £3)*
Land Registry searches £3 per item*

*These fees vary from property to property. We can give you an accurate figure once we have sight of your specific documents.

Disbursements
These are costs payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Estimated total costs
Our average fees: £1,920 inclusive of VAT
Disbursements: £50-100 (estimated)
You should also factor in your estate agent fees

How long will my house sale take?
How long it will take from you accepting an offer until you can move out of your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 11-13 weeks. It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain.

Key Stages of the process
• Take your instructions and give you initial advice
• Send contract documents to the buyer
• Respond to enquiries raised by the purchaser’s solicitor
• Send final contract to you for signature
• Agree completion date (date from which you no longer own the property)
• Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened
• Arrange for all monies needed to be received from purchaser
• Complete purchase
• Arrange for Mortgage to be repaid if necessary
• Arrange for funds to be sent to you

Purchase of a Leasehold Residential Property

Our fees cover the work required to complete the purchase of your new home, including dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty).

Conveyancer’s fees and disbursements:

Property Price Costs VAT Total
Up to £199,000 £1,000 £200 £1,200
£200,000 to £299,000 £1,200 £240 £1,440
£300,000 to £399,000 £1,400 £280 £1,680
£400,000 to £499,000 £1,600 £320 £1,920
£500,000 to £899,000 £2,000 £400 £2,400
£900,000 to £999,000 £2,500 £500 £3,000
£1,000,000 to £1,999,000 £3,000 £600 £3,600

Search fees £364.50 plus VAT (being £72.90)*
HM Land Registry fee £150*
Electronic money transfer fee 2x £40 plus VAT (being £8) (for the purchase the property and payment of the stamp duty)
Anti-money laundering searches £15 per client plus VAT (being £3)
Land Registry searches £3 per item

Disbursements
These are costs payable to third parties, such as search fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. We will update you on the specific fees upon receipt and review of the lease from the seller’s solicitors. The summary above assumes no indemnity policies are required. Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity policies are required.

Disbursements specific to leasehold properties
• Charged by the freehold management company if required by the lease:
• Notice of Transfer fee (between £80 and £150)
• Notice of Charge fee if there is a mortgage (between £80 and £150)
• Deed of Covenant fee (between £80 and £150)
• Fee for new share certificate (between £80 and £150)

These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above. We can give you an accurate figure once we have sight of your specific documents.

You should also be aware that ground rent and service charge are likely to apply throughout your ownership of the property. We will confirm the ground rent and the anticipated service charge as soon as this we receive this information.

Stamp Duty Land Tax
This depends on the purchase price of your property. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC’s website.

Estimated total costs
Our average fees: £1,920 inclusive of VAT
Disbursements: £500-£1100 (estimated)

Key Stages of the process
• Take your instructions and give you initial advice
• Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender’s solicitors if needed
• Carry out searches
• Obtain planning documentation if required
• Make any necessary enquiries of seller’s solicitor
• Give you advice on all documents and information received
• Send contract to you for signature
• Agree completion date (date from which you own the property) and exchange contracts
• Arrange for all monies needed to be received from you
• Complete purchase
• Deal with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax and registration of your ownership at the Land Registry and post completion requirements with the management company

How long will my flat purchase take?
How long it will take from you accepting an offer until you can move out of your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 11-13 weeks. It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain.

Sale of a Leasehold Residential Property

Our fees cover the work required to complete the sale of your home, including dealing with obtaining title information, preparing the contract, responding to any enquiries raised by the buyer and account to you for the proceeds of sale.

Conveyancer’s fees and disbursements:

Property Price Costs VAT Total
Up to £199,000 £1,000 £200 £1,200
£200,000 to £299,000 £1,200 £240 £1,440
£300,000 to £399,000 £1,400 £280 £1,680
£400,000 to £499,000 £1,600 £320 £1,920
£500,000 to £899,000 £2,000 £400 £2,400
£900,000 to £999,000 £2,500 £500 £3,000
£1,000,000 to £1,999,000 £3,000 £600 £3,600

Landlord’s fee to complete Leasehold Information Questionnaire* £200-£300
Electronic money transfer fee £40 plus VAT (being £8) (sending out the sale proceeds)
Anti-money laundering searches £15 per client plus VAT (being £3)*
Land Registry searches £3 per item*

*This fees vary from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above. We can give you an accurate figure once we have sight of your specific documents.

Disbursements
These are costs payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Estimated total costs
Our average fees: £1,920 inclusive of VAT
Disbursements: £300-£400 (estimated)

Key Stages of the process
• Take your instructions and give you initial advice
• Send out contract documents
• Respond to any necessary enquiries from the purchaser’s solicitor
• Send contract to you for signature
• Agree completion date (date from which you no longer own the property) and Exchange contracts
• Arrange for all monies needed to be received from purchaser
• Complete purchase
• Arrange to pay any outstanding mortgage balance
• Arrange to send you any completion funds

How long will my flat sale take?
How long it will take from you accepting an offer until you can move out of your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 11-13 weeks. It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain

Probate

We can help you through this difficult process by obtaining the Grant of Probate on your behalf and then administering the deceased’s estate by the collecting and distributing of assets under the terms of the will.

Duration of administration
It is always helpful to be aware of how long the administration of an estate can take. It is usual for it to take approximately 4 to 6 months to obtain the grant of probate. This is contingent on how quickly third parties respond to our requests for information and, if there is tax to pay, how quickly HMRC deals with the tax return. Once we have the grant of probate we submit what are known as s.27 notices to the London Gazette and the local paper. There is then a statutory two month waiting time before the estate can be distributed. These notices protect you, the executor, from personal liability in the event there is a claim on the estate, following distribution to the beneficiaries, by an unknown creditor.
It is best practice to wait a full six months after obtaining the grant of probate before distributing the estate. This is because a person intending to bring a claim against the estate has six months from the date of the grant of probate to do so. As such it is not uncommon for an administration to take up to a year before assets are distributed to beneficiaries.

How much does this service cost?
Our costs are usually in the range of £4000 to £8000 plus VAT (£800 to £1600 respectively). 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 below the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, properties, bank accounts or a trust, costs will be at the higher end or above.

Under the terms of our retainer we will:
• deal with the deceased’s outstanding lifetime tax affairs if required
• Establish the extent and value of the deceased’s estate
• Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries
• Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
• Complete the inheritance tax return and deal with any inheritance tax due – if there is inheritance tax to pay this has to be paid before we can obtain the grant of probate.
• Draft the executor’s oath and obtain the grant of probate
• Gather in the estate assets once probate is granted
• Pay any debts and labilities of the estate and settle any legacies
• Account to HMRC for any estate income and capital gains tax
• Produce estate accounts and account to residuary beneficiaries.

Sale of any assets such as houses will be dealt with under a separate retainer agreed with you as and when required.
We deal with probate using a fixed cost structure based on the complexity and expected duration of the administration.

Disbursements
These are costs payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
• Probate court fee of £155 (Plus £1.50 per additional sealed copy of the Grant of Probate).
• £7 Swearing of the oath (per executor).
• Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary).
• Section 27 notice: £101.52 Post in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
• Section 27 Notice £97.20 Post in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims.
• This list is by no means exhaustive and will vary on a case by case basis.