We do not charge a fixed fee for probate work. Our hourly rates range from £100 to £360 per hour plus VAT (£120 to £432 in total), based on the level of qualification and experience.
Our fees are based upon the team member’s hourly rate and calculated on the basis of the time spent, taking into account the size and complexity of the estate. We will ensure that work is done at the appropriate and most cost effective level to mitigate costs.
At the outset of an estate administration we will provide a costs estimate, but by way of example, our costs for obtaining a Grant of Representation and administering a simple estate are likely to range from £2,500 to £7,500 plus VAT (£3,000 to £9,000 in total) plus disbursements.
A simple estate would be an estate where:
As explained above, the exact costs will depend on the specific circumstances of the estate. If the sole beneficiary is the deceased’s spouse and there are very few assets in the estate, the costs are likely to be at the lower end of the range.
If the estate is more complex than the simple estate outlined above, fees will be charged at the team member’s hourly rate and will be calculated on the basis of the time spent, taking into account the size and complexity of the estate. In our experience, likely costs on an estate consisting entirely of UK assets equate to between 1% and 3% of the gross estate (the total value of the assets of the estate before deducting any liabilities, costs, funeral costs or inheritance tax).
This is just an estimate of our fees to cover the work required to administer an estate and the exact costs will depend on the circumstances of the estate.
We will provide you with a costs estimate towards the outset of the estate administration and if the estate administration proves more complex than first envisaged, we will revise our costs estimate accordingly.
Our costs are usually settled from estate funds.
If it is necessary to transfer a residential property into the names of beneficiaries or trustees, or sell a property, this will be dealt with by our residential conveyancing team. Details of their charges can be found here.
It may be more cost effective for other professionals or agencies to deal with aspects of the administration. We may instruct:
In these circumstance, the professional’s or agency’s costs will be charged separately. We can obtain a quote for these services when we have more information.
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf from estate funds. These may include:
The fees set out above cover all the work in relation to the following key stages of the administration of an estate:
This is an illustration only. The work carried out will be tailored to your specific needs and set out in the Confirmation of Instructions letter.
The time taken from your initial instructions to obtaining the grant of representation will typically take approximately 6-9 months to obtain a grant of probate and up to one year to complete the administration thereafter. However, this timescale is just an estimate and in some circumstances, it can take much longer.
We would be very happy to provide you with a more tailored quote for all stages of your particular case once we know about your specific circumstances.
Our Trusts, Wills and Estates team is led by Rachel Tunnicliffe. The team comprises partners Caroline Hedges, Peter Greswold, Sam Jenner, Rachel Mainwaring-Taylor and Alison Walker. Other team members: David Brown, Ryan Carter, Katie Davill, Katie Johnston, Heather Laws, Kate Thornton, Jessica Toller, Leslie Tuck, Katie Watts, Jessica Wilkinson and Sulayman Iqbal. Click here to view their individual profiles.
