Probate and Administration Charges

Our fees and costs will be dependent upon the size and complexity of the estate being dealt with and the issues we encounter when identifying, contacting and dealing with executors, administrators and beneficiaries. It will also depend upon whether we are dealing with the administration of the whole estate or simply carrying out parts of the process and whether there are any trusts involved.

If we are only dealing with obtaining a grant of probate, and not dealing with the administration of the estate itself, then not only can we provide you with a fixed price but we can also assure you that our charges will be much lower than if we are dealing with a full administration of an estate – in which case we would charge you both on an hourly basis.

The following charges are, therefore, dependent upon the work done.  Please check with us so that we can provide you with a more accurate assessment.

Complex Probate Cases

We charge on the basis of the time spent with an hourly rate of £280.00 plus VAT.

The exact cost will also 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 range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end.

In our experience, on average, the administration of an estate will lead to a fee of somewhere between £3,600 – £5,000 plus VAT and disbursements.

Disbursements

In the course of dealing with the estate there will be payments that will need to be paid to third parties, such as court fees. These are often referred to as disbursements.  We will handle the payment of these disbursements on your behalf as part of the process. They may include:

• the probate application fee – this is currently approximately £275 – £300 (to include probate court fees and copies of the Grant)
• Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches – £2.90 each
• Adverts in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors – £150.00 – £200.00
• Adverts in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims – £200.00 – £300.00
• Valuation fees – dependent entirely on the type of asset being valued (e.g., property, shares, chattels, art works)

Potential additional costs

In addition to the main costs and disbursements, there are a number of additional charges that may need to be made depending upon the circumstances.  These include:

• If there is no will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there is 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 £1.50 each.
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included. Please see our conveyancing fees for further information.
• Setting up a trust – £1,500 – £2,000 + VAT
• Registration of the trust with the Trust Registration Service £350 + VAT
• Transferring property to trustees – £350 + VAT