2. Grant only

Depending on the assets involved, you may require a Grant of Probate (if there is a valid will), a Grant of Letters of Administration (if there is no valid will), or a special type of Grant.

We can apply for the Grant for you. We need to know the value of all the assets and liabilities, complete the paperwork for you and then apply for the Grant. You then take over at that point and deal with the administration of the estate yourself. This is not an easy task as it carries a lot of responsibility so should only be done if you have done this before or feel competent or experienced to take on this role.

How much does this service cost?

The work involved in getting a Grant can vary but is usually a minimum of 5 hours £1,050 plus VAT. The work can take longer if we need to send an account of assets and liabilities to HMRC. In that situation, there would be much more work involved so we would charge more.

We can discuss this with you and provide you with a fixed fee for obtaining a Grant suited to your circumstances.

3. Administration of the Estate

This is the most common level of service we provide as our expertise and experience means that we can progress with the administration of the estate for you without you having to worry about what to do. We take over the administration from the start.

Our dedicated and experienced probate solicitor will,

• Obtain the valuation of the assets and liabilities
• Advise you about the appropriate Grant for the estate
• Prepare and complete the forms and documents required to submit to HMRC
• Prepare and complete the forms and documents required to apply for a Grant
• Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
• Prepare Estate and Distribution Accounts listing the money collected in and paid out
• Collect and distribute all assets in the estate

If the estate is straightforward, we will usually give you a fixed fee based on an hourly rate. A simple estate will start at a fixed fee of £2,100 plus VAT.

For example, a simple estate may be worth £250,000 with 2 executors, 2 beneficiaries, there is no Inheritance Tax to pay but a Grant of Probate is needed, and the estate needs to be distributed.

There are sometimes expenses which have to be paid to third parties and these are referred to as ‘disbursements’. An example of disbursements are,

• Probate court fee currently £273
• Bankruptcy searches against a beneficiary £2 (per name)
• Advert in The London Gazette and local newspaper – average £170 (This type of advertisement protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors. This advert is not always required)

If an estate is not straightforward, we are likely to charge on an hourly basis of £225 plus VAT and include a fee based on the value of the estate. The overall charge by us is fair and proportionate for the service we provide to you.

The following are examples of when an estate is not straightforward:

We will always tailor our costs and service to you.
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss costs and expenses.