Probate

Applying for the grant, collecting and distributing the assets

We anticipate that an uncontested Probate matter will cost in the region of £1500 to £4000.00 plus VAT at 20%.

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 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 two properties
• There are no more than 5 bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are 1-5 beneficiaries
• 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

Disbursements included in this fee:

• Probate application fee of £215.00 plus £1.50 for each additional copy Grant required
• £10 Swearing of the oath (per executor)
• Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)
• To post in The London Gazette (Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors) and to post in the Local Newspaper (this also helps to protect against unexpected claims) in the region of £350 to cover the statutory notices.

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

Potential additional costs

• 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.
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.

How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 3-9 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 6-10 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 4-6 weeks. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 2-4 weeks.

Key Stages and what is included in our fee:

• Initial attendance – advising you on the will or if no will the rules of intestacy. Obtaining ID and verifying executors then taking instructions.
• Obtaining relevant information re any assets including property, bank accounts, pensions and insurance policies etc by writing to the relevant companies.
• Obtaining relevant information re any debts by writing to the relevant companies.
• Drafting Probate documents including Inheritance Tax Forms, where applicable.
• Submitting probate documents to the Probate Registry to obtain the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.
• Once the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration have been issued we will send Sealed copies to you.

If we are dealing with the distribution of the estate we will also:

• Gather in / collect all the assets by writing to the bank/ building societies, insurance and investment companies, pension providers etc to ascertain the assets of the estate. This may include selling property or assets.
• Contacting all creditors like utility companies, mortgage providers etc to establish the debts owed.
• Finalising the Inheritance Tax position with HMRC
• Advertising in the London Gazette and local newspapers to protect the estate/Executors from unknown creditors and unexpected claims.
• Obtaining and verifying ID for beneficiaries.
• Preparing Final Estate Accounts for approval by Executors.
• Paying the debts of the estate, and;
• Distributing the estate between the beneficiaries.