Fees

Our approach to fees is simple and transparent. We understand that every client’s needs are unique, and we tailor our quotes to reflect the specific requirements of each case. Our fees are always provided upfront, with no hidden charges, ensuring you have a clear understanding of the costs involved from the outset. We believe in honest, fair pricing, so you can feel confident in the value of our services and focus on what matters most to you.

Here you will find an example of our fees for Probate matters, contact us for our fee structure for all other types of work.

Probate Costs

The Solicitors Regulatory Authority, the body which regulates law firms, require us to provide you with information on our costs in relation to certain legal services which we provide. This is so that you have the information you need to make an informed choice of legal service provider, and an understanding as to what the total cost of that service may be.

One service which is included in the rules by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority is the administration estates. The rules state we must advise you in accordance with the Solicitors Regulatory Authority transparency rules which included specifically the collection and distribution of money, property and other assets belonging to a person following their death, where these assets are in the UK, and they are not contested.

If your probate matter does not meet with the above definition then please contact us so we can provide you with an accurate costing for your matter.

Each probate matter which we deal with is unique, albeit that there are common elements to each case.

We have provided below pricing information for a number of different scenarios which we see, however exact costs will depend on the specific circumstances of each case. We have listed factors which may cause the price to vary but for an accurate quote, please contact us and explain your specific circumstances and requirements. Please note that this is intended as a guideline only and a tailored quote should be obtained from our office.

In all cases, our fees are based on the time spent by all members of the team involved. Different members of the team may have involvement at different staged of the matter, due to the requirement for different levels of expertise, or availability of individuals. The current hourly rate bands are set out below. These rates do not include VAT, which will be charged at 20%:

Directors, Senior Solicitors and Consultants	£220-£350
Junior Solicitors	£190-£300
Solicitors/Senior Executives	£150-£275
Legal Executives and Senior Support Staff	£140-£200
Trainee Solicitors and Support Staff	£100-£175

Grant only service

If there is a valid Will in place, you can instruct us to apply to the Probate Registry to obtain the Grant of Probate on your behalf, this is known as our Grant Only Service.

This type of service is suitable for individuals who require assistance with obtaining the Grant only and who are happy to deal with the administration of the estate themselves.

As part of our fixed fee, we will:

Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter
Meet with you (virtually or in person) to discuss what information we require.
Identify the type of Probate application you will require.
Based upon the information you provide, prepare the Court application, legal statement of truth and HM Revenue & Customs inheritance tax forms (if necessary)
Submit the inheritance tax forms to HM Revenue & Customs (if applicable)
Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
Chase and/or liaise with the Court
Once the Grant has been issued, supply the Grant to you.

The fixed fee will depend upon what inheritance tax forms are required by HM Revenue and Customs to be completed. This will depend upon the individual circumstances of the estate:

Non-taxable, simple estate:
This is on the basis that the estate is not taxable, a full inheritance tax account is not required to be submitted and you provide us with the figures required for the application. We charge a fixed fee of £750 plus VAT for this service in addition to disbursements (such as the Court fee, which is £300 and an extra £1.50 per copy of the Grant required).

Non–taxable, more complex estate:
This is on the basis that the estate is not taxable, but a full inheritance tax account is required in order to claim certain exemptions/reliefs. It is also on the basis that you provide us with the figures required for the application. We charge a fixed fee of £1,500 plus VAT for this service in addition to disbursements (such as the Court fee, which is £300 and an extra £1.50 per copy of the Grant required).

Taxable estate:
If the estate is a taxable estate, then a full account will be required. We will charge a fixed fee for obtaining the Grant, and this will be dependent upon how complex the matter is. There will be a minimum charge of £2,500 plus VAT in addition to disbursements (such as the Court fee, which is £300 and an extra £1.50 per copy of the Grant required).

Typically, obtaining the Grant of Probate/Letters of Administration takes approximately 24-30 weeks from when the application is submitted to the Court. If the estate is taxable or full inheritance tax forms need to be submitted, a further 4-8 weeks is added to the estimated timescale.

The Grant only service is not suitable where it is necessary to claim one or more of the exemptions to inheritance tax, such as the residence nil rate band, business or agricultural relief, or reliefs relating to lifetime gifts. Furthermore, there are occasionally circumstances when an estate may be more complex, and the above-fixed fee is not possible due to the work involved. You will be informed of this at the outset of the matter or as soon as we become aware of the issues. The below is not an exhaustive list, but are examples of when this might be the case:

The original Will cannot be found
• There is property outside of England & Wales
• There are no executors/the executors have passed away/refusing to act
• An affidavit is required in respect of the Will
• A power reserved notice, renunciation or power of attorney document is required
• The deceased died domiciled outside of England & Wales
• If HMRC raise enquiries about the values submitted
• There is no Will and the beneficiaries are minors
• If there is no Will and detailed work needs to be carried out to trace the next of kin.
• If it is a complicated intestacy matter
• If there are issues with the Will (defaced/altered)

Full administration service

If a Grant only service is not the service level you require, you can instruct us to deal with the whole administration of the estate. This is known as our full administration service. The cost for which would include:

Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter
Meet with you (virtually or in person) to discuss what information we require
Identify the type of Probate application you will require.
Contact all asset holders and liabilities to obtain date of death valuation
Prepare the Court application, legal statement of truth and HM Revenue & Customs inheritance tax forms (if necessary)
Submit the inheritance tax forms to HM Revenue & Customs (if applicable)
Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
Chase and/or liaise with the Court
Once the Grant has been issued, prepare the closure forms/transfer forms.
Correspond with banks/assets to release funds
Look to discharge any liabilities
Sell investments and/or property (if applicable)

Pay any pecuniary legacies
Contact the beneficiaries of the estate and carry out bankruptcy searches
Draw up estate accounts and deal with the distribution of the estate.

The exact cost of this type of service will very much depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. Our fees will be calculated based on the number of hours it takes to complete the administration. The hourly rate will depend on the level of experience of the Fee Earner dealing with your matter.

The cost will very much depend upon the circumstances of the matter. Our fees are typically based on how much time is spent on the matter at the hourly rate of the person dealing with the administration of the estate.

We can provide you with an estimate of costs at the outset. There will also be disbursements to pay. 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.

Typical disbursements on a full administration of an estate include:

Probate Court fee of £300 plus £1.50 per copy of the Grant.
Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (For example, £2 per UK resident beneficiary)
The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors. If required, the cost will be provided upon request.
Post in a Local Newspaper – Protects against unexpected claims where the estate includes land. If required, the cost will be provided upon request.

The likely timescale for the full administration of an estate is 12-24 months, but much of this depends upon the complexity of the matter.

Factors that increase the cost of the full administration service are:

If the person making the application is doing so acting under a Power of Attorney or a Court of Protection Deputyship.
If the validity of the Will is questioned.
If the Will is complex.
If any of the beneficiaries are unknown or need to be traced.
If there is a Trust contained in the Will.
If the Residence Nil Rate Band is being claimed.
If there is a dispute between beneficiaries on the division of the assets.
If there is inheritance tax payable and the Executors need to submit a full account to the HMRC.
If there is a claim made against the estate.
If there is more than one property.
If there are foreign assets.
If there are business assets.
If the estate consists of any shareholdings.
If corrective accounts need to be submitted to HMRC.
If there needs to be the application of ‘downsizing’ when applying for Residence Nil Rate Band.
If there needs to be a claim made for either Agricultural Property relief or Business Property relief.

Please note that additional costs will be incurred for the sale or transfer of any property in the estate and you will be advised of this by your solicitor.

Costs for other services

We operate a transparent policy at Cribbin & Co Solicitors. You will always be aware of the costs from the outset of your matter.

Contact us today to obtain a quote for your specific needs. Where possible, we will fix our fees for your case so you don’t need to worry about the bill at the end of your matter.

All our legal fees are subject to VAT at the current rate.

Probate Costs

Grant only service

Full administration service

Costs for other services

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