Uncontested Probate (with all assets in the UK)
Prices
Our costs information is set out generally below. For a bespoke quote relevant to your exact probate details, please click here and enter your details and we will contact you. Please refer to our privacy policy for details of how we will use any information that you submit via the enquiry form on our website.
Please note that there will be two elements to the costs information set out below:
- Fees charged by Brooke-Taylors Solicitors. These are charged on the basis of hourly rates; and
- Fees payable to third parties.
Please ensure that you consider both parts of the costs information.
Fees charged by Brooke-Taylors Solicitors
As there are many variables which affect how we charge for probate work, we have set out an example fee range below based on specific estate details.
Estate details relevant to the example fee range
This example fee range is for an estate where:
- There is a valid will
- There is no more than one property
- There are no more than two bank or building society accounts
- There are no other tangible assets
- There are no more than two beneficiaries
- There are no disputes between beneficiaries on the division of assets
- 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
Fee range
We anticipate this will take between 5 and 7 hours of work at an hourly rate of between £255 and £275 plus VAT (20%).
Total costs are estimated at between £1,275 and £1,925 plus VAT (20%).
The fees given are in line with the example estate details above. Whether fees are at the lower or higher end of the fee range given, will depend on the complexity and size of the estate.
Please also add the following costs:
| Description of fee | Fee | VAT (20%) | Total fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
AML electronic ID Check (required for each Executor) |
£8.00 (per person) |
£1.60 (per person) |
£9.60 (per person) |
|
Client Account Bank Check |
£2.50 (per bank account) |
£0.50 (per bank account) |
£3.00 (per bank account) |
*This is to protect beneficiaries from the threat of fraudsters attempting to steal inheritance monies due to them by confirming that the bank details that we are provided with, belong to them.
Fees payable to third parties (‘Disbursements’)
| Description of Disbursement | Fee | VAT (20%) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Probate Court fee |
£300.00 |
N/A |
£300.00 |
|
Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (per beneficiary) |
£2.67 (per person) |
£0.53 (per person) |
£3.20 (per person) |
|
Section 27 Notice in London Gazette and local newspaper* |
£300.00/£500.00 |
N/A |
£300.00/£500.00 |
*Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
Work included and key stages
Our fees include obtaining the grant of probate, collecting assets, and distributing them. The precise work and stages involved in a probate matter vary according to the circumstances. However, we have set out the key stages involved in a typical probate matter:
- Take your instructions and give you initial advice.
- Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries.
- Establish the extent of the estate by identifying the various assets and liabilities.
- Identify the type of probate application required.
- The application for Grant of Probate is prepared and then declared by the executor and submitted to the Probate Registry together with the Will if there is one.
- Once the Grant is received, it is submitted to the various organisations with whom assets are held in order to start the process of transferring the assets into the beneficiaries’ names.
- All estate liabilities have to be paid before the estate can be distributed among the beneficiaries;
- Confirmation is required that tax is paid up to date and there are no outstanding HMRC claims;
- Estate accounts should be prepared thereafter, and the estate distributed in accordance with the terms of the Will.
Services excluded
Our service (within this fee example) will not include any of the following:
- Any contested probate matters or advice on the same.
- Advice on tax or other accounting matters.
- Advice on assets held outside of the UK.
- Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate.
Approximate/average timescales
On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 6 to 12 months.
Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 2 - 4 months.
Collecting assets then follows, which can take 2 - 4 months.
Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 2 - 4 months.
Factors that could increase costs
In some circumstances we may increase our fees to account for additional time, work or skill required to meet your instructions. Examples 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.
- If any additional copies of the grant are required, they will cost £1.50 (1 per asset usually.)
- Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate as this is not included in this service.
