How long will my matter take?
Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 8-16 weeks.
Probate – Administering the Estate (once the Grant is obtained)
To provide further assistance in administering the estate following issue of the Grant we charge on an hourly basis. Please note that these fees are in addition to the fixed fees noted above. Fees are discussed and agreed before we proceed to this next stage.
Hourly rates range from £175 – £240 plus VAT (charged at 20%) dependent on the experience of the lawyer instructed. On average, fees to complete the estate administration are between £1,000 – £2,500 plus VAT (charged at 20%) unless the estate is highly complex. We do not charge a percentage of the estate value.
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 investments, costs will be at the higher end. If an estate becomes contentious then further legal costs will arise.
Disbursements
Further disbursements (in addition to those already noted above) may be payable to third parties such as:
- Land Registry fees £3 – £30
- Advertisements to comply with the Trustee Act £150 +vat (charged at 20%)
- Bankruptcy searches (£2 per beneficiary).
Key Stages/Services
We will handle the full process for you including registering the Probate with the financial institutions, collect or transfer all assets in the estate.
Potential additional costs
- If any additional copies of the grant are required, they will cost £1.50.
- Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.
We have a Conveyancing department to enable probate properties to be sold by this firm to streamline the process.
How long will my matter take?
On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 4-6 months. As advised above, obtaining the grant of probate takes 8-16 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 4-12 weeks. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 2-4 weeks.
