Non-Contested Probate Costs
Applying for the grant, collecting and distributing the assets
We anticipate this will take between 10 and 20 hours work at between £175 – £290 plus VAT per hour. Total costs estimated at £1,750 to £5,800 (+VAT).
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 estimate is for estates where:
- There is a valid will
- There is no more than one property
- There are no more than 6 bank or building society accounts
- There are no other intangible assets
- There are 1-4 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
- All assets are in the UK
There are no claims made against the estate
Disbursements included in this fee:
- Probate application fee of £273.00
- £87.30 Post in The London Gazette — Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
- £119.15 Post in a Local Newspaper — This also helps to protect against unexpected claims.
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. Payment for disbursements will be required on account prior to the work being done.
- Anti-Money Laundering Check
We are required by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to carry out anti-money laundering (AML) checks on all new and existing clients. This is charged at £7.80 per person.
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.
- 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 is not included.
How long will this take?
On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 1-6 months.
General VAT
Value Added Tax (VAT): VAT is a tax that you must pay on most goods and services in the United Kingdom and is paid to HMRC. It is currently charged at a rate of 20% of the value of the goods or services provided. Therefore, for example, where a fee or disbursement is stated as £1,000.00 plus VAT the invoice will total £1,200.00.
The information contained in this document is provided to give you an idea of what your costs will be. If you instruct us to act on your behalf the information contained in our client care and attached quote at the outset, together with any updates that may become necessary in light of additional/changed information, will supersede any information contained in this document.