Probate is the term often referred to in connection with the administration of an estate. In most cases it is necessary to obtain a Grant of Probate which is the legal authority for the personal representatives to deal with (administer) the estate of the person who has died.
PROBATE FEES
- Total cost of the service
- Basis for charges
- Experience and qualifications of Fee Earners/Support staff
- Description of disbursements
- VAT payable on fees and disbursements
- Details of services included in the price displayed
- Key stages and timescales in a matter
- CFA/DBA costs that may be payable by a client (if applicable)
This all depends on the work that is involved, the value of the estate concerned and what work you instruct Bell Park Kerridge to do on your behalf.
APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF PROBATE / LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION ONLY
We can offer a fixed fee of £950 plus VAT to obtain a Grant of Representation based on information provided by you where no inheritance tax is payable and a full inheritance tax return is not required (known as an IHT400)
Our fees will generally be between £1,250 – £2,000 plus VAT where inheritance tax is payable and/or a full inheritance tax return is required.
ADMINISTRATION OF THE ESTATE
Bell Park Kerridge can charge in 2 ways;
- Hourly rate (this varies between £215 – £300 per hour depending on the experience of the individual fee earner)
- 2% fee of the total estate value
Both the above are subject to a minimum fee of £1,500 plus VAT.
Please note that fees for the sale or transfer of a property in an estate are quoted separately and are not included in the estimate above.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties.
They can typically include, but not limited to, the following:
| Description | Fee |
| Probate Registry Application Fee | £273 plus £1.50 for each office copy required |
| Anti-Money Laundering Search | £15 plus VAT per Personal Representative |
| Bankruptcy Search Fees | £2 plus VAT per beneficiary |
| Land Registry Official Copies | £3 plus VAT |
| Statutory Adverts for Creditors | £120 – £250 plus VAT |
| Valuation Fee | TBA |
The basis for charges can be done in 2 different ways;
- Hourly rate
- A fee of 2% of the value of the estate
+ VAT and disbursements
Full discussions of this will be held before work commences.
Rachel Cameron is Probate Manager here at Bell Park Kerridge and has over 20 years experience in Probate, Lasting Power of Attorney and Wills.
Sarah Coyles MLAW is a Senior Associate Solicitor here who qualified in 2016.
For further information about Rachel and Sarah, please see the ‘Our Team’ page.
- Probate fee – £273.00 and £1.50p for each Sealed Copy of Probate.
- Oath fee – Price is dependant on type of oath and number of Executors.
The fees listed below, are all dependant on the work that is carried out in order for the Probate matter to proceed;
- Anti Money-Laundering & Bankruptcy searches
- Land Registry searches & fees
- Probate Court fees
- Statutory notice fees
VAT is payable on;
- Land Registry searches
- Bankruptcy searches
We will do all the necessary work to ensure that the Probate matter is completed correctly.
This will involve;
- Administration of Estate
- Obtaining Grants of Representation
- Completing all necessary HMRC forms
- Preparing Estate accounts
- Distribution of the Estate
- Corresponding with all external organisations
- Obtaining Grant of Probate – 3-6 months
- Completiton – 6-12 months
Timescales may vary with work entailed but this will be discussed with you during the course of the work.