Probate Pricing Information

Probate and Estate Administration

We offer a bespoke probate and estate administration service which takes account of – amongst other things – our client’s individual circumstances and requirements, the value of the assets in the estate, and the complexities of the matter. As such, the fee we charge varies from client to client and we are able to provide a bespoke quotation upon application.

Probate work and estate administration is carried out at the hourly rate of £225.00 plus VAT.  Depending on the size and value of the estate, we may charge a reduced hourly rate in tandem with a charge calculated by reference to the gross value of the estate.

For the very simplest estates a fixed fee will be agreed, usually in the order of £1,500.00 plus 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 quote is for estates where:

  • There is a valid will
  • There is no more than one property
  • There are no more than three bank or building society accounts
  • There are no other intangible assets
  • There are between 1 and 3 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
  • There are no claims made against the estate

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. Disbursements include:

  • Probate application fee of £273.00 plus £1.50 for each sealed copy of the Grant of Probate
  • £7.00 Swearing of the oath (per executor)
  • Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2.00 per beneficiary)
  • £95.58 Post in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
  • £258.00 Post in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims.

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 £0.50 (1 per asset usually).
  • Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.

How long will this take?

Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 4-8 months.  With more complicated probate it can take 8-12 months to obtain a grant of probate.  Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 1 and 9 months. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 2 to 4 weeks.