PRIVATE CLIENT FEES
In our Private Client Department, we deal with all aspects of non-contentious probate and estate administration, Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Trusts headed by our Solicitor Jane Marland and supported by our Private Client Executive Tracey Costello.
Our team are all experienced and specialise in Private Client. Jane Marland is both a member of STEP and the Association of Lifetime Lawyers. We aim to support and guide you throughout the entire process.
If you instruct Susan Hall & Co, you will be given a timescale and a clear cost estimate at the outset of your particular matter. Please see below a guide to our fees.
| WILLS |
| LPA/S |
| Susan Hall & Co Costs | OPG Registration Fee | |||
| Single LPA (P&F OR H&W) | £495 plus VAT | £82 | ||
| Double LPA (P&F & H&W) | £740 plus VAT | £164 | ||
| Single LPAS (P&F OR H&W) married/civil couple | £695 plus VAT | £164 | ||
| Double LPAS (P&F & H&W) married/civil couple | £1,240 plus VAT | £328 | ||
| PROBATE and ESTATE ADMINISTRATION |
| Susan Hall & Co Costs | ||
| To obtain a Grant of Probate (in cases where there is no inheritance tax (IHT) or IHT Account required and information is provided) | £1,250 – £1,500 plus VAT & Disbursements | |
| To obtain a Grant of Probate including contacting all organisations and obtaining probate valuations, preparing a full IHT Account, applying for all available IHT allowances and if applicable calculating and paying IHT | £2,000- £4,000 plus VAT & Disbursements | |
| To obtain a Grant of Probate and administer the estate including contacting all organisations and obtaining probate valuations, no IHT Account required, preparing the application for the Grant of Probate. Registering the Grant with all organisations and collecting in the assets, meeting all liabilities, assessing administration income tax, preparing estate accounts and liaising with beneficiaries and distributing in accordance with the Will. | £4,000 – £6,000 plus VAT & Disbursements | |
| To obtain a Grant of Probate and administer the estate including contacting all organisations and obtaining probate valuations, preparing a full IHT Account, applying for all available allowances and if applicable calculating and paying IHT, preparing the application for the Grant of Probate. Registering the Grant with all organisations and collecting in the assets, meeting all liabilities, assessing administration income tax, preparing estate accounts and liaising with beneficiaries and distributing in accordance with the Will. | £5,000-£10,000 plus VAT & Disbursements | |
We do not charge a percentage of the gross value of the estate, instead our fees are based on the actual work required in your matter. Our fees are calculated by reference to the time spent (in 6-minute units) by the fee earner carrying out the work. Our Solicitor Jane Marland’s current charging rate is £250 per hour plus VAT; and our Private Client Executive Tracey Costello’s charging rate is £200 per hour plus VAT. Charging rates are reviewed annually.
Disbursements are payments that we make to third parties on your behalf, such as the Probate Court Fee which is currently £300 plus £1.50 per additional sealed copy. There may be other disbursements such as H M Land Registry search fees (£7 per copy title) and statutory notices (approximately £250-300) and we will discuss which disbursements will apply to your matter with you.
If there are any issues that may require additional work, such as a lost or damaged will, intestacy, applications by attorneys, complex assets, foreign assets etc, we will discuss this with you and provide you with an adjusted cost estimate as soon as possible.
There have been delays at the Probate Registry which has impacted on the length of time it takes to obtain the Grant of Probate and deal with the administration of the estate. Typically, it is taking between 3-6 months to complete the necessary work and obtain the Grant of Probate. Once the Grant has been issued the estate can then be administered, if the estate does not include a house this usually takes a further 2 -4 months depending on the assets, if the estate includes a property to sell the length of time will depend on how quickly that property sells and will generally take 12 months.