Who will deal with your matter?

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Your matter will be handled personally by our qualified and experienced private client lawyer who is approachable, sympathetic and proactive in dealing with the process:

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• Pauline Lawson (Solicitor)

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You will have direct access to your lawyer via their telephone line and email, ensuring that you are always clear on who is dealing with your matter. Our team of assistants will also be available to assist with the administration of your file.

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The hourly rate for our services is £350 + VAT (currently 20%).

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Pauline has extensive legal experience, with over 40 years of post-qualification experience in Private Client Law, ensuring you benefit from expert advice and guidance throughout your matter.

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Perfectly Legal is regulated by the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority (SRA) and has appropriate professional indemnity insurance in place for the work we undertake.

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Charges…

 

Dealing with the affairs of someone who’s died is a very personal matter. During our lifetimes we are all wonderfully unique, and therefore no two Probate & Estate cases are ever the same either.

 

We are able to provide you with a full bespoke services i.e. providing as little or as much assistance as you would like, and all costs are generally charged at an hourly rate (see above).  We can simply complete the relevant inheritance tax return and obtain the Grant of Probate, or we can provide a full administration service by dealing with the whole estate to include obtaining probate valuations, completing the relevant inheritance tax return, obtaining the Grant of Probate, dealing with all assets and liabilities, dealing with Income Tax and Capital Gains tax affairs, preparing estate accounts and organising distributions to beneficiaries.  We can discuss  your needs at the start and throughout the process. 

 

Unless stated otherwise, where “+ VAT” is specified, please be aware that VAT will be charged at the rate applicable at the time, which is currently 20%.

 

Charges will greatly depend on the simplicity or complexity of the estate and the amount of time spent on the file. 

 

The straightforward preparation of an inheritance tax return and probate application will often take between 3 and 5 hours of time.  Costs estimated range between £825.00-£1,500.00 plus VAT.  Any additional work will be charged separately at the hourly rate (see above).

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When we are dealing with providing a full estate service, typically straightforward matters take between 15 and 25 hours work at the hourly rate (see above).  Costs estimated range between £4,500.00-£8,500.00 + VAT.

 

The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances and the complexity of the Estate.  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.  Once we have a clear overview of the estate, and the assets within it, we will provide you with a tailored quote of the likely charges.

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Factors that add to the cost and time…

 

The following factors may increase the cost of administering an estate:

• No Will.

• Numerous beneficiaries or complex trust provisions.

• More than one property.

• Shareholdings/investments as part of the estate.

• Inheritance tax is payable.

• Dispute between the beneficiaries.

• No relative or friend to register the death, make funeral arrangements, or handle related matters.​

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Any extras…

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Disbursements are additional expenses payable to third parties (e.g. court). We will manage these on your behalf and notify you of any known disbursements upfront or, if unknown, as soon as possible.

Examples of disbursements include:

 

• Probate application fee: £155.00 (plus £0.50 per additional copy) (no VAT payable).

• Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches: £7.80 + VAT per beneficiary.

• Advertisement fee for posting in The London Gazette and a Local Newspaper: Between £170.00 - £210.00 + VAT

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Exclusions…

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Please note that dealing with the sale of any property in the estate is not included in these cost estimates or timescales. A separate quote can be provided if necessary.

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How long…

 

For straightforward estates (see below), the administration typically takes between four to eight months. This process is generally broken down as follows:

• Obtaining the Grant of Probate: 2 to 3 months.

• Collecting the assets: 1 to 2 months.

• Preparing estate accounts and distributing assets: 1 to 2 months.

 

However, these timescales may be extended if, for example, there is a property to be sold within the estate, as this can delay the distribution of assets.

 

For more complex estates, obtaining the Grant of Probate can take up to six months, and collecting the assets may take an additional 2 months. If there are assets that are difficult to ascertain or dispose of, or if disputes arise, the administration process could be delayed by an additional 6 to 12 months.

 

The following time estimate applies to straightforward estates where the circumstances are as described below:

• A valid Will.

• One property.

• No more than five bank or building society accounts.

• No other intangible assets.

• A few beneficiaries.

• No disputes between beneficiaries

• No inheritance tax payable/no need to submit a full account to HMRC.

• No claims made against the estate.

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Complaints Procedure…

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We are committed to providing the highest standard of service. If you believe we have not met these standards or if you feel that we could improve in any way, we encourage you to contact us. You can raise any concerns with your solicitor or their supervising partner.

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What to do if we cannot resolve your complaint…

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The Legal Ombudsman can help you if we are unable to resolve your complaint ourselves. They will look at your complaint independently and it will not affect how we handle your case.

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Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have, then you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:

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• Within six months of receiving our final response to your complaint; and

• No more than one year from the date of the act or omission being complained about; or

• No more than one year from the date when you should reasonably have known that there was cause for complaint.

 

For more information contact the Legal Ombudsman.

 

What to do if you are unhappy with our behaviour…

 

The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help if you are concerned about our behaviour. This could be for things like dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other characteristic.

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Visit their website to see how you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.