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Probate and Administration of Estates: Information for Clients
Introduction
As part of our professional rules, we aim to ensure that anyone wishing to use our services has the information they need to make an informed choice of legal services provider, including understanding what the costs may be.
Why instruct Starck Uberoi?
At Starck Uberoi Solicitors we offer a friendly and efficient service in helping you to plan for the future. Based in Brentford, Richmond, Ealing and Canterbury, we are accredited against the Law Society Lexcel and Wills and Inheritance (WIQS) quality standards. Our services include advice about preparing a Will, creating a Lasting Power of Attorney and estate planning.
We are also able to assist with estate administration after a loved one has died. We understand that this is a very difficult time and our aim is to make the administration of an estate as easy for our clients as possible. We are regularly instructed by executors to administer and distribute estates or the firm itself is appointed as the executor.
Occasionally clients feel comfortable distributing the estate themselves and seek our assistance in obtaining the Grant of Probate only. We can also help in situations when someone dies without a Will or where a Will has not been located. The administration of an estate in these circumstances is often more complicated, but it is our aim to make this as straightforward for you as possible.
To assist our clients, we have set out below an indication of the likely costs involved in Probate matters along with an indication of the timescales.
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About our fees
Obtaining a Grant of Representation and dealing with an administration of an estate can be complicated; it usually takes several months and complex cases can take over a year to ensure everything is done properly. Every estate is different, and so it can be very hard to quantify probate costs. The work can vary from very straightforward estates with only one or two small value assets and one beneficiary, to complicated estates where there is inheritance tax to pay, multiple beneficiaries and assets held with numerous organisations as well as property and land to sell or transfer. However, to assist our clients, we have set out below an indication of the likely costs involved in probate and administration of estate matters along with an indication of the potential timescales.
Estate Administration: Applying for the grant, collecting and distributing the assets
What the service includes
Introduction
We will:
- Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter
- Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries
- Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
- Obtain the relevant documents required to make the application and liaise with all relevant organisations
- Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms
- Draft a Statement of Truth for you to sign
- Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms
- Make the application to the Probate Registry on your behalf
- Obtain Grant of Probate and office copies
- Deal with closure of accounts, collect in estate funds and pay any liabilities
- Prepare a final estate account and distribute the estate to the beneficiaries
After Completion we will deal with Registration of your Title with Land Registry and pay Stamp Duty to the Inland Revenue (if any) and serve Notice of Assignment on the Landlord’s solicitors (if any). This completes the conveyancing process. If you are a first-time buyer, you may pay reduced or no Stamp Duty – see our guide to first time buyer stamp duty relief.
Anticipated charges and expenses
As we have stated earlier, it is difficult to be precise about the anticipated costs as the exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. Therefore, we have set out below the estimated costs of a typical, straightforward transaction. For this example we have assumed:
- There is a valid will
- An estate in which there are no more than three bank accounts;
- No more than one property in the sole name of the deceased
- No debts
- No likelihood of the estate being insolvent
- No significant lifetime gifts
- No shareholdings
- No trusts to be established
- No dispute between the beneficiaries on the division of the assets
- No Inheritance Tax payable and the Executors do not need to submit a full IHT return to HMRC
- No requirement to use the transferable nil rate band or residence nil rate band
- No other intangible assets
- No claims made against the estate
- No agricultural or business element to the estate
- No foreign element to the estate
Administration of estates work is normally charged on a time spent basis. A typical example is set out below:
| Estimated time required | 16 | hours |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly rate | £300.00 | per hour (Partner-Solicitor) |
| Our fees | £4,000.00 | excl. VAT |
| VAT at 20%: | £800.00 | |
| Total | £4,800.00 | + disbursements (see below) |
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 in addition to the above fees
include:
| Description | Typical costs |
|---|---|
| Probate application fee | £526.00 |
| Office copies of the Grant of Probate | £2.00 per copy |
| Bankruptcy search fee | £7.80 per beneficiary |
| Section 27 Trustee Act notice fee (this protects the Trustees against creditors) | £300.00 (approx) |
| Land Registry fees depending on the value of the property and whether it has been registered before. Please note that higher-value unregistered property can cost up to £680 and properties over £1M even more |
£20.00 – £1,105 Please see the following link for further information on the costs involved: HM Land Registry: Registration Services fees – GOV.UK |
| Land Registry search fees | £8.80 |
| Copy Death Certificate and any other Certificates required | £14.00 per Certificate |
Factors that would increase the costs of your matter
- Not having all of the paperwork available or having incorrect information that needs investigation and correction;
- Third parties not responding to our communications promptly;
- Dealing with unusual, foreign or complex assets or items.
Potential additional costs
If there is no will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) or assets with more than three different organisations, there are likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the estate and how the assets are to be dealt with. Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included in the above costs.
We can give you a more accurate quote once we have more information.
How long will this take?
It is difficult to estimate with any precision how long a Probate matter will take as it will be influenced by many factors, some of which are outside of our control. However, on average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 6-9 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 8-12 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 3-6 weeks. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 3-5 weeks.
Application for Grant of Probate only
What the service includes
We will:
- Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter
- Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries
- Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
- Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter
- Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms
- Draft a Statement of Truth for you to sign
- Make the application to the Probate Registry on your behalf
- Obtain the Grant of Probate and securely send copies to you
Anticipated charges and expenses
We can help our clients through this difficult process by obtaining the Grant of Probate on their behalf. Our typical costs below assume that we are instructed to seek Grant of Probate only, that no full Inheritance Tax Return requires to be completed and submitted to HMRC, and all financial information is supplied by the Executor.
Small estates under £325,000.00 – up to £3,000.00 plus VAT.
Small/Midsize- £3000.00- £4000.00 plus VAT
Midsize/on the larger side- £4,000.00 – £5000.00 plus VAT.
Larger estates over £1,000,000.00 – up to £6500.00 plus VAT
| Hourly rate | £300.00 £175.00 £125.00 |
plus VAT (Partner-Solicitor) plus VAT (Trainee-Solicitor) plus VAT (Paralegal) |
|
| Total | POA+ | + disbursements (see below) | |
Our typical costs for an application for Probate where a full Inheritance Tax Return is required to be submitted to HMRC is as set out below.
| Hourly rate | £300.00 £175.00 £125.00 |
plus VAT (Partner-Solicitor) plus VAT (Trainee-Solicitor) plus VAT (Paralegal) |
|
| Total | POA+ | + disbursements (see below) | |
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 in addition to the above fees include:
| Description | Typical costs |
|---|---|
| Probate application fee | £526.00 |
| Office copies of the Grant of Probate | £2.00 per copy |
Please note the above indicative figures are for obtaining a Grant of Probate only and do not include the administration of the estate.
How long will this take?
It is difficult to estimate with any precision how long such a matter will take but, on average, such applications are dealt with and finalised within 3-5 weeks. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 6-8 weeks once the application has been sent to HM Probate Registry
Key Fee earners in Probate and Administration of Estates
Susan Rae
Partner, Head of Wills & Probate
Nicola Cochran
Consultant Solicitor, Wills & Probate
David Caleb
Senior Legal Advisor, Private Client
Nimra Mahmood
Trainee Solicitor
Motoring Offences: Information for Clients
Notary Public and Solicitor
The loss of a driving licence can have a devastating effect upon an individual, their personal life, their employment, and have a consequential affect upon their business or the business in which they work. Our proven track record in helping people keep their licences has enabled us to build a strong reputation in this area of law. We will fight for you where others won’t. Unlike many national firms, we will not refer work to self-employed agents. We will allocate you a specialist lawyer who will be available to you throughout the process.
It is vital to consider whether a road traffic prosecution has been correctly brought before the Courts and to assess all relevant lines of defence. It is also relevant to recognise that many road traffic offences are viewed as serious and can result in a sentence of imprisonment being imposed upon conviction. We advise on the full range of offences from Speeding to Death by Dangerous Driving.
To assist you, we have set out some examples below to provide an indication of our costs. Please remember that each case is different and we will always provide you with a quotation tailored to your requirements. Those figures included below are intended for guidance only.
Please note that we do not take cases on a Legal Aid basis
Our Fees
Initial Advice and Consultation
We would normally conduct this work on a fixed fee basis.
| Our fees (from) | £2000 |
| VAT on above at 20% | £400 |
| Total costs (from) | £2400 |
Our initial advice includes: receiving your papers, considering your case and advising you either by telephone or at our office. This will include initial advice on possible defences and a likely sentence, if pleading guilty.
Court Appearance: Guilty Plea
We would normally conduct this work on a fixed fee basis.
| Single Hearing | Two Hearings | |
| Our fees (from) | £2000 | £3000 |
| VAT on above at 20% | £400 | £600 |
| Total costs | £2400 | £3600 |
This work involves all steps outlined for initial advice (above) but also includes the management of your case, meeting you at court, representing you and dealing with your case as a priority on the day. The above represent the starting fees for this type of work and there may be additional factors in your case that increase the fees such as representation at a non-local court.
Court Appearance: Exceptional Hardship Cases
Ordinarily anyone who receives 12 or more penalty points via ‘totting up’ procedures is liable for disqualification from driving. However, it may be possible to avoid a disqualification by successfully arguing ‘exceptional hardship’ before the court. We would normally conduct this work on a fixed fee basis. Each case is different and we will provide you with a quotation tailored to your requirements.
| Our fees (from) | £3000 |
| VAT on above at 20% | £600 |
| Total costs | £3600 |
Our team can provide expert representation in such cases. This includes a conference call, as required, and the preparation of written submissions to the Court to assist your evidence, attending upon you on the day at court and presenting your case to the court. We will also advise you on your rights of appeal, if necessary.
Court Hearing: Special Reasons Argument
In certain road traffic matters it can be argued that despite an individual’s guilt to the offence there are ‘special reasons’ whereby the subsequent penalty can be avoided altogether or reduced. Our team can provide expert representation in such matters, which can be very technical. We would normally conduct this work on a fixed fee basis. Each case is different and we will provide you with a quotation tailored to your requirements.
| Our fees (from) | £3000 |
| VAT on above at 20% | £600 |
| Total costs | £3600 |
Our services would include initial consultations, preparatory work for the hearing and representing you at the hearing.
Court Hearing: Not Guilty Trial
We are regularly instructed to challenge cases at trial. Typically, these involve costs of £2,000 (plus £400 VAT) along with the costs of any experts’ reports. However the costs can be considerably above this if there are additional complexities. Some Trial matters will not be suitable for fixed fee arrangements and we will need to work on an hourly rates basis. We would need to assess your case before we are able to give a more accurate time and cost estimate. An indication of our hourly rates is set out below. The rates that apply will depend on who deals with your matter, the complexity of the case, time estimate and court location. Our fees would not be inclusive of travel, mileage or disbursements, which may include expert reports.
| Hourly rate | £350 |
| VAT on above at 20% | £70 |
| Total costs | £420 |
Please note that the above fees are legal fees and exclude disbursements for expert reports and medical records. Furthermore, these fees are purely for indicative purposes and are subject to a formal consultation and assessment of your case.
Key stages involved in ‘Summary Only’ Guilty Pleas matters
The key stages of your matter are based on the presumption that you have entered a guilty plea and have a date for your hearing. They typically include:
- Meet with you to provide instructions on what happened;
- Consider initial disclosure, and any other evidence and provide advice;
- Arranging to take any witness statements. This would be charged on an hourly rates basis at the charging rates set out in the table below;
- ain the court procedure to you so you know what to expect on the day of your hearing, and the sentencing options available to the Court;
- Conduct any further preparatory work, obtain further instructions from you, if necessary, and answer any follow up queries you have;
- Attend court on the day, meet with you before going before the court. We anticipate being at court for half a day.
- Discuss the outcome with you. If advice is required on appeal, this will carry an additional cost.
After Completion we will deal with Registration of your Title with Land Registry and pay Stamp Duty to the Inland Revenue (if any) and serve Notice of Assignment on the Landlord’s solicitors (if any). This completes the conveyancing process. If you are a first-time buyer, you may pay reduced or no Stamp Duty – see our guide to first time buyer stamp duty relief.
Additional Costs (Disbursements)
Disbursements are costs related to the matter that are payable to third parties, such as: counsel’s fees, courier costs, travel costs, etc. and do not make up our legal fees. We expect client to make a payment on account in advance of us instructing an expert.
Typically, experts may be called to conduct alcohol back calculations, lung function tests and drug calculations, for example. Disbursements will vary from matter to matter, some will attract VAT while other may not. On a guilty plea matter, for example, disbursements will usually only include travel costs if we need to represent you at a non-local court. On trial matters there be counsel or experts’ fees involved as set out below.
For a typical not guilty plea matter, we would expect to see some (or all) of the following disbursements:
- Counsel’s fees;
- Expert fees;
- Added value service fees (such as fees for expedited trials);
- Photocopying
- Costs of travel to and from hearings or offsite meetings. Travel costs being fares, parking charges or mileage at £0.45p per mile (plus £0.09 per mile VAT)
Very occasionally an expert report may be required in such cases the likely cost of which is likely to range from £750 – £2000 (plus VAT of £150 – £400 at 20%). Should counsel be instructed to conduct the trial their fees will also be classed as a disbursement and will range from between £500 – £1500 (plus VAT of £100 – £300 at 20%), depending on the nature and complexity of the matter.
What is included?
- Attendance and/or preparation;
- Considering evidence;
- Taking your instructions;
- Providing advice on likely sentence;
- Attendance and representation at a single hearing at a local Magistrates Court.
Additional Costs (Disbursements)
- Instruction of any expert witnesses;
- Taking statements from any witnesses;
- Advice and assistance in relation to a Special Reasons2 or exceptional hardship hearing3;
- Advice or assistance in relation to any appeal.
How long will my case take?
Procedurally, from the date of the incident, the Police have up to six months to serves the papers which will begin the court process. Therefore, the timescales in these matters can vary greatly and you will be advised as to the estimate timeframe upon further inspection of your individual circumstance.
It is very difficult to provide a precise timescale of when your hearing will take place. Summary-only road traffic cases take between one week and three months to conclude depending on the court listings. Most offences of this nature when someone pleads guilty can be dealt with at a single hearing.
Most cases of this nature where a not guilty plea is entered will require two hearings: a plea and case management hearing then the trial itself. Depending on how busy the Court is then your trial may not be listed for 2-3 months.
Notes
A summary only offence is an offence which can only be tried in the magistrates’ court. There are exceptions. Under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (CJA 1988) offences specified in the Act can be tried on indictment by a jury if they are linked to an offence triable only in the Crown Court. The principal summary only offences are:
- driving whilst disqualified
- careless and inconsiderate driving
- failing to give information as to the identity of the driver
- failing to stop or report, and
- speeding
Special Reasons pertain exclusively to situations where the accused has been found or has pled guilty and now faces disqualification unless he/she can persuade the Court that the circumstances of the offence are such that it would be unjust to impose a ban.
An exceptional hardship hearing is where the accused has been found or has pled guilty and now faces disqualification unless they can persuade the Court that a disqualification would cause them or others exceptional hardship
Key Fee earners in Probate and Administration of Estates
Jonathan Starck
Partner, Head of Civil Litigation & Solicitor-Advocate
Immigration Services: Information for clients
Introduction
As part of our professional rules, we aim to ensure that anyone wishing to use our services has the information they need to make an informed choice of legal services provider, including understanding what the costs may be.
Our Fees and Expenses
Our immigration department offers competitive rates for advice and representation. Indicative fees are shown below:
| Matter | Hourly rate (ex VAT) | Hourly rate (incl. VAT) |
| Advice Session (telephone or video call) | From £150 | From £180 |
| Private Asylum Claim (from initial claim to Home Office decision) | From £650 | From £780 |
| Private Human Rights Claim (Articles 2/3 or Article 8 ECHR) | From £650 | From £780 |
| Submitting Notice of Appeal to IAC-FTT | From £400 | From £480 |
| Representation in IAC-FTT (pre-hearing preparation & advocacy) + trial | From £1,500 | From £1,800 |
| Drafting & lodging application for Permission to Appeal to UTIAC | From £650 | From £780 |
| Representation in UTIAC (pre-hearing preparation & advocacy) + travel | From £2,000 | From £2,400 |
| Fresh Claim for Asylum / Further Submissions (based on new evidence not previously considered) | From £650 | From £780 |
| Bail Application | From £400 | From £480 |
| Representation in IAC-FTT at Bail Hearing + travel | From £850 | From £1,020 |
| Attendance at Police Station/ Prison/Immigration Detention Centre + travel | From £500 | From £600 |
| Travel Document Application | From £300 | From £360 |
| Transfer of Conditions Application | From £300 | From £360 |
| Naturalisation Application / Registration as British Citizen Application | From £500 | From £600 |
| In-Country Immigration Application (without Fee Waiver) | From £650 | From £780 |
| In-Country Immigration Application (with Fee Waiver) | From £750 | From £900 |
| Administrative Review Application | From £900 | From £1,080 |
| Entry Clearance Applications | From £850 | From £1,020 |
| Judicial Review – Initial Assessment | From £400 | From £480 |
| Pre-Action Protocol Letter | From £650 | From £780 |
| Advice relating to Sponsor Licence | From £900 | From £1,080 |
| Advice relating to Certificate of Sponsorship | From £650 | From £780 |
| Audit on site (per half day) + travel & expenses | From £500 | From £600 |
VAT is currently 20%
These costs apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice which is not disputed and enforcement action is not needed. The typical fees below are indicative costs and we will provide a bespoke estimate should we be instructed.
If the other party disputes your claim at any point, we will discuss any further work required and provide you with revised advice about costs if necessary, which will be on an hourly rate basis.
Anticipated charges and expenses
We will usually undertake this work on an hourly rates basis.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as the visa application fees, and do not form part of our legal fees. We do not handle the payments for the Home Office disbursements directly however will prompt you as to the costs involved and assist you with when payments are due to ensure a smoother process. Where other third-party disbursements are payable such as to the Court, or Barristers – we handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf, and require you to place us into funds in order to do so.
As with our fees, some disbursements may exclude VAT. We have marked where VAT at 20% may be chargeable but we will confirm whether VAT is payable when you instruct us. An indication of possible disbursements is set out below:
|
Home Office costs |
The Home Office and official fees for submitting the application can vary depending on the type of application you are making. Please see the following link for further information on the costs involved: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table |
|
Independent expert witnesses |
Independent expert reports e.g. from auditors, medical experts etc. are not required in many cases. We will let you know as soon as possible if we consider an expert report is necessary. Such fees may attract VAT at 20%. |
|
Interpreter fees |
In the event that you will need the services of an interpreter, or your documents need to be translated, we will confirm the costs of the service. Interpreter fees will vary according to what language you speak and the amount of time spent by the interpreter. The cost of the interpreter may also incur VAT at 20%. |
|
Official translation fees |
The Home Office will only accept documents that have been translated by a specialist company, which means you will incur costs for translating documents and you may also incur VAT at 20%. |
|
Mileage/travel expenses |
If there is an interview and we do attend with you, there will be additional disbursements in respect of our mileage/travel expenses. These may also incur VAT at 20%. |
|
Counsel’s fees |
In some cases we may need to instruct Counsel (Barrister) for ad hoc advice on complex issues, or representation at First-Tier Tribunal hearings. Typically these costs can amount to £250-£400 per hour plus VAT (£300-£480 incl. |
What is included?
- Attendance and/or preparation;
- Considering evidence;
- Taking your instructions;
- Providing advice on likely sentence;
- Attendance and representation at First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) and Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber)
- Advice on appeal following an unsuccessful application
What is not included?
- Instruction of any expert witnesses;
- Taking statements from any witnesses;
- Advice and assistance in relation to any additional hearings;
Please see basic costs below for additional work
| Description | Hourly rate | Hourly rate (incl. vat) |
| Partners, consultants and Solicitors with over 4 years’ experience | £250.00 | £300.00 |
| Other Solicitors and Legal Executives (FCILEX) | £177.00 | £212.40 |
| Trainee Solicitors | £146.00 | £175.20 |
| Paralegals | £111.00 | £133.20 |
VAT is currently 20%
How Long will my case take?
In country application
Currently for private life applications there are not any service standard time frames. For all other applications they are usually assessed and decided within 3-6 months. Priority or Super Priority Service may be available for your application depending on which type of application you are making. This can mean on a work or business visa for an additional fee you can obtain a decision within five working days and for other applications within 1 working day. Please note this service is oversubscribed and may not always be possible
For out of country applications
Visitor visa applications, business and work and student visas are usually decided within 15 working days. For a fee this service can be expedited depending on the visa application centre.
For spouse visa settlement applications, priority service is available (at most overseas visa application centres) and takes 30 working days for a decision. In our experience decisions are usually made within a month. Standard service takes up to 12 weeks.
Please be advised factors that can delay applications are below:
- Previous criminal offending history
- Overstaying
- Breach of the immigration rules
- Previous refusals
- Deportation
- Change in circumstances
Key Fee Earners
Simarjeet Dhanjal
Consultant Solicitor, Immigration
Luke Foster
Legal Executive, Business Immigration
Residential Conveyancing Transactions: Information for clients
Introduction
As part of our professional rules, we aim to ensure that anyone wishing to use our services has the information they need to make an informed choice of legal services provider, including understanding what the costs may be.
Purchase of a property
Our Fees
Our fees cover all of the work* required to complete the purchase of your new home, including dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty) if the property is in England, or Land Transaction Tax (Land Tax) if the property you wish to buy is in Wales.
| Value of Property | Typical Legal Fees | |
| Freehold | Leasehold | |
| £0-200,000 | £1000.00 (£1200.00 incl. vat) | £1000.00 (£1200.00 incl. vat) |
| £200,001 to £250,000 | £1000.00 (£1200.00 incl. vat) | £1000.00 (£1200.00 incl. vat) |
| £250,001 to £350,000 | £1200.00 (£1440.00 incl. vat) | £1200.00 (£1440.00 incl. vat) |
| £350,001 to £400,000 | £1200.00 (£1440.00 incl. vat) | £1200.00 (£1440.00 incl. vat) |
| £450,001 to £749,999 | £1200.00 (£1440.00 incl. vat) | £1200.00 (£1440.00 incl. vat) |
| £750,000 + | POA | POA |
VAT is currently 20%
Additional Fees
| Costs (excl. VAT) | Costs (incl. VAT) | |
| Unregistered Property | £200.00 | £240.00 |
| Purchase with a High-Street Lender Mortgage | £200.00 | £240.00 |
| Purchase with a Non-High-Street Lender Mortgage | POA | POA |
| New Build Property | £500.00 | £600.00 |
| Arranging Indemnity Policy | £50.00 | £60.00 |
| Gifted Deposit | £150.00 | £180.00 |
| Dealing with Third Party or Overseas Clients | £50.00 | £60.00 |
| Help To Buy ISA (for First Time Buyers) (price per ISA) | £50.00 | £60.00 |
What is included?
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. The disbursements which we anticipate will apply are set out separately below. This list is not exhaustive and other disbursements may apply depending on the term of the lease. We will update you on the specific fees upon receipt and review of the lease from the seller’s solicitors.
- Previous criminal offending history
- Overstaying
- Electronic money transfer fee: £30 for Chaps £25 BACS
- Change in circumstances
Anticipated Disbursements*
| Typical costs | |
| Notice of Transfer fee: This fee if chargeable is set out in the lease. | £50 – £200 |
| Notice of Charge fee (if the property is to be mortgaged). This fee is set out in the lease. | £50 – £150 |
| Deed of Covenant fee: This fee is provided by the management company for the property and can be difficult to estimate. | £50 – £200 |
| Certificate of Compliance fee: To be confirmed upon receipt of the lease. | £50 – £200 |
*These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above. We can give you an accurate figure once we have sight of your specific documents.
You should also be aware that ground rent and service charge are likely to apply throughout your ownership of the property. We will confirm the ground rent and the anticipated service charge as soon as this we receive this information.
Stamp Duty or Land Tax (on Purchase)
This depends on the purchase price of your property. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC’s website or if the property is located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority’s website here.
What is not included?
We do not report on structural surveys which are outside our area of expertise
How long will my house purchase take?
For any transaction, the timescales are subject to change depending on when your offer is accepted and factors involved such as:
- Number of parties in the chain
- Whether you have a mortgage in place
- Whether you are buying a new build property
A typical transaction will take between 8-14 weeks. However, if any of the above apply, or there are other factors we need to take into consideration, it may increase the time by a further 4-6 weeks and additional charges may occur. We will discuss this with you at the earliest opportunity so you always have a clear picture of how long things are likely to take.
Key stages involved
The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances:
- Take your instructions and give you initial advice
- Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender's solicitors if needed
- Receive and advise on contract documents
- Carry out searches
- Obtain further planning documentation if required
- Make any necessary enquiries of seller's solicitor
- Give you advice on all documents and information receivedches
- Go through conditions of mortgage offer with you
- Send final contract to you for signature
- Draft Transfer (if Leasehold purchase)
- Advise you on joint ownership (if Leasehold purchase)
- Obtain pre-completion searches (if Leasehold purchase)
- Agree completion date (date from which you own the property)
- Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened
- Arrange for all monies needed to be received from lender and you
- Complete purchase
- Deal with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax
- Deal with application for registration at Land Registry
Our fees assume that:
- This is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including for example (but not limited to) a defect in title which requires remedying prior to completion or the preparation of additional documents ancillary to the main transaction
- This is the assignment of an existing lease and is not the grant of a new lease
- The transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complications arise
- All parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation
- No indemnity policies are required. Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity policies are required.
Factors that would typically increase the cost of the service
- Legal title is defective, or part of the property is unregistered
- If you discover building regulations or planning permission has not been obtained
- If crucial documents we have previously requested from the client have not been provided
Sale of a Property
Our Fees
| Value of Property | Typical Legal Fees | |
| Freehold | Leasehold | |
| £0-200,000 | £900.00 (£1080.00 incl. vat) | £900.00 (£1080.00 incl. vat) |
| £200,001 to £250,000 | £900.00 (£1080.00 incl. vat) | £900.00 (£1080.00 incl. vat) |
| £250,001 to £350,000 | £900.00 (£1080.00 incl. vat) | £900.00 (£1080.00 incl. vat) |
| £350,001 to £400,000 | £900.00 (£1080.00 incl. vat) | £900.00 (£1080.00 incl. vat) |
| £450,001 to £749,999 | £1000.00 (£1200.00 incl. vat) | £1000.00 (£1200.00 incl. vat) |
| £750,000 + | POA | POA |
VAT is currently 20%
What is included?
- Obtaining mortgage redemption statement and redeeming the mortgage on completion.
- Settling the Estate Agents Invoice on completion
Additional Fees
| Costs (excl. VAT) | Costs (incl. VAT) | |
| Sale with mortgage | £150.00 | £180.00 |
| Obtaining any Indemnity policies requested by the buyer’s solicitors | £50.00 | £60.00 |
How long will my house sale take?
How long it will take from the offer being accepted until the transaction is completed depends on a number of factors – some of which are outside of our control. The average process takes between 8 -14 weeks. It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. For example, if you have a first-time buyer, it would normally reduce the time taken. However, if you are selling a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer, between 3 and 6 months. In such, a situation additional charges would also apply.
Key stages involved
- Take instructions and give initial advice
- Obtain official copies of the Land registry title
- Supply the protocol documents to be completed by the vendoradvise on contract documents
- Draft the contract and collate the documents for the contract pack
- Send the contract and protocol documents to the buyer’s solicitor
- Forward enquiries raised by the buyer to the client
- Answer legal enquiries raised by the buyern all documents and information receivedches
- Obtain redemption statements
- If required obtain indemnity Insurance quotation
- Approve the transfer document
- Approve the transfer document
- Draft completion statement and send to client
- Send the transfer document and contract to client for signature
- Send the transfer document and contract to client for signature
- Agree completion date
- Exchange contracts
- Obtain agents invoice
- Complete on sale
- Redeem mortgage
- Settle estate agents’ invoice
- Forward property documents to buyer’s solicitor
- Forward completion funds to client’s nominated account
Remortgage of a Property
Our Fees
| Fixed fee (from): | £600.00 | excl. VAT |
| VAT at 20%: | £120.00 | |
| Total | £720.00 | + disbursements (see below) |
Additional costs
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. The disbursements which we anticipate will apply are set out separately below.
- HM Land Registry fee: variable dependant on the property purchase price
- Search fees: £351.20 (including VAT) for standard search pack required by your lender
- Electronic money transfer fee: £30 for Chaps £25 BACS
- Companies House fee if purchasing or remortgaging in a limited company entity: £21
- Bankruptcy search: £3.20 per person
- Priority search: £3.00 + vat per title number
How long will my remortgage take?
A typical remortgage takes between 4 and 8 weeks, however, it can be longer if there are any complications such as an application being rejected. The process may also take longer if you switch lenders compared with getting a new deal with your current mortgage company.
Key stages involved
- Taking your instructions and giving initial advice based on the information you have provided
- Requesting the Title Deeds and Redemption Statement
- Obtaining Official Copies of the Titl
- Checking the Title
- Checking Official Copies
- Leasehold properties will require the lease to be checked and enquiries made if relevant
- Searches
- Checking the mortgage offer
- Preparing for completion
- Requesting final redemption statement
- Requesting the mortgage advance
- Completion
- Registration
Quote Generator
At Starck Uberoi we operate on a fixed fee basis for residential conveyancing matters. However, please note that if the scope of the work changes or the assumptions upon which our fee is based change, this fixed fee will no longer apply. In that case your solicitor will discuss a revised fee with you at the earliest opportunity before proceeding any further with your matter. Please note, Value Added Tax (VAT) will also be added to each fee-note.
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Residential Conveyancing
Susan Rae
Partner, Head of Wills & Probate
Nicola Cochran
Consultant Solicitor, Wills & Probate
David Caleb
Senior Legal Advisor, Private Client
Nimra Mahmood
Trainee Solicitor
Debt Recovery Services: Information for clients
Introduction
As part of our professional rules, we aim to ensure that anyone wishing to use our services has the information they need to make an informed choice of legal services provider, including understanding what the costs may be.
We can represent clients in a number of areas, including the following:
- Debt collection of undisputed debts
- Contract disputes
- Possession proceedings, both domestic and commercial
To assist our clients, we have set out below an indication of the likely costs involved in debt recovery matters along with an indication of the timescales.
Debt Recovery Services
Fee Earners with conduct of Debt Recovery Matters.
Jonathan Starck
Partner, Head of Civil Litigation & Solicitor-Advocate
James Edward Incledon
Partner, Head of Family & Divorce
Susan Rae
Partner, Head of Wills & Probate
Olegas Petrikas
Solicitor, Civil Litigation
Sina Mahouzi
Solicitor, Civil Litigation
Rorie Page
Solicitor, Civil Litigation
Undisputed Business to Business Debt Recovery
Scope of work
These costs apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice which is not disputed and enforcement action is not needed. The typical fees below are indicative costs and we will provide a bespoke estimate should we be instructed.
If the other party disputes your claim at any point, we will discuss any further work required and provide you with revised advice about costs if necessary, which will be on an hourly rate basis.
Anticipated charges and expenses
We will usually undertake this work on an hourly rates basis.
| Debt value | Court fee | Our estimated fees (excl. VAT) | VAT (at 20%) | Total (incl. VAT) |
| Up to £5,000 | Between £35 and £205 | £1,000 | £200 | £1,200 |
| £5,001 – £10,000 | £455 | £1,000 – £2,500 | £200 -£500 | £1,200 – £3,000 |
| £10,001 – £200,000 | 5% of the value of the claim | Between £2,500 and £5,000 | £500 – £1,000 | £3,000 – £6,000 |
Our fee includes the following key stages:
- Taking your instructions and reviewing documentation
- Undertaking appropriate searches
- Sending a letter of claim
- Receiving payment and sending onto you, or if the debt is not paid, instructing a specialist barrister to draft particulars of claim and issuing the claim (barrister’s fees for this will be fixed and proposed to you in advance for your prior agreement in addition to the fees set out here)
- Where no Acknowledgment of Service or Defence is received, applying to the Court to enter Judgment in default
- When Judgment in default in received, write to the other side to request payment
- If payment is not received within 28 days, providing you with advice on next steps and likely costs
If at any point we enter into correspondence with the debtor or are instructed to carry out work outside the standard undisputed debt recovery structure as detailed above, our charges will be based upon the time spent on the matter. Our current hourly charging rates are as follows:
| Fee earner | Hourly rate (excl. VAT) | VAT (at 20%) | Hourly rate (incl. VAT) |
| Partner | £400 | £80 | £480 |
| Associate/Solicitor | £250 | £50 | £300 |
| Trainee Solicitor/ Paralegal | £175 | £35 | £210 |
The rates applied will depend on the size and complexity of the matter but the above are the standard rates for a standard matter.
Additional notes
Anyone wishing to proceed with a claim should note that:
- The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor.
- Interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding, with a higher cost.
- The costs quoted above are not for matters where enforcement action, such as the bailiff, is needed to collect your debt.
How long will this take?
Undisputed matters usually take 4-36 weeks from receipt of instructions from you to receipt of payment from the other side, depending on whether or not it is necessary to issue a claim. This is on the basis that the other side pays promptly on receipt of Judgment in default. If enforcement action is needed, the matter will take longer to resolve. The longer time frame is because the civil court in the UK currently have long waiting lists, so it is not uncommon to wait for many months for a court to enter a default judgment against an undisputed debtor. It is also important to ascertain as far as possible prior to instructing us if the debtor has assets from which to pay the debt and to check if the debtor is undergoing any form of insolvency proceedings in which case the matter becomes more complex.