Examples of our Fees

To give you an example of what our fees might be for assisting you, we have set out some of our fee structures below. Please note that these will be adjusted accordingly to your particular circumstances and so there is no guarantee that your fees would be the same, but we hope that this gives you a good idea of what to expect.

Please call us on 01628 404620 to get an estimate for your specific situation.

It is not sensible to provide examples for some types of work where our fees vary greatly, such as matrimonial, most litigation, corporate and commercial property, as this could easily lead to inappropriate expectations. Please call us to discuss these matters and we will do our best to provide an appropriate fee estimate for you.

Residential Conveyancing

Our Fees

Each property and each transaction is different which is why we provide a tailored quote based on the information you provide to us. Please telephone or email us for a tailored fixed fee quote and estimate of expenses. Our residential conveyancing fees are based on the example table and list of example additional charges below.

Each property and transaction is different and most complicating factors are not evident at the point of instruction. *We may need to charge additional fees on top of the quote provided due to any such factors that were not anticipated when we provided the quote. If this is necessary we will advise you as soon as we are aware and will not carry out any additional chargeable work without your knowledge.

When we act for a seller, the following fee table applies for the main work*:

When we act for a buyer, the following fee table applies for the main work*:

We will charge additional fees in respect of the further work required as follows:

• £200 + VAT when acting for your mortgage lender (purchase only).
• £100 + VAT when acting for your mortgage lender (sale only).
• £600 + VAT where the property is leasehold (purchase only).
• £300 + VAT where the property is leasehold (sale only).
• £500 + VAT for transactions involving the Help to Buy Scheme.
• £400 + VAT for freehold purchases with a management company.
• £200 + VAT for freehold sales with a management company.
• £400 + VAT where the property is unregistered.
• Please contact us for a tailored quote for auction purchases/sales.
• Please contact us for a tailored quote for new build purchases.

For mortgages and re-mortgages, our fees will depend on who the lender is, as each lender has its own specific requirements. A general estimate would be in the region of £800-£1500 plus VAT.

Trust deeds and declarations of trust that are part of a residential conveyancing purchase transaction cost £300 plus VAT in addition to the fees set out above.

Any work carried out by our legal assistants over and above normal secretarial duties will be charged at an hourly rate of £40 plus VAT.

PLEASE TELEPHONE US ON 01628 404 626 AND WE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A TAILORED FEE SPECIFIC TO YOUR TRANSACTION ALONG WITH AN ESTIMATE OF EXPENSES.

Additional costs

In addition to our fees you may also be subject to the following fees based on your transaction:

• Stamp Duty: This will depend on the nature of your transaction and your personal circumstances, please see https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/calculate-stamp-duty-land-tax for an estimate. We will advise you of the amount you are required to pay during the transaction.
• Searches: It is best practice on any property purchase to have the following searches carried out, and these are required by the majority of mortgage lenders:
• Local Authority Search: average cost between £120-150 plus VAT.
• Drainage and Water Search: average cost between £50-80 plus VAT.
• Environmental Search: average cost between £50-80 plus VAT.

These fees are paid by us to the search provider on your behalf.

Each property is different and additional searches may be necessary depending on the certain factors and any mortgage company requirements. We will inform you prior to carrying out any further searches and detail the costs involved.

• Management Company/Landlord Fees: If you are purchasing or selling a leasehold property or the property has access to shared amenities or a common area, you may be required to pay certain fees to the landlord or management company. Each property and each company has different requirements and different fees. On purchase you may be required to pay between £200 – £1,000 plus VAT in fees relating to notice fees, Certificates of Compliance, Deeds of Covenants, etc. On a sale you may be required to pay £200 – £2,000 plus VAT in fees relating to sales packs from landlords or management companies and any other property specific charges. These fees are paid by us on your behalf.
• Land Registry Fees: On a sale, you will be required to pay the Land Registry in the region of £6 – £50 for them to provide copies of up to date title documents. On a purchase, you will be required to pay them a registration fee of £40 – £900.
• Developer Fees: If you are purchasing a new build property from a developer you may be required to pay additional fees of around £100 – £1,000 plus VAT in fees relating to administration, incorporation, engrossment, etc. These fees are paid by us to the Developer or their solicitor on your behalf.

The above list is by no means exhaustive and there may be other property-specific charges that you will be required to pay based on the type of transaction or property involved. We will advise you once we are aware of any of these additional charges.

What our service includes

When acting for you and/or your lender we will always review relevant documentation on your behalf and advise you on the effect that this will have on you or your transaction. We will communicate with you throughout your transaction and also your estate agent, broker etc as appropriate. On a property purchase we will advise you on any legal issues or risks that we have identified from the documents and searches we receive, and any potential practical and financial implications that these may have. Each property transaction is different and there are certain factors that will lead us to give you specific advice or carry out particular work on your behalf but the following list provides examples of what our service may include:

• Taking your instructions and giving you initial advice in respect of your transaction.
• Receiving and advising you on (or providing as applicable) contract and title documents.
• Carrying out searches and advising you on the results.
• Reviewing and advising you on information packs provided from the seller’s solicitor or (as applicable) obtaining information packs from your landlord and/or management company to provide to the purchaser’s solicitor.
• Making any necessary enquiries of the seller’s solicitor or (as applicable) assisting you with replying to enquiries raised by the purchaser’s solicitor.
• Giving you advice on the relevant documents and information received.
• Going through the conditions of the mortgage offer with you.
• Drafting or approving documents for you to sign and advising you on their effect.
• Exchanging contracts and notifying you that this has happened.
• Providing you with a completion statement showing the amount due from you or to you on completion.
• Complying with the mortgage company requirements on us and reporting to them as necessary.
• Managing the receipt of funds from you and the lender.
• Completing the transaction.
• Dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax.
• Dealing with the application for registration at the Land Registry.
• Dealing with post-completion matters such as notices and certificates.

This list is indicative only and by no means exhaustive. A simple transaction may only involve a small number of these items but a more complicated transaction may include many more.

We do not advise on planning, valuation, tax or financial matters, for which you may need to seek specialist advice.

Timescales

The amount of time that a conveyancing transaction takes can vary greatly depending on the property or properties involved, mortgage company requirements, the length of the chain, the ability of each party to respond to enquiries and queries promptly, their negotiating stances and other complications. For a straightforward transaction, we would estimate four to eight weeks between the offer being accepted and completion.

Our team

Solicitors: Patrick Land and Alex Land.

Legal Assistants: Helen Cogan, Karla Dixon, Hollie Eastman and Jan Stroud.

Non-contested Probate

Our fees

Our charge-out rate for this work is currently £285 plus VAT per hour and our overall fees depend upon the nature and extent of the work undertaken on your behalf.

Our fees are based on the time involved dealing with the matter and also on the complexity of the estate. There are many factors that determine the amount of work that will be required in connection with estate administration and an application for a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration. Amongst these are the following:

• number of assets – for instance, bank accounts, shares, life assurance policies, property;
• extent and location of assets;
• whether the estate will be subject to inheritance tax;
• whether a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration will be required;
• whether we will be required to draft inheritance tax papers and deal with the settling of inheritance tax with HMRC;
• what allowances are available such as charity or spouse exemption or the residence nil rate band;
• if there is no will, the intestacy rules apply and it may be necessary to trace missing beneficiaries;
• whether you carry out any work yourself, such as the preliminary stages in making enquiries of bank etc;
• whether we will be required to help with the distribution of the estate; and
• the paying of estate liabilities and dealing with an accountant in relation to income tax matters.

Taking all these factors into account, costs can range from £750 to several thousand pounds.

Additional costs

In addition to the legal fees, there will be the following disbursements to pay:

• Swear fee payable by the executor or administrator to an independent solicitor who will witness the Oath for Executor or Oath for Administrator. This will be £6, plus £2 for each exhibit (e.g. £8 for an Oath and Will).
• Application fee is payable to Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) in respect of the application for the Grant of Representation. This is currently £155 plus £0.50 for each sealed copy of the Grant (e.g. £160 for the Grant and ten sealed copies). Please note that the application fee is less for solicitors than it is for personal applicants.
• Settling fee of £12 payable to HMCTS for having the wording of the Oath approved prior to submission (if necessary).
• Land Registry fees for obtaining the relevant documents to research title to properties, in the region of £10 for each property (if necessary).
• Recorded delivery charges if we are required to post any original documents (such as a Will or Oath).
• Bankruptcy searches against beneficiaries, when distributing an estate. Our usual practice is to make a bankruptcy search against each beneficiary whenever any money is paid to that person. Bankruptcy searches help to protect executors and administrators against the risk of paying money to a bankrupt person. Each search costs in the region of £2 to £3. The disbursements listed are not exhaustive but are those which can be readily anticipated on receipt of the most common instructions. What our service includes Broadly speaking, there are two stages in the administration of an estate: the first is the work involved to obtain a Grant of Representation (called a ‘Grant of Probate’ where there is a valid Will; or a ‘Grant of Letters of Administration’ where no will exists) and the second is collecting in or transferring assets, settling liabilities, and distributing the estate in accordance with the wishes stated in the will or in accordance with the rules of intestacy.
• As part of our service, we will usually:
• If you require us to prepare a Deed of Variation (which must be completed within two years of the date of death) this will be dealt with separately and we will provide a separate estimate.
• If detailed estate accounts and/or tax returns are required then they will be charged separately.
• If you instruct us to undertake further work then additional charges will arise and an estimate will be provided where requested and feasible.
• 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;
• complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms;
• draft a legal oath for you to swear;
• make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf;
• obtain the Probate; and
• collect and distribute all assets in the estate.

On average, estates are dealt with within 6-18 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes between 12 and 26 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take up to 6 weeks. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 4 weeks. If there is a property to be sold, distributions cannot be made until the completion of the sale has taken place. The administration of the estate cannot be finalised until both the inheritance tax and income tax position of the estate has been settled.

Our team

Solicitors: Anne Duguid

Support staff: The team also includes two experienced assistants who work very closely with the solicitors.

Unfair or wrongful dismissal claims against your employer (acting for employee)

Our fees and additional costs

Work of this nature is charged on an hourly basis of £285 plus VAT per hour. Any potential claim for Unfair Dismissal and Wrongful Dismissal must be assessed at early stages and a best estimate of the costs incurred as matters progress will be given. It is impossible to give a useful indication of the costs of work necessary since a claim may deal with an appeal against your dismissal, a referral to ACAS and an examination of the reasons for dismissal ranging from conduct to capability, redundancy, breach of a statutory requirement or some other substantial reason. In certain circumstances, compensation can be claimed for Unfair Dismissal and/or Wrongful Dismissal and an examination must take place in relation to your claims against your employer including reinstatement and re-engagement.

An application to the Employment Tribunal can incur substantial disbursements of counsel’s fees in pleading a particular cause of action in support of your case and initial instructions to counsel to advise and draft your claim is likely to cost in the region of £2,000 to £5,000 plus VAT. Progressing the case through to a full hearing may cost between £30,000 and £50,000 plus VAT but a genuine attempt to assess your claim will be made at the outset to avoid the need to incur such large fees and to try and settle such matters by way of mediation, ACAS involvement or the like.

What our service includes

As part of our service, we will usually:

• provide you with a fully qualified and experienced solicitor to work on your matter;
• identify all relevant legal and evidential issues necessary to progress your claim;
• identify important documentation and historical events to be able to progress your claim;
• provide expert support in preparing all necessary documentation to proceed with your claim through the Tribunal process if necessary and advise in all ancillary matters including mediation and negotiation; and
• liaise with the Tribunal and all third parties on your behalf and formally act on your behalf in the proceedings.

Timescales

Following the provision of full instructions from you and all information necessary to formulate your claim, the papers for lodging your claim will be prepared and issued by the appropriate Tribunal which can take between two and four weeks. The formal papers are then served on your opponent who will have two weeks to acknowledge service and a further two weeks to file a defence. Thereafter the Tribunal may list the matter for preliminary hearings to deal with issues arising from your matter and the number of preliminary hearings can in turn lengthen the entire process to resolve the dispute. Tribunal action invariably can last anything from between six months and two years in duration very much depending upon the number and complexity of issues that arise both before the issue of proceedings and during it.

Our team

Solicitors: Timothy Graham

Support staff: Holly Mcarthur 

Unfair or wrongful dismissal claims against you as an employer (acting for the employer)

Our fees

Our charge out rate for unfair dismissal work is currently £285 plus VAT per hour. Following the provision of full instructions from you and all information necessary to defend or strike out the claim, the papers for lodging your response will be prepared. Thereafter the Tribunal may list the matter for preliminary hearings to deal with issues arising from the issues identified and the number of preliminary hearings can, in turn, lengthen the entire process to resolve the dispute. Tribunal actions invariably can last anything from between six months and two years in duration very much depending upon the number and complexity of issues that arise both before the issue of proceedings and during it.

Additional costs

Counsel may need to be instructed to advise generally and to prepare documentation. The costs of counsel’s fees are likely to be in the region of £1,500 plus VAT and generally run between that sum and up to £5,000 plus VAT per instruction. All costs will be incurred only with your prior approval. A preliminary investigation to understand your matter is likely to incur fees of between 2 and 5 hours of chargeable time.

What our service includes

As part of our service, we will usually:

• provide you with a fully qualified and experienced solicitor to work on your matter;
• identify all relevant legal and evidential issues necessary to defend the claim;
• identify important documentation and historical events to be able to defend the claim;
• provide expert support in preparing all necessary documentation to defend the claim through the Tribunal process if necessary and advise in all ancillary matters including mediation and negotiation;
• liaise with the Tribunal and all third parties on your behalf and formally act on your behalf in the proceedings; and
• advise in terms of settlement as required, taking into account your business needs.

Timescales

Following the provision of full instructions from you and all information necessary to defend or strike out the claim, the papers for lodging your defence will be prepared and issued by the appropriate Tribunal which can take between two and four weeks. Thereafter the Court may list the matter for preliminary hearings to deal with issues arising from the matter and the number of preliminary hearings can in turn lengthen the entire process to resolve the dispute. Tribunal action invariably can last anything from between six months and two years in duration very much depending upon the number and complexity of issues that arise both before the issue of proceedings and during it.

Our team

Solicitors: Timothy Graham

Support staff: Holly Mcarthur 

Debt recovery up to £100,000

Our fees

Our charge out rate for debt recovery work is currently £285 plus VAT per hour. It is difficult to give an estimate of legal costs until we have a clear idea of the issues surrounding the claim for debt and what possible responses there may be from the debtors. Accordingly, the amount of time that may be needed to deal with the claim can vary enormously. Our fees will be based on the time involved when dealing with the matter and also on the complexity of the claim and the issues that arise during its progress. You are welcome to request at any time an indication of how much time has been spent so far on the matter and regular invoices will be remitted to you to ensure you are aware of the costs that are being incurred as they arise.

Costs in this matter can vary enormously from £500 plus VAT for a simple claim paid upon demand up to £50,000 plus VAT depending upon the nature and extent of the claim, the issues that arise throughout the process and the difficulty of enforcement. These costs can rise considerably higher depending upon the individual circumstances of the claim and your solicitor will be able to advise you of the likely range of costs in advance of them being incurred.

Additional costs

Disbursements will be notified to you in advance of them being incurred and money on account will be requested from you to discharge both those disbursements and often the anticipated work that will be undertaken on your behalf.

In beginning a claim in the County Court, fees are based on the amount claimed including interest. The fees depend upon whether the claim is issued by the County Court or through the County Court Money Claim online service. Court fees rise from £25 to 5% of the value of a claim for £100,000.

In addition, disbursements can be incurred both prior to and after the issue of proceedings relating to the following matters:

• Barristers’ fees will be incurred should a barrister be instructed to either draft proceedings or advise from time to time in the proceedings. Barristers charge according to their seniority and expertise and fees can be anything from £500 – £5,000, often plus VAT. These will always be discussed with you prior to the costs being incurred.
• Expert evidence might be required to support your claim, particularly if the matter becomes defended. The nature and extent of the expert will depend on the dispute in question and we will seek to obtain an estimate of those fees prior to any liability being incurred. These are sometimes subject to VAT.
• In the course of any proceedings, applications may have to be made to the Court depending on the outcome. Court fees are incurred in making the said application which will require representation by a solicitor or barrister. VAT is not applied to court fees.
• Court fees are also incurred as a case progresses through the County Court. Hearing fees will be incurred depending upon the track that the case is allocated to. Maximum fees of £335 will be incurred for a hearing in the small claims track. Fast track claim fees are £545 and multi-track fees are £1,090. The various fees applicable in the County Court can be seen here.

Our fees and additional fees for enforcement

Following the entry of judgment in your favour, it is possible to enforce the judgement and secure payment by a variety of means. This can incur fees both in fee earner time of preparing the application to enforce together with additional fees to seek payment. Additional Court fees can be incurred depending upon the method of enforcement from £55 up to several thousand pounds for bankruptcy proceedings.

Additional expenses in relation to legal cost decisions

In addition, where costs are part of the claim, the determination of costs can be determined by the Court again with a Court fee being payable. The fee payable to the Court depends upon the amount of costs being claimed ranging from £369 for up to £15,000 of costs to £6,160 if more than £500,000 of the costs have been incurred.

What our service includes and timescales

Following the provision of full instructions from you and all information necessary to formulate your claim, the papers for lodging your claim will be prepared and issued by the appropriate Court which can take between two and four weeks. The formal papers are then served on your opponent who will have two weeks to acknowledge service and a further two weeks to file a defence. Thereafter the Court may list the matter for preliminary hearings to deal with issues arising from your matter and the number of preliminary hearings can in turn lengthen the entire process to resolve the dispute. Court action invariably can last anything from between six months and two years in duration very much depending upon the number and complexity of issues that arise both before the issue of proceedings and during it.

Our team

Solicitors: Timothy Graham

Support staff: Holly Mcarthur