These are our typical costs in relation to probate matters. There are various options available to you – the most appropriate option for you will depend upon your individual circumstances and the nature/complexity your case.

If you have any queries about any of our fees listed on this page, please do not hesitate to call our friendly team on 0113 284 5000.

Option 1 – Price Range for Fixed Fees

Typical Costs for Estates:-

  • Up to £300,000    –  2%
  • Up to £500,000    – 1.5%
  • Up to £1,000,000    – 1%
  • £1,000,000+    – On application

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 a handful of bank or building society accounts
  • There are no other complex assets
  • There are 3-4 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

*If the Estate does not fall into the above categories please give us a call on 0113 284 5000 for an informal chat and a detailed quote.

Option 2 – Bespoke Fixed Fee

Each Probate varies and, depending on the circumstances, it may be appropriate to undertake work on your behalf on a fixed fee basis.

For example, dealing with an estate with one bank account containing £150,000.00 would involve less work that dealing with an estate with 17 bank accounts adding up to £150,000.00, therefore, the former example could be done on a fixed fee.

Example of typical fixed fees:-

Estate 1

Property worth £150,000
1 Bank Account containing £20,000
Typical fixed fee – £1,500.00 plus VAT plus disbursements (as detailed below)

Estate 2

Property worth £350,000
Savings & Investments of £350,000
No tax payable
Typical fixed fee – £7,000.00 plus VAT plus disbursements (as detailed below)

Option 3 – Low Cost Guarantee

One size for Probate certainly doesn’t fit all. The traditional Time Costing and Value Element, which many firms adopt might not be appropriate for some estates but may be for others.

Similarly a fixed fee quote might be right for some but for simpler estates may result in clients being overcharged.

We have therefore developed the Ison Harrison Low Cost Guarantee.

You are not forced to agree a specific fee structure at the start. You will be charged the lower of the Time Costing and Value Element basis and a Capped rate based on the value of the estate.

The time costing/value element would be calculated by charging for the amount of time that is carried out in accordance with the hourly expenses rate of the head of our probate department at the time of the death, which is currently £190.00 plus VAT and a value element of 1% of the gross value of the estate, excluding the value of the deceased’s house where the rate will be 0.5%.

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees and are in addition to the above fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

  • Probate application fee of £155.00 (+50p per copy)
  • Swearing of the oath (per executor) – £7.00 if there is a Will, £5.00 if there is no Will
  • Adverts in The London Gazette and post in a Local Newspaper (protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors) – if required, which is rare, this will be circa £350.00

Potential additional costs

  • If there is no will or the estate consists of any shareholdings (stocks and bonds) there are 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
  • Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included
  • As part of our fee 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
    • Complete the Probate application and the relevant HMRC forms
    • Draft a legal oath for you to swear
    • Make the application to the Probate Registry on your behalf
    • Obtain the Probate and securely send two copies to you
    • Collect and distribute all assets in the estate