Fairweather Law - Probate Costs
How much would Fairweather Law charge to administer my estate?
Fairweather Law charge on what is known as a ‘time cost’ basis. This means that we only charge for the work we do at an agreed rate. In practice this means that at the beginning of the instruction we provide an initial quote, say £2,000 plus VAT. We then record the time it takes to complete the work and charge at the agreed hourly rate. If we complete the work and it takes less time than we expected, then we’ll charge the lower fee. If the estate takes longer to complete than we initially expected, we will advise the instructing party in advance of reaching the £2,000 limit and seek further instructions.
We will never charge a percentage of the estate.
What are your hourly rates?
Each person in our firm has a different hourly rate depending on their experience and expertise. Below is a guide. These hourly rates will not change during the course of an instruction.
Fee Earner | Hourly Rate |
Supervisor | £225 plus VAT |
Fee Earner | £175 plus VAT |
Support Staff | £125 plus VAT |
What are your typical fees?
Each estate is different so it is difficult to say precisely how much any one estate will cost to administer. For example, a low value estate might still be very time consuming to administer or a high value estate might be very straightforward. To give a very rough idea:
Features of Estate | Cost |
No property, no shares, few beneficiaries | £1,500 plus VAT - £2,000 plus VAT |
Property, shares, few beneficiaries | £2,000 plus VAT – £4,000 plus VAT |
Property, shares, many beneficiaries, | £4,000 plus VAT - £10,000 plus VAT |
Typical timescales
Again, this is not an exact science with probate work. A simple estate can be completed in three or four months and a more complex estate can take over a year to complete. We will endeavour to provide you with a more accurate timescale in our initial meeting.
What are my next steps?
We offer a free half an hour consultation where we can provide you with a more accurate quote based on the information you provide us with. We will do our best to keep to within that quote and let you know as soon as we are approaching the limit of what you have agreed to pay
