Probate terms and conditions

Cost and fees

Probate application cost

If the Personal Representative (PR) makes the application for probate (either the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration), the Probate Office charge a fee of £300 if the value of the estate is over £5,000. The Probate Office do not charge a fee to make the application if the value of the estates is £5,000 or less. Extra copies of the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration can be requested at the same time as making the application for £1.50 each. Additional copies are useful as it means you can send them to different organisations at the same time. The Probate Office charge significantly less for each extra copy of the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration if ordered at the same time as making the application than they charge if ordered later. If probate has already been granted, it costs £21 to make a second application. It is necessary to pay this fee even if the value of the estate is £5,000 or less.

Buzzacott fees

Unlike banks, probate solicitors and probate practitioners, we typically charge our usual hourly rates for time spent, rather than fees based on the value of the estate (typically 2-5%), which is a more cost-effective option as you’re only charged for the level of advice you require. Our charge out rates per hour depend on the member of staff providing the services. We understand that you may prefer to know what fees are involved at the outset. The different steps of the process will take a different length of time depending on the circumstances of each case. Once you've decided what support you require and have the estate information, we can estimate fixed fees and provide a breakdown tailored to you. However, fixed fees could end up being more than if fees are chargeable on a time spent basis, because an element of a fixed fee is a reserve for contingencies. We reserve the right to revise the fixed estimates where the original information is inaccurate, the circumstances change or complications arise during the process that significantly increase the amount of the work required. If any issues are identified, that are likely to significantly affect the fees, we notify the PRs at the earliest opportunity and a revised fixed estimate will be provided before undertaking additional work. So, if a PR wants certainty, it may be worth considering having a fixed fee estimate with the possibility of paying a premium. Some examples of the fees charged for our services are outlined in the following cases:

Case study 1

When we’ve dealt with estates for non-UK domiciled deceased individuals, with UK assets that were jointly owned with net UK asset value of up to £1,500,000 with a couple of UK bank accounts, a UK property, a UK portfolio of investments and some UK personal property where the personal representatives (PRs) had UK reporting requirement but probate was not required because all the asset passed by survivorship, we’ve typically charged approximately £4,000 (plus VAT, where applicable) to prepare and submit the UK Inheritance Tax forms.

Case study 2

Where we’ve dealt with estates for UK resident and (deemed) domiciled individuals without a will and the net value of the estates were around £1,000,000 and consist of a range of UK and non UK assets such as bank accounts, investment portfolios, unincorporated businesses, life assurance policies, personal possessions etc. our fees were typically ranged between £4,000 and £6,000 (plus VAT) for preparing and submit the UK Inheritance Tax forms and between £2,800 and £3,250 (plus VAT) for dealing with the probate application.

Case study 3

For more complex cases where we are dealing with the PRs of a UK estate for UK resident and (deemed) domiciled individuals, with UK assets and foreign assets consisting of bank accounts, portfolios of quoted investments, national savings products, life policies, residential property, personal possessions including vehicles, where the net value of the estates ranged between £450,000 and £3,000,000 and UK probate was required our fees have ranged between £20,000 to £40,000 (plus VAT) to prepare and submit the UK Inheritance Tax forms and the probate application, as well as provide other services including: registering the estate with HM Revenue and Customs, dealing with the UK tax compliance reporting requirements, preparing estate accounts, providing PRs with advice on a variety of matters during the administration period, such as advise on tax efficient distributions, providing PRs with a client account services involving collecting in assets, paying estate liabilities and made payments to beneficiaries.

Additional costs of probate (where applicable) include:

• Copies of death certificates

• Land registry searches - £3-£7 +VAT

• Advertisements in the local newspaper and state Gazette (£150 - £300 depending on the paper)

• Asset or beneficiary tracing searches

• Costs for replacing lost title documentation (such as lost share certificate)

• Bankruptcy searches

• Costs of transferring legal title of property to legatees/beneficiaries

These aspects will typically involve a charge by the service provider as well as a charge by us to organise the matter including liaising with you and the service provider.

Compensation arrangements

In the unlikely event that we do not meet the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW) requirements when providing you with our probate services, you may be able to seek a grant from the Compensation Scheme. Generally, applications for a grant must be made to ICAEW within 12 months or the time you become aware, or reasonably ought to have been aware of the loss. Further information about the scheme and the circumstances in which grants may be made is available on ICAEW’s website.

Diversity survey statement

The Equalities and Human Rights Commission states it is important that we do not breach workers’ or applicants’ confidentiality or reveal anything which might enable someone to work out information about another person that was provided in confidence. Buzzacott Probate Services Limited has made the decision not to publish results of a diversity survey as the small data set means individual partners or staff members may be identifiable. Buzzacott Probate Services Limited which is owned by Buzzacott LLP is an inclusive organisation and we welcome everyone through the door. We provide equal employment opportunities to enable all of our employees to realise their potential. Buzzacott LLP aims to create a diverse workforce which is representative of all sections of society and our clients. We are committed to creating a work environment free of harassment, bullying, victimisation and unlawful discrimination, by promoting all principles of dignity, equality, diversity and fairness for all. Click here for more information on Buzzacott LLP's equality, diversity and inclusion. Click here for Buzzacott LLP's latest ICAEW Diversity Report.

Complaints

If you would like to talk to us about how we can improve our service to you, or if you are unhappy with the service you are receiving, please let us know by contacting Gregory Wheatley, Head of Legal Practice. We will carefully consider any complaint that you may make about our probate or estate administration work as soon as we receive it and will do all we can to resolve the issue. We will acknowledge your letter within five business days of its receipt and endeavour to deal with it within eight weeks. Any compliant should be submitted to us by letter. If we do not deal with it within this timescale or you are unhappy with our response you may of course take the matter up with our professional body the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and the Legal Ombudsman. The Legal Ombudsman’s ability to deal with your complaint is dependent on the following factors:

1. You must refer the complaint to the Legal Ombudsman no later than one year from the act/omission or one year from when you should reasonably have known that there was cause for a complaint.

2. You must refer the complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of the date of our written response. The contact details for the Legal Ombudsman are:

Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk 0300 555 0333 Further information about the process is available on ICAEW’s website.