Pearson Caulfield Solicitors

Pricing Guidelines

All cases are dealt with and or supervised by qualified solicitors with at least 20 years experience in their legal area.

Probate

We have an expert team of Lawyers dealing with Probate matters. The team is ran by one of our Directors, Miss Rebecca Stephenson, who is the Head of our Property and Private Client departments.

Application for Grant only

We offer a fixed fee service for obtaining a Grant only where you do not require any assistance to then deal with the collecting and distribution of the assets.

Legal Costs £650 (plus VAT (at 20%) and disbursements)

The following disbursements would be payable:

  • Probate application fee of £273

Total fixed fee including costs, VAT (at 20%) and disbursements £1,053.

Applying for the grant, collecting and distributing the assets

We anticipate this will take between 5 and 30 hours work at £250 per hour. Total costs estimated at £1,250 to £7,500 (plus VAT (at 20%) and disbursements).

The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end.

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 2 bank or building society accounts
  • There are no other intangible assets
  • There are 1-5 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

Disbursements in addition to the above fee:

  • Probate application fee of £273
  • Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)
  • £85 Post in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
  • £120 Post in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims.

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.

Potential additional costs

  • If there is no will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there is 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.
  • If any additional copies of the grant are required, they will cost 50p each (1 per asset usually).
  • Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.

How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 3-12 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 6-12 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 3-6 months. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 3-6 weeks.

Residential Property

Our Property Department currently has 5 members of staff ranging from qualified Solicitors to trained Para-Legals. We have a wealth of experience in dealing with residential and commercial property matters. Our Property Department is supervised by Miss Rebecca Stephenson, a Director of our Firm.

We offer a full range of services relating to residential property. This includes:

Freehold property purchase or sale

Leasehold property purchase or sale

Remortgages

Transfers

Shared Ownership

Buy to Let

How much will it cost?
Purchase of a freehold residential property

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.

Based on a purchase of residential property at the price of £200,000 where a client who is not a first time buyer however they will not own another property on completion of the purchase and they are obtaining a mortgage the following fees and disbursements would be payable:

  • Legal fee £650 (plus VAT (at 20%)**
  • Electronic money transfer fee £25 (plus VAT (at 20%)
  • Mortgage fee £50 (plus VAT(at 20%)
  • Land Registry registration fee £95 (electronic registration)
  • Search agents £210 (Local Authority, Water & Drainage, Mining and Environmental searches)
  • Land Registry search £3 (per title)
  • Land Charges search £2 (per name)
  • Stamp Duty submission fee £50 (plus VAT (at 20%)
  • Stamp Duty Land Tax to HMRC £1,500

Estimated total: £2,730.

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as search fees, Land Registry fees and Stamp Duty Land Tax. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

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.

Sale of a freehold residential property

Our fees cover all of the work* required to complete the sale of your property, including dealing with the repayment of any mortgage.

Based on a sale of residential property at the price of £200,000 where there is a mortgage to repay on completion of the sale the following fees and disbursements would be payable:

  • Legal fee £650 (plus VAT(at 20%)**
  • Electronic money transfer fee £25 (plus VAT(at 20%)
  • Mortgage fee £50 (plus VAT of £10)
  • Land Registry Official Copy of title and plan £6

Estimated total: £876.

Purchase of a leasehold residential property

Our fees cover all 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 is in Wales.

Based on a purchase of residential property at the price of £200,000 where a client who is not a first time buyer however they will not own another property on completion of the purchase and they are obtaining a mortgage the following fees and disbursements would be payable:

  • Legal fee £650 (plus VAT (at 20%))**
  • Leasehold property additional fee £50 (plus VAT (at 20%)
  • Electronic money transfer fee £25 (plus VAT (at 20%)
  • Mortgage fee £50 (plus VAT (at 20%)
  • Land Registry registration fee £95 (electronic registration)
  • Search agents £210 (Local Authority, Water & Drainage, Mining and Environmental searches)
  • Land Registry search £3 (per title)
  • Land Charges search £2 (per name)
  • Stamp Duty submission fee £50 (plus VAT (at 20%)
  • Stamp Duty Land Tax to HMRC £1,500

Estimated total: £2,800 (excluding any additional fees required by the Lease)*

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as search fees, Land Registry fees and Stamp Duty Land Tax. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

* There are certain disbursements which will be set out in the individual lease relating to the Property or set out by the Freeholder or their managing agents. 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.

  • Notice of Transfer fee – This fee if chargeable is set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £50- £200.
  • Notice of Charge fee (if the property is to be mortgaged) – This fee is set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £50 and £200.
  • Deed of Covenant fee – This fee is provided by the management company for the property and can be difficult to estimate. Often it is between £100 and £300.
  • Certificate of Compliance fee – To be confirmed upon receipt of the lease, as can range between £50 – £150.

*These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion can 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.

Sale of a leasehold residential property

Our fees cover all of the work* required to complete the sale of your property, including dealing with the repayment of any mortgage.

Based on a sale of residential property at the price of £200,000 where there is a mortgage to repay on completion of the sale the following fees and disbursements would be payable:

  • Legal fee £650 (plus VAT (at 20%)**
  • Leasehold property additional fee £50 (plus VAT (at 20%)
  • Electronic money transfer fee £25 (plus VAT (at 20%)
  • Mortgage fee £50 (plus VAT(at 20%)
  • Land Registry Official Copy of titles and plans £12

Estimated total: £942 (excluding any additional fees required by the Lease)*

* There are certain disbursements which will be set out in the individual lease relating to the Property or set out by the Freeholder or their managing agents. If the Lease requires that you pay Service Charge to the Freeholder or their managing agents it is likely that you as the seller will need to obtain a Leasehold Sales Pack from the Freeholder or managing agents. This pack includes information relating to the Service Charge and Ground rent payments, Buildings Insurance information and replies to Leasehold Property Enquiries. The Freeholder or the managing agent will make an additional charge which will be payable to them for producing this information. We will let you know their specific fee once confirmed by the Freeholder or the managing agents, however, we estimate such a fee to be £100 – £300.

*These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion can be significantly more than the ranges given above. We can give you an accurate figure once we have sight of your specific documents.

** Our fee assumes that:

  1. 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
  2. this is the assignment of an existing lease and is not the grant of a new lease
  3. the transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complication arise
  4. all parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation
  5. no indemnity policies are required. Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity policies are required.
How long will my house purchase or sale take?

How long it will take from your offer being accepted until you can move in to your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 8-10 weeks.

It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. For example, if you are a first time buyer, purchasing a property with a mortgage in principle, it could take 6 weeks. However, if you are buying 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 apply.

Stages of the process

The precise stages involved in the purchase or sale of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, below we have suggested some key stages that you may wish to include:

  • Take your instructions and give you initial advice
  • Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender’s solicitors if needed
  • Issue/Receive and advise on contract and title documents
  • Carry out searches
  • Obtain further planning documentation if required
  • Make any necessary enquiries of seller’s solicitor/ deal with enquiries raised by the buyer’s solicitor
  • Give you advice on all documents and information received
  • Go through conditions of mortgage offer with you
  • Send final contract to you for signature
  • 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
Transfer of Equity

The following costs and disbursements would be payable for a Transfer of Equity where the property is being transferred subject to an existing mortgage:

  • Legal fee £300 (plus VAT (at 20%)
  • Electronic money transfer fee £25 (plus VAT (at 20%)*
  • Mortgage fee £50 (plus VAT(at 20%)
  • Land Registry Official Copy of title and plan £6

Estimated total: £456

* If no payment is being sent to repay a mortgage or to make a payment to any person being removed from the property title then this fee would not be payable

Remortgages

The following costs and disbursements would be payable for a remortgage:

  • Legal fee £300 (plus VAT (at 20%)
  • Electronic money transfer fee £25 (plus VAT(at 20%)*
  • Mortgage fee £50 (plus VAT (at 20%)
  • Land Registry Official Copy of title and plan £6

Estimated total: £456

* If no payment is being sent to repay a mortgage then this fee would not be payable

Road Traffic Offences

We have an expert Criminal Law team who can assist with RTA matters. The team is ran by one of our Directors, Mr Lewis Francis Pearson.

An example of our fixed fees for such matters would be:

Non contested guilty plea £300 (plus VAT (at 20%)

Contested case proceeding to Trial £600 to £1200 (Plus VAT (at 20%)

The above costs are based on an hourly charging rate of £250 (plus VAT (at 20%)

In relation to Road Traffic Offence cases involving alcohol often require expert reports. The costs charged by the experts for producing their report range from approximately £150 (plus VAT(at 20%) to £500 (plus VAT (at 20%).

Our services include taking initial instructions, representation at Court to enter a plea, attendance on client following initial Court appearance, preparation for Trial and representation at Trial (where necessary).

Cases dealt with by the Magistrates’ Court are typically concluded by the Court within 2 to 12 months.