We realise that dealing with probate can be a burden at an already difficult time. At what we know can be a very distressing time professional help and guidance can be invaluable. Our aim is to make matters as easy as possible for those involved by taking on the tasks involved and explaining everything in a clear and jargon-free way.

We can assist where there is a Will which is commonly known as Probate and where there is no Will which is known as Intestacy. Both are types of estate administration.

Our personal service can be tailored to your individual requirements, whether it is simply obtaining a Grant (either Probate or Letters of Administration where there is no Will) or taking over the full administration of the estate or any stage in between. Whether you live locally, or on the other side of the world, our sympathetic and experienced solicitors and support staff can help you with all of the various aspects of administering an estate in England and Wales including arranging insurance, property clearance, valuations and sales as well as handling the legal and taxation implications.

If you think you have a claim against an estate, we can advise you on the rights that you may have and pursue them for you so that you recover what you are entitled to.

 

Costs for administering an estate

We anticipate the total costs estimated starting at £2,500 plus VAT plus VAT (20% as at April 2026) plus disbursements for a simple estate for the process up to and obtaining any Grant to the estate.

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.

The following is an example of a simple estate: There is a valid will.

• There are no more than 2 executors who are based in the UK and acting in a non-professional capacity.
• Neither the firm nor any of its solicitors are acting as an executor
• There is no more than one property.
• There are no more than 5 bank or building society accounts.
• There are no other intangible assets, such as stocks shares or insurance policies.
• There are between 1 and 5 beneficiaries all of whom are based in the UK.
• 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.

For a more complex estate where tax forms must be completed and tax is due our changes start from £4,000 plus VAT (20% as at April 2026) for the process up to and obtaining any Grant to the estate.

For some estate matters, for example, where we are appointed as executors or on some intestacy matters, we may also charge a percentage fee. This will not exceed 1% of the gross value of the estate plus VAT (20% as at April 2026).

Where clients need help and guidance with collecting in assets and distributing to beneficiaries we charge a fee starting from £3,000 plus VAT. Our services can include the following:

1. Arrange sale, transfer, or repayment of all assets.
2. Pay any liabilities arising from funds in estate.
3. Prepare estate accounts and arrange distribution of estate in accordance with the terms of the will.

We can either act on a full-service basis as above or we can work with you to assist where needed such as with tax forms only. Our cost estimate will reflect the services that we have agreed with you.

In the administration of all estates whether simple or more complex there may be disbursements. This is in addition to our fees. Disbursements may include:

• Probate application fee of £300 (no VAT payable) with £16 for any copies.
• Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£1 per beneficiary) (no VAT payable)
• Section 27 Trustee Act Notices (optional and dependent on the estate). These protect personal representatives from any unknown creditor claims. These are through a third-party company and typical charges are £300 (no VAT payable)

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 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.
• If inheritance tax is payable on the estate, there may be extra legal costs to reflect the additional work involved. This will also mean that the administration of the estate will take significantly longer than the time estimates we have given.
• If any additional copies of the Grant are required, they will cost £16 (1 per asset usually).

The following aspects are not included in the administration fee estimate:

• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate. This is dealt with by our conveyancing department.
• Any income tax matters relating to the period up to date of death. If this is necessary, we recommend accountancy advice.
• Any income tax matters relating to the administration period. If this is necessary, we recommend accountancy advice.

• Establishing and registering trusts created in the Will or statutory trusts established under the intestacy provision. If this is required a separate fee will be provided.
• If any matter becomes contentious, we recommend that you discuss this with our litigation department, and they would advise of their fees.

 

How long will this take?

On average, simple estates are dealt with within 6-8 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 8-16 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 2-8 weeks. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 3-6 weeks. Where a matter is more complicated and/or there is property to sell then the process can take longer. Further, if there is a dispute raised during the administration, the administration may have to be suspended until resolution of that dispute.

The amount of time that HMRC and the Probate Registry take to deal with the matter will depend on the type of application needed. Many simple estates can now be dealt with through the online application portal. However, paper applications are taking a significant amount of time to be processed. Delays by HMRC and the Probate Registry are beyond our control once the paperwork is submitted however, we ensure that applications are chased and reviewed on a regular basis.

For more information, please contact us using the enquiry form.

Our Department

We are proud to have experienced Solicitors and support staff who may work on your matter. Work carried out from our Beckenham office is supervised by Caroline Mills, Partner, and Head of Private Client. Work carried out from our Bromley office is dealt with by Tony Bentley.

 

David Arnott – Consultant Solicitor

David has over 30 years’ experience in private client work, specialising in Wills and Probate on which he spends over 90% of his time. David has been working in this area since the early 1990s and in that time has helped thousands of families and individuals.

David qualified as a solicitor in 1988 after gaining a Law Degree from Aberystwyth University. He worked in London and locally before moving on to join our firm in 1994. He became a partner in 2000 and thereafter a Consultant in 2023 as part of working reduced hours in the run-up to retirement, and is based in our Beckenham office.

Caroline Mills – Partner and Head of Private Client

Caroline went to Bristol University and qualified as a Solicitor in 2009. She headed up the Private Client work for a firm in London and regional offices before joining us in 2015 and became an Associate in 2018. Caroline became a Partner in 2023 and now Heads our Private Client Department. Caroline has more than 14 years of experience in this area of law and is based in our Beckenham office.

Lasca Carson – Solicitor

Lasca has more than two years experience at a local firm before joining this firm. She obtained her degree in Law at City, University of London. She completed her LL.M LPC, at the University of Law in Guildford.

Lasca qualified in 2020 and deals with all aspects of Private Client work. Lasca also deals with family and contentious probate claims within the litigation department. Lasca is based in the Beckenham office.

 

Our Support Team

We are extremely lucky and privileged to have the amazing support of experienced secretaries, trainees and paralegals who help us to provide the best service to our clients.