Transparency Rules
The following details are published as part of the Solicitors Regulation Authority transparency rules.
The majority of our work is carried out on an hourly rate of £250 per hour. We are not VAT registered, and therefore none of the fees below include VAT.
All timescales are subject to the influence of third parties providing (for instance) search results, responses to enquiries, and the impact of response times within government departments such as HM Land Registry, HM Courts Services, and HM Probate Registry.
Our Team
We have two fee earners who may work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, the Supervisor is Andrew Haworth. He is the senior partner and founding director and has over 35 years of experience in business advice and has been a qualified solicitor since 2004. The other member of the team is Ed Johnson, a paralegal who has worked in business and as a lawyer for over 25 years and has been working in conveyancing for 12 years. He is also a qualified mediator. They split their time evenly between conveyancing, probate, and business advice work.
Conveyancing
All Transactions
The costs you pay will include our fees and disbursements, which are standard costs payable to third parties (e.g., Local Authorities, Land Registry, Estate Agents, and Inland Revenue). We, as the acting solicitors in the transaction, handle the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Fees
Fees for residential conveyancing matters are normally charged on a fixed fee basis. Much of our work is carried out on an hourly rate of £250 per hour. We are not VAT registered, and therefore none of the fees below include VAT.
We strive to ensure that you have the best possible information about the likely overall cost both at the time you instruct us and, when appropriate, as the matter progresses. Where exchange of contracts and completion take place within 7 working days of each other, we charge an additional £150.
Sales and Purchases
Residential Sale
| Property Value | Sale Fee | Additional Leasehold Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £400,000 | £550 | £200 |
| £400,000 to £600,000 | £650 | £200 |
| £600,000 to £800,000 | £800 | £200 |
| £800,000 to £1m | £950 | £200 |
| £1m to £1.5m | £1300 | £200 |
| £1.5m to £2m | £2100 | £200 |
| Over £2m | 1% of property price | – |
Residential Purchase
| Property Value | Purchase Fee | Additional Leasehold Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £400,000 | £600 | £250 |
| £400,000 to £600,000 | £700 | £300 |
| £600,000 to £800,000 | £850 | £350 |
| £800,000 to £1m | £950 | £350 |
| £1m to £1.5m | £1300 | £350 |
| £1.5m to £2m | £2100 | £350 |
| Over £2m | 1% of property price | – |
Disbursements
The standard disbursements anticipated for a purchase transaction are set out below. The list is not exhaustive, and other disbursements may apply depending on the particular circumstances, including indemnity policies if required.
- Search fees: Approximately £400 – £800
- Land Registry Searches: £7.00 per title document
- Identity checks: £8 per client (in accordance with anti-money laundering regulations)
- Bank Transfer: £36
- Land Registry Fees: £20 – £910 depending on value
- Stamp Duty Land Tax: Varies based on the value and nature of the purchase. Check with HMRC or contact us for details.
Leasehold Properties Additional Costs
Leasehold properties carry additional charges set out in the lease, payable to the freeholder or landlord. These may include:
- Notices of transfer: £35 – £200 per notice
- Deed of covenants: £50 – £350
- Certificates of compliance: Costs vary
Remortgages
We undertake this work for £750 per remortgage.
Stages of the Conveyancing Transaction
The table below sets out the main stages of the conveyancing transaction from the perspective of both the seller and the buyer, along with approximate time periods for each stage.
The time period for each conveyancing transaction is different and depends on many factors outside of the control of the parties, such as delays in obtaining search results, any mortgage offer, and management information in leasehold transactions, as well as the Land Registry’s response time.
The average time period for a conveyancing transaction from start to finish is approximately 3 months, with the shortest time being 3 weeks. This does not include the time for the Land Registry to complete registration.
| Time Period | Seller Solicitor | Buyer Solicitor |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 7 days | Carry out ID checks Draft contract and prepare Replies to enquiries/deduce title. Submit to Buyer’s solicitors |
Providing information on funding Carry out ID checks |
| 7 – 14 days | Receive contract and title information and replies to enquiries. Checking and raise any Additional enquiries. Arrange relevant searches |
|
| 14 – 28 days | Reply to all additional enquiries | |
| 1 – 2 months | Consider replies to additional enquiries. Receive and consider mortgage offer. Consider survey report |
|
| 3 months | Arrange signing of contract | Report to client Arrange signing of contract and payment of Deposit for exchange of contracts |
| Exchange of Contracts | Agree completion date | Notification of parties of exchange of contracts Carry out pre-completion searches Draft transfer deed and raise requisitions Request mortgage advance from lender/funds from Buyer Prepare completion statement for Buyer |
| 16 weeks | Approve transfer deed and reply to requisitions. Arrange Seller to sign Transfer deed |
Arrange signing of mortgage deed. Receive funds from the Buyer |
| Completion | Send the purchase monies to Seller’s Solicitors | Receive completion monies and release keys Discharge any mortgage on the title |
| Collect keys and move in | ||
| Post Completion | Send deeds to the Buyer’s solicitors | Receive confirmation of mortgage discharge Receive deeds Submit the SDLT return and pay the SDLT Application to Land Registry If leasehold, notify the landlord |
| 20 – 52 weeks | Receive notification of registration of title, which can take longer depending on the Land Registry backlog |
Probate
All Transactions
The costs you pay will include our fees and disbursements, which are standard costs payable to third parties (e.g., the Probate Registry, Local Authorities, Land Registry, and Inland Revenue). We, as the acting solicitors in the transaction, handle the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Fees
Fees for probate matters are normally charged on a fixed fee basis. In some cases, where the matter is complex—such as involving more than 4 beneficiaries or an estate in excess of £1,000,000—we charge an hourly rate of £250. This may apply where there is no will available or complex matters involving shares and claims against the estate.
Estate Value Fees
| Estate Value | Fees |
|---|---|
| Up to £400,000 | £1500 |
| £400,000 to £600,000 | £2000 |
| £600,000 to £800,000 | £2500 |
| £800,000 to £1m | £3000 |
Stages of the Probate Transaction
The table below sets out the main stages of the probate transaction.
The time period for each probate transaction is different and depends on many factors outside the control of the parties, such as delays in obtaining search results, replies from banks, creditors, and debtors, as well as dealing with the Inland Revenue and Probate Registry.
| Time Period | Stage |
|---|---|
| 1-2 weeks | Obtaining instruction and collating client care |
| 3-4 weeks | Assessing value for Inheritance Tax return and submission of return to the Inland Revenue with payment. Timing depends on responses from banks, creditors, and debtors. |
| 5-8 weeks | Response from Inland Revenue with evidence of payment |
| 8-9 weeks | Submission of documents to Probate Registry (online if appropriate) |
| 3-6 months | Collecting assets for distribution |
| 6-12 months | Distribution of assets and sale of property as appropriate |
Disbursements
- Court fee – Probate Application: £300.00
- Additional Copies of Grant of Probate: £0.50 each
- Land Registry Copy of Title Information Document: £7.00
- Copy of Plan: £7.00
- Land Registry Fee on Transfer of Property: Dependent on value (£20.00 – £125.00)
Business Debt Recovery
All Transactions
The costs you pay will include our fees and disbursements, which are standard costs payable to third parties (e.g., court, enquiry agents, and enforcement agents such as bailiffs). We, as the acting solicitors in the transaction, handle the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Fees
Fees for business debt recovery are charged on an hourly rate of £200 per hour pre-issue of proceedings and £250 per hour post-issue of proceedings. We are not VAT registered, and therefore none of our fees include VAT.
Anyone wishing to proceed with a claim should note that:
- Any VAT element of a fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor.
- Interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding, with a higher cost.
- The costs quoted are not for matters where enforcement action, such as bailiffs, is needed to collect your debt.
Key Stages
| Stage | Anticipated Costs (per stage) |
|---|---|
| Initial consultation | Free of charge |
| On instruction to review the documents and draft a letter of claim | £200 – £300 |
| In the absence of a response or denial by the debtor to proceed with preparation and issue of court proceedings | £400 – £500 |
| If debtor fails to file a defence – application to Court for default judgment | £100 |
Typical timescales for business debt recovery rely on the response of the party being pursued and other third parties such as the court or bailiffs.
| Stage | Timescale |
|---|---|
| Service of claim on the debtor | 5 days |
| Deadline for the debtor to file an acknowledgment of service | 14 days |
| If no acknowledgment of service is filed, the date upon which we can apply for default judgment | 15 days |
| If acknowledgment of service is filed, the deadline for the debtor to file a formal defence | 28 days |
If a formal defence is filed by the debtor, we shall require further instructions upon the disputed claim. Any fixed fees or other fees agreed with you only apply up until this stage. Thereafter, our fees will be charged on a time-spent basis, at the hourly rate specified above. We estimate our costs to final hearing on the fast track to be between £5,000 and £10,000.
Defended Claims
In claims that are defended, the timescale is normally set by the Court as the case proceeds. Typical timescales are likely to be as follows:
| Stage | Timescale |
|---|---|
| Up to and including issuing proceedings | 4-8 weeks |
| Up to and including Costs in Case Management Conference | 8 weeks |
| Up to and including Disclosure and Inspection | 8 weeks |
| Up to service of Witness Statements and Experts Reports | 10 weeks |
| Up to and including pre-Trial Review | 8 weeks |
| Up to Trial | 8 weeks |
Disbursements
In addition to our legal costs, there will also be disbursements to pay. The fees payable to the Court on lodging the claim are:
| Claim Amount | Court Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to £300 | £35 |
| Up to £500 | £50 |
| Up to £1,000 | £70 |
| Up to £1,500 | £80 |
| Up to £3,000 | £115 |
| Up to £5,000 | £205 |
| Up to £10,000 | £445 |
| Up to £100,000 | 5% of the claim |
| More than £200,000 | £10,000 |
Barristers and/or experts may be required depending on the complexity and preparation of the case. The actual amount of their fees will be determined, and VAT at 20% will be added to their bill.
Licensing
All Transactions
The costs you pay will include our fees and disbursements, which are standard costs payable to third parties (e.g., court, local authorities). We, as the acting solicitors in the transaction, handle the disbursements on your behalf in order to ensure a smoother process. We will assist in the application for a Premises Licence and/or a Personal Licence.
As soon as we receive instructions from you for the preparation of an application and the plans, along with a suitably qualified Designated Premises Supervisor, the application will usually be completed within 7 days. Following submission to the Responsible Authorities, there will be a period of around 30 days after which it will be known whether the application is to be granted or opposed. If opposed, then it is likely to be listed for a hearing before a Sub-Committee within 30 days. We shall advise you of that further in that eventuality.
Fees
| Type | Solicitors Costs | Disbursement Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Licence | £300 | DBS – £25, Application Costs to Council – £37 |
| Premises Licence | £500 | Local Advertisements – £240 plus VAT (approx.) Application costs to Council – from £100 (dependent on non-domestic business rate value of the property) Surveyors costs (for plans) – £500 (approx.) |
| Variation of Licence | £400 | Local Advertisements – £240 plus VAT (approx.) Application costs to Council – from £100 (dependent on non-domestic business rate value of the property) |
Hearings and Appeals or preparations for hearings or appeals are not included in the price.