Probate at a reasonable price

We understand how hard the loss of someone close to you can be and what a stressful and unpleasant time coping with a bereavement is. The administrative burden of handling the financial affairs of the estate of a loved one can seem overwhelming.

Stuart Davis, our licensed probate practitioner, will guide you through the probate process from start to finish. From applying for the grant to making payments to the beneficiaries, we aim to make the process as easy as possible for you.

Our fees are based on a fixed quote (see below) and are always fair and transparent.

About our probate firm

Introducing Probatexpert, our probate firm.

Probate services are regulated separately from general accountancy work, and for this reason we are required to provide these through a separate legal entity. Probatexpert Limited is authorised as a CILEX-ACCA firm to offer non-contentious probate services.

The firm is run by Stuart Davis, who is authorised as a CILEX Practitioner (ACCA-Probate) to conduct the reserved element of probate under the Legal Services Act 2007. Stuart first qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant in 1997. He qualified as a probate practitioner in 2021 having previously spent several years advising on Trust & Estate planning whilst at Grant Harrod Lerman Davis in Harrow, where he spent eight years as a partner. He is assisted in this area by a skilled admin department. Regardless of who works on your case, they will be supervised by Stuart. Both Stuart and Probatexpert Limited are independently regulated by CILEX Regulation.

Insurance

As a CILEX-ACCA Probate Entity, we are required to hold professional indemnity insurance. The level of cover is currently £1,000,000 and a copy of the current insurance certificate from AXA Insurance UK plc is available at our office.

Our Probate Services

What we can do for you

Non-contentious probate work is the term used to describe probate work that does not involve a will (or estate) that is being contested and which therefore does not involve litigation.

In such matters, Probatexpert Limited will:

Prepare the paperwork to obtain the Grant of Representation (Grant of probate - where there is a valid will, or letters of administration - where no valid will exists)
Submit the grant application to the Probate Registry.
Obtain the subsequent copy of the grant and additional copies where required to the those administering the estate.

The time it takes to apply for and gain a Grant of Representation varies but is currently dependent on the complexity of the estate. It generally takes between four and six months from when we are instructed to obtain the grant.

If instructed to do so, all other work related to the estate matter will be undertaken by our accountancy firm, Expertax Limited:

Valuing the estate, including the creation of a list of the deceased’s assets and liabilities. This will involve establishing ownership, and confirming the value of assets, where necessary using third-party expert valuers.
Calculation of Inheritance Tax if this is applicable.
Administering the estate. This includes realising the estate assets, settling any liabilities and the distribution of the resultant assets to the beneficiaries.
The preparation of the final estate accounts

Whilst some aspects of this work will take place in parallel with the obtaining of the Grant of Representation, the main administration of the estate will normally take between six months and a year following the obtaining of the Grant. This will again vary depending on the complexity of the estate.

Pricing for Probate Work

We are pleased to work to a fixed quote for the completion of probate work. The level of fees will be dependent on the complexity of the estate, along with the number of beneficiaries and the number of assets and accounts.

In addition to our fees, there will also be a number of payments that will need to be made to third parties to complete the probate process. These include, but are not limited to:

The probate application fee paid to the Probate Registry = £300
Official copy of the grant of representation = £1.50
Placing a notice in a local newspaper = £80
Placing a notice in the London Gazette = £110

Beyond these disbursements there may be other disbursements that can vary considerably depending on the individual circumstances of the estate. These include:

Third-party valuations of property
Third-party valuations of other high-value assets such as antiques and jewellery

Before we start work on your matter, we will provide you with an estimate for the work that we propose to provide, based on the information that you are able to give to us at that time. Please try to be as accurate as possible with the information you provide as if there are significant variations from the information provided this may necessitate an increase in the estimate. We will always advise you in advance and in writing if an increase is necessary, providing you with the reason and the revised estimate.

Please note that any advance payments of fees, or funds belonging to the estate held in relation to estate administration, will be held in the client account of Expertax Limited (the ACCA regulated accountancy firm) in accordance with professional guidelines.

To provide you with an indication of our pricing we have prepared three examples which can be found on our 'Privacy & Other Documents' page. Here, you will also find our complaints handling procedure available to download (link in footer below).