Cost Transparency

Ruth Rush is this firm’s expert residential conveyancer. Ruth is the firm’s Senior Responsible Officer (“SRO”) and has been accredited by the Law Society to this effect.; get to know Ruth better by clicking here ; Ruth is assisted by Michelle McLean a legal assistant who is currently undertaking her Licensed Conveyancing Court in order to qualify as a Licenced Conveyancer; get to know Michelle better by clicking here.
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On a standard conveyancing transaction our costs will typically be in the region of £650 plus VAT (i.e. £720 including VAT) and £3,500 plus VAT (i.e. £4,200 including VAT).

From the onset of the transaction we will give you a fixed fee quote. The fixed fee quote will include all steps necessary to complete the sale and purchase of your property including all registration requirements.
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We are able to offer an additional service in the event your transaction becomes abortive before exchange of contracts. For the fixed sum of £250.00 plus VAT (i.e. £300 including VAT), which is payable in advance, if your transaction fails to achieve exchange of contracts, we will not charge any legal fees for your abortive transaction. All disbursements will still be payable.

Please note that if your matter does not proceed to completion then we charge abortive fees; this being on the basis that you do not take up the additional service noted above. These abortive fees will be less than the fixed fee quoted and will be based on Ruth’s hourly rate of £300 plus VAT (i.e. £360 including VAT per hour).

Purchase Disbursements

If you are purchasing a property, the disbursements could include:
Search Fees (including but not limited to Local Authority Search, Water and Drainage Search, Environmental Search, Chancel Repair and Plan Search) on a typical transaction the search fees can be in the region of £300 – £600 (this fee is inclusive of VAT).
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Land Registry Fee – this is based on the value of the property that you are buying and ranges between £40 and £910 (no VAT). If you let us know the value of your property, we can let you know the exact Land Registry Fee you will have to pay.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (“SDLT”) – there are various factors involved in the calculation of SDLT including, but not limited to, the value of the property, whether the property is an additional home, and whether the property includes any agricultural land.
Please contact us for further information.
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Bank Transfer fees  – we charge £36 (including VAT) to transfer money between bank accounts.
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If the property you are purchasing is leasehold, then there could be additional disbursements including a leasehold management pack – these packs vary on a case by case basis but on average these cost between £10.00 – £600 plus VAT (i.e. £12 – £720 including VAT). Please note that we may need more than one freehold pack.

Our fee for dealing with Shared Ownership Schemes is an additional £200 plus VAT (i.e. £240 including VAT).

Selling Disbursements

If you are selling a property, the possible disbursements are :
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HM Land Registry Documents – these could range from between £10 – £30.
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Bank Transfer Fee – we charge £36 (including VAT) to transfer money between bank accounts.
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Please contact us today for your bespoke quote.

A typical freehold purchase generally involves the following stages:

1 ) Receive initial instructions from you. This includes undertaking Anti-Money Laundering checks on you and receiving a signed client care from you.

2 ) We receive draft contracts and HM Land Registry documents from the seller’s solicitor.

3 ) We undertake searches and a thorough investigation of the title.

4 ) We report to you our findings. We arrange for you to sign the paperwork.

5 ) Exchange of contracts.

6 ) Completion.

7 ) Registration.
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A typical freehold sale generally involves the following stages :

1 ) Receive initial instructions from you. This includes undertaking Anti-Money Laundering checks on you and receiving a signed client care from you.

2 ) Prepare draft contracts and contract pack.

3 ) Answer queries raised by purchaser’s solicitor.

4 ) We arrange for you to sign documentation.

5 ) Exchange.

6 ) Completion.
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If you would like a further explanation of the stages of the process, or have any questions about the process at all then please do contact us.

Ruth rush is this firm’s private client expert. Ruth is this firm’s Senior Responsible Officer (“SRO”) and has been accredited by the Law Society to this effect; get to know Ruth better by clicking here. Ruth is assisted by Michelle McLean a legal assistant; get to know Michelle better by clicking here.

Ruth Rush, this firm’s managing Partner is also an expert in all probate matters; and supervisors all private client work. Ruth also undertakes complicated non-standard probate work; get to know Ruth better by clicking here ; Ruth is assisted with Michelle McLean a legal assistant; get to know Michelle better by clicking here.
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The cost of dealing with uncontested probate matters depends on how involved you wish us to be in the administration of the deceased’s estate. We typically charged between £950 plus VAT – £50,000 plus VAT (i.e. £1,140 to £60,000 including VAT).
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Please note that Ruth’s currently hourly rate is £300 plus VAT (i.e. £360 including VAT per hour).

The disbursements involved in obtaining a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration are (1) copy of the Title Deeds from HMLR (around £10-£30 no VAT) and (2) Court Fee. The amount of the Court fee depends on the circumstances by is less than £200.

In a straightforward uncontested probate matter the stages involved include:

1 ) Receive initial instructions from you. This includes undertaking Anti-Money Laundering checks on you and receiving a signed client care from you.

2 ) Identify all of the deceased’s assets

3 ) Complete the inheritance tax forms and calculate the amount of inheritance tax to be paid, if any.

4 ) Apply for the grant of probate

5 ) Collect in the deceased’s assets

6 ) Distribute the assets in accordance with the deceased’s will.

The amount of the Court fee depends on the circumstances but is less than £200

Kimberley Spikings is this firm’s expert litigator and deals with these types of cases; get to know Kimberley better by clicking here. Kimberley’s typical hourly rate is £295.00 plus VAT.
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The costs involved in debt recovery depend on the nature of the claim, the value of the claim, whether pre-action steps have been adhered to, if the claim is defended and if the matter progresses to Court.
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The range could be between £500 to £15,000 plus VAT – the latter end of the scale being relevant to a high value, low complex, debt recovery matter which is defended and ends up at trial.
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Please note that these costs do not include any post judgement enforcement costs.

That said for unpaid invoices, we offer a fixed fee pre-action protocol letter for £100 plus VAT only. As stated this letter relates to unpaid invoices only.

Disbursements

Counsel’s fees – it may be necessary to instruct a barrister to provide an expert opinion on the case and/or represent you at trial. Counsel’s fees depended on the seniority of Counsel and the complexity of the case.
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Expert reports – fees depend on the seniority of the expert and the complexity of the issues involved.
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Key stages in Debt Recovery are :

Issuing a Pre-Action Protocol Letter (known as a letter before action and it compliant with the requirements of the Civil Procedure Rules)

Receive response to Pre – Action Protocol Letter (this could include an admission, a defence or even a counter claim)

Consider Mediation/Alternative Dispute Resolution and/or making an offer to settle (this part of the process should be continually received and considered)

Issue Court proceedings if matter not settled

Receive Defence/Counterclaim – if not enter default judgement

Respond to defence/defend counterclaim

Allocation to track (this could be small claim, fast track or multi track – dependant on value and complexity of claim)

Case Management – this stage covers witness evidence, expert evidence (if necessary) and disclosure.

Trial

Enforcement of Judgement (if successful at trial)