Fees for Estate Administration

We recognise the importance of keeping administration costs to a realistic minimum and are equally aware that our expertise will not be required in some of the simpler aspects of what needs to be done. We are able to offer fixed fees in some instances and to quote by reference to an hourly rate at a variety of different levels for the work done and time spent where a fixed fee is not appropriate. Fixed fees range between £1,500 and £3,000 + VAT and disbursements. We also reserve the right to charge a value element where the gross value of the estate exceeds £500,000. The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter.

We will handle the full process for you. Fixed fees are offered for estates where:

  • There is a valid Will
  • Carter Lemon Camerons or any employee of the firm are not acting as executors
  • The estate is solvent
  • There is no more than one freehold or leasehold property
  • There are no more than two bank or building society accounts
  • There are no other intangible assets such as shares, bonds, ISA’s or other investments
  • There are no more than two beneficiaries (including residuary beneficiaries and specific legatees)
  • The beneficiaries can be readily identified and located
  • 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
  • There is no income exceeding £100 receivable during the administration period
  • The executors supply full details of the assets and liabilities of the estate at the date of death including accrued income
  • The executors deal with obtaining the death certificate and funeral arrangements themselves

Disbursements are expenses related to your matter payable to third parties. Disbursements can include:

  • Probate application fee of £273
  • If any additional copies of the grant are required, they will cost £1.50 (1 per asset usually).
  • Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches
  • Notice in The London Gazette and in a Local Newspaper – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.

We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf and include them in our bill. We may require the executors to pay costs and disbursements personally where there is no cash available in the estate to pay such costs and disbursements as they arise.

Potential additional costs

  • If there is no Will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there is likely to be an additional cost 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.
  • 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 12 to 18 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes a minimum of 9 months from first instruction. Collecting assets then follows, which can take anything up to 6 months depending on the range of assets and the speed of response form the asset holders. Once this has been done and the notice period for advertising for creditors has expired, we can distribute the assets.

What is included

As part of our fixed fee we will:

  • Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter
  • Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries
  • Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
  • Obtain the relevant documents required to make the application
  • Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms
  • Draft a legal statement for you to sign
  • Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
  • Obtain the Probate and securely send two copies to you
  • Collect and distribute all assets in the estate

Larger Estates

Similar steps arise in larger and more complex estates with the added responsibility of filling out a full Inland revenue Account, calculating the IHT liability due and making arrangements for payment. It is not possible to determined the work involved at the outset and this is why we do not offer fixed fees for this type of work. We quote hourly rates for the people involved ranging from £450 per hour for a partner to £150 per hour for a first year trainee.

Meet the team

Senior Associate Solicitor - Private Client

Cheryl joined Carter Lemon Camerons in November 2023 as a Senior Associate Solicitor.

She started her career as a Technical Adviser/Case Worker for HM Revenue & Customs Inheritance Tax. Following a career break she commenced a second career, which now spans over 20 years, working in Private Client departments in Regional law firms.

She specialises in the preparation of and advising on Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Non-Contentious Court of Protection Applications, Trusts, the Administration of Estates and associated taxation.

Cheryl has extensive estate administration experience including obtaining Grants of Probate/Representation in both non-complex and complex estates, not limited to but including, the estates of nondomiciled individuals and resealing foreign Grants of Probate in the English Probate Registry.

Away from the office Cheryl enjoys family life and is a yoga enthusiast, a passionate follower and player of tennis, an ardent Arsenal supporter, and a keen miniature dachshund walker.

020 7406 1000 - cherylthompson@cartercamerons.com
Partner - Private Client

Ian West is a partner in the Private Client team. He deals with a wide range of matters including commercial and residential conveyancing, will drafting, trusts and probate and powers of attorney.

Private Client Matters

As well as obtaining grants of probate for UK estates, Ian has assisted personal representatives of foreign estates in resealing foreign grants to administer UK assets held by a deceased domiciled outside the UK. He has dealt with resealing foreign grants in jurisdictions as diverse as Holland and Iran. He has also advised on domicile in respect of deceased’s estates and regularly deals with the UK estates of persons who have died domiciled outside the United Kingdom.

Property Transactions

Recent property transactions include:-

  • Acting for clients on a lifetime mortgage as part of an inheritance tax strategy.
  • Acting on behalf of a landowner in connection with the grant of an option for a lease for use of the land for battery storage.
  • Acting on behalf of a landowner in connection with the sale of land for use as an electricity sub-station in connection with a wind farm project and grant of options for related easements.
  • Acting for both landlords and tenants in respect of statutory claims for extension leases of flats.

More…

Ian was educated at Brentwood School Essex, Manchester University and the College of Law London. He qualified as a solicitor in 1981 and joined Metson Cross in 1982 becoming a partner in 1990.

Ian is married with two children.

As former Honorary Secretary of the Society of Old Brentwoods, Ian takes a keen interest in the affairs of the School and in various events and functions organised by the Society. He is also a keen follower of football and has an interest in classic cars. Ian is a member of the Mini Cooper Register. Ian has also been learning to play the guitar (for over 45 years!).

020 7406 1000 - IanWest@cartercamerons.com
Consultant - Private Client

Michael qualified as a solicitor in 1982 and is a consultant based in the private client department.  Michael advises on a wide range of UK and international tax issues. He is a member of the Society of Trust and Estates Practitioners and is an expert on wealth structuring, having been responsible for this area at Barclays Wealth for 13 years. He has also been authorised under the financial services legislation since it was introduced in the 1980s and advises on investment and financial services matters.

020 7406 1000 - MichaelWoodward@cartercamerons.com
Solicitor - Private Client

Pami specialises in Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Probate and Estate Planning.

Pami assists clients in preparing Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and on applications for Grants of Probate/Grants of Letters of Administration including estates of non-domiciled individuals and resealing foreign Grants of Probate in the English Probate Registry. Pami has dealt with the resealing of South African, Canadian and Australian Grants and has dealt with estates where the individual has assets in the UK but are domiciled in Italy, South Africa, Brazil, Bulgaria, Singapore, Barbados, Poland and Malaysia.

Pami also has knowledge of residential property which assists her to liaise with residential property colleagues when estates include properties to be transferred/sold.

She first obtained an undergraduate LLB degree at Queen Mary University of London, before taking a Legal Practice Course and a Master’s Degree in law at the University of Law. She qualified as a solicitor in 2022.

Away from the office Pami enjoys travelling and reading.

020 7406 1000 - Pamiakthar@cartercamerons.com
Senior Partner - Property

Rufus Ballaster is Senior Partner and specialises in secured lending for both lenders and borrowers, within Carter Lemon Camerons LLP’s commercial property team.

Rufus’ team is able to assist lenders with putting in place effective protection for their loans, including advising on the form of security that is needed, arranging reporting systems between lawyer and lender, preparing documents, raising enquiries, examining title and making the appropriate searches.

Rufus is also experienced in assisting borrowers, advising on the risks involved in the transaction and negotiating the best possible terms.

Where appropriate, having carefully looked at professional rules governing conflict of interest, Rufus can act for both the lender and the borrower in a single transaction.

His detailed technical legal knowledge and ability to crunch numbers are great assets both transactionally and as Carter Lemon Camerons LLP’s spreadsheet obsessive.

Transactions

Recent transactions include:

  • Secured Lending Portfolio Refinance for a group of clients shifting lending from one international Private Bank to another international Private Bank with full Certification of Title across 7 Central London Properties both commercial residential (or mixed) use – aggregate value £30M approx.
  • Phased purchase with development finance of site for over 40 new homes in SW London for a group of clients which has also bought and sold many other units in the region with Rufus and his team acting.
  • Short term (2 to 18 month) lending by a Wealth Management company into a variety of development projects taking first or second charge security over those sites or collateral security elsewhere.

Career highlights include:

  • Stepping into the panel of speakers at a course for which he was understudy – at only 3 years qualified
  • Representing most of the sets of barristers’ chambers at one of the Inns of Court in lease renewals with that Inn
  • Drawing down finance to purchase a SW1 development opportunity (offices to flats) by an off shore company at a price exceeding £120M (for a group of clients for whom previous deals were at values ranging from £7M to £220M)
  • Drawing down finance to purchase a group of off-shore vehicles which owned of a City office block let to a blue chip investment bank – loan exceeding £300 million, split into senior and junior debt.

More…

Rufus combines client focused views of legal issues with more holistic ones.  This is clearly visible from his writing (having contributed to many journals and been a co-author of the Landlord and Tenant Factbook and more recently of a Practical Guide to Drone Law) and from his lectures and seminars on banking, commercial property, artificial intelligence and other topics.

Asked what he likes most in his work, Rufus will talk of his role as a “trouble-shooter”.  He enjoys being asked by clients and colleagues what he thinks about something and trying, with them, to work up structures or strategies achieving a desired result at the lowest sensible cost/ tax-hit/ risk.  He travels within Europe and beyond (Arabian Gulf, South East Asia, Southern Africa) to see clients and contacts face to face and says working with people he has met is always preferable to hiding behind email and telephone for client contact!

Rufus was educated at Reading School, Wadham College Oxford and Chester College of Law, qualifying as a solicitor in 1988.

Outside the office Rufus has a full and active life with commitments to two Christian Churches, family (wife and three now adult children), RBS Rugby Football Club (for whom he plays as a second row forward) and RBS Lawn Bowls Club which is more suited to his age.

020 7406 1000 - RufusBallaster@cartercamerons.com

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