Legal Costs | Seddon Thomson Solicitors Manchester

All legal costs will be discussed with you in advance and we will keep you fully informed about your costs throughout the case. For all Legal Aid work we hold a Specialist Quality Mark from the Legal Aid Agency in Family Law. Legal Aid is not available for all legal cases but if it is available then we will apply for Legal Aid on your behalf and if granted the whole or part of your legal costs will be paid from public funds.
We also offer an initial fixed fee interview when we can advise you generally regarding the merits of your case and likely costs at a fee of £100.00 plus VAT.

For cases where Legal Aid is not available and we do not offer a fixed fee, our charges are calculated on an hourly basis. We will keep you informed about costs throughout your case. We will assess your needs and tailor our services to suit your needs and your budget. We also offer fixed fees for certain areas of work.

Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)

Single Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare or Finances and Property – £350.00 plus VAT.
If you wish to create both a Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare and Finance and Property then our fees will be £500.00 plus VAT where you are appointing the same Attorneys for both LPAs.

For a couple we will charge £500.00 plus VAT for a Lasting Power of Attorney for both of you covering either Health and Welfare or Finance and Property Affairs where the same Attorneys are being appointed and £950.00 plus VAT for a couple creating both a Health and Welfare and Finance and Property Lasting Power of Attorney.

We can provide you with professional expert advice and guidance with regard to creating a Lasting Power of Attorney. Our service includes We will provide guidance and advice in creating a Lasting Power of Attorney and arranging for the same to be signed by the Donor and Attorney/Attorney’s. We will complete the registration forms for the Office of the Public Guardian, advise about eligibility for discounted Court Fees or exemption and deal with registration with the Office of the Public Guardian. The fee quoted will not cover dealing with any capacity issues which arise or Office of the Public Guardian registration fees payable. If it becomes clear that any additional work is needed then we will let you know as soon as possible and agree with you how such additional work is to be charged.

Probate – Application for Grant only

This will include advising about the process, drafting the Statement of Truth and the Short Inheritance Tax Form (IHT205) and obtaining the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration but does not include any steps in relation to the administration of the estate, advice with regard to the legal validity of the Will or the meaning of the Will or undertaking searches to look for a Will.

We would charge £750.00 plus VAT.

If you require any additional work we will agree with you as soon as possible how that additional work is to be charged. In addition, there will be a Probate Registry Fees currently £155.00 plus £1.50 per additional copy of the Grant.

If you wish us to prepare and attend to the execution of and register at the Land Registry an Assent vesting the property in the beneficiary/beneficiaries name we will charge an additional fee of £250.00 plus VAT together with Land Registry Search Fees of £3.00 plus £2.00 for every beneficiary in whom the property is being vested and Land Registration Fees which will depend upon the value of the property being transferred and which you can check using the Land Registry calculator at landregistry.data.gov.uk.

Applying for the Grant, collecting in and distributing the assets.

We would estimate that our fees will be between £1,600.00 and £3,500.00 plus VAT based on 10-22 hours of work. In addition, there will be the Probate Registry Fee which is currently £155.00 plus £1 for every copy and the cost of Statutory Notices which will vary depending on where they are to be placed and market rates at the time of which we will notify you in advance of placing such adverts. There are also Bankruptcy Searches in the Land Charges Department at £2.00 per beneficiary. This does not include us dealing with the sale or transfer of any property. It may well be that if there are any shareholdings there may be additional administration costs payable to the shareholding service.

The exact cost would depend upon the individual circumstances of the matter; for example if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs would be at the lower end of the range; if there are multiple beneficiaries, property and multiple bank accounts and other assets then costs would be at the higher end. We will explain the process, collect information as to the value of the assets, arrange for payment of funeral costs if necessary provide advice in relation to property related matters e.g. insurance, draft the Statement of Truth, complete the Short Inheritance Tax Form (IHT205), obtain the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration, complete closure forms and collect the assets, make payment of known debts and liabilities in the estate, place Statutory Notices if appropriate, reclaim Income Tax of the deceased if they were not a self-assessed tax payer, prepare the Estate Account and distribute the Estate. It will not include advice regarding the legal validity of a Will or the meaning of a Will, undertaking searches to look for a Will, identifying beneficiaries of the Estate, where the deceased was domiciled abroad or there are significant foreign assets, where a long Inheritance Tax Form is required, where there is a transfer of Inheritance Tax nil rate band, dealing with any business owned by the deceased, any property conveyance, dealing with Inheritance Tax, Income Tax other than reclaiming overpaid Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax issues, any variations to the Estate or dealing with any dispute between the parties. In respect of any of these issues we will agree with you as soon as possible how any additional work is to be charged.

We will give you an estimate at the commencement of the matter of the likely timescale.

Wills

We can advise you in relation to the making of your Will. An experienced Solicitor will attend upon you in the office or by telephone, our services includes preparation of a draft Will, attendance upon you to approve the same and arranging for the signing of the Will in the office and secure life time storage of your signed Will. This service does not include advice on tax planning, assets abroad or home visits. If it becomes clear that additional work is needed then we will let you know as soon as possible and agree with you how any additional work is to be charged.
Single Will £140.00 plus VAT
If you have a spouse or partner our fees for mirror Wills are £210.00 plus VAT for both.
Codicils to existing Wills £75.00 plus VAT each or £100.00 plus VAT for Codicils to Mirror Wills.
Dealing with severance of a Tenancy including registration of the same at the Land Registry £75.00 plus VAT plus Land Registry Fee of £3.00 and Land Charges Search Fees of £4.00 and any Land Registry Fee payable (currently there is no fee payable). If you wish to include a life interest trust there will be a further charge of £75.00 plus VAT for one and £125.00 plus VAT for Mirror Wills.

Carol Seddon who is a Partner in this Firm has many years’ experience in delivering a high quality of work in all matters relating to Wills and Estate Administration having qualified as a Solicitor in 1980. Carol regularly completes professional development courses in Private Client Work including Lasting Powers of Attorney, Court of Protection, Wills and Probate work and associated areas. She has experience in dealing with all types of work from simple straight forward to complex contested matters including claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.

Conveyancing – Purchase of Freehold or Long Leasehold Residential Property

Our fees cover all the work required to complete the purchase of your new home including dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax if the property is in England or Land Transaction Tax if the property is in Wales.
Our Fees range between £599 plus VAT to £699 plus VAT depending on the complexity of the transaction.

In addition, there will be Search Fees usually including a Local Search the cost of which will be dependent on the Local Authority in which you are intending to buy and will usually vary from between £0.00 and £350.00 including Local Search, Coal Search if appropriate, Water Authority Search if appropriate and Environmental Search if appropriate and Land Registry Search Fees. The Land Registry Registration Fee will depend on the value of the property being purchased – please see the Land Registry Fee calculator at www. landregistrydata.gov.uk/fees-calculator.

Other fees which may be payable are Notice of Transfer Fee, Notice of Charge Fee, Deed of Covenant Fee, Certificate of Compliance Fee which will depend on the fees set out on the deeds to the property and which we will notify you of as soon as possible after the outset of the transaction. Disbursements such as Search Fees are costs related to your matter which are payable to third parties and these may be changed by those third parties and we would of course notify you of any such changes.

Stamp Duty or Land Tax depends on the purchase price of your property. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC’s website or if the property is in Wales using the Welsh Revenue Authority’s website.

How long it would take from your offer being accepted until you can move into your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between six to eight weeks. It can be quicker or slower depending on the parties in the chain.

The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. Below are some key stages: –

1. Taking your instructions and giving initial advice.
2. Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender’s Solicitors if needed.
3. Receive and advise on Contract documentation.
4. Carry out searches.
5. Obtain any further planning documentation if required.
6. Make any necessary enquiries with the Seller’s Solicitors.
7. Give you advice on all documents and information received.
8. Advise you on joint ownership.
9. Go through the conditions of the mortgage offer with you.
10. Attend upon you for signature of Final Contract.
11. Agree Completion date i.e. date from which you own the property.
12. Exchange Contracts and notify you that this has happened.
13. Obtain pre-completion searches.
14. Arrange for all monies needed to be received from the lender and you.
15. Complete purchase.
16. Deal with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax.
17. Deal with application for registration at the Land Registry.

Our fee assumes that: –
a) This is a standard transaction and no unforeseen matters arise for example but not limited to a defect in title which requires remedying prior to complete or the preparation of additional documents ancillary to the main transaction.
b) All parties in the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation.
c) No Indemnity Policies are required. Additional disbursements may apply if Indemnity Policies are required.

Sale of Freehold or Leasehold Property

Our fees range between £549 plus VAT to £649 plus VAT depending on the complexity of the transaction together with £6.00 fee for obtaining Office Copy Entries from the Land Registry. There may be further Land Registry fees if we need to obtain further documentation or copies of further deeds. If the property is Leasehold then there may also be a fee payable to the landlords for completing the Form LPE1 or providing a Management Pack. We will of course notify you of these fees as soon as possible.

Our Fees cover all the work required to complete the sale of your property including: –
1. Taking your initial instructions and giving initial advice.
2. Drafting Contract.
3. Dealing with any enquiries from the buyer’s Solicitors and taking your instructions thereon.
4. Attending on you for signature of the Contract and Transfer document.
5. Agreeing completion date i.e. moving date.
6. Exchanging Contracts and notifying you when this has happened.
7. Obtaining Redemption Figures in relation to any mortgages on the property.
8. Completing the purchase and dealing with redemption of the mortgage, payment of Estate Agents invoice and then accounting to you the monies.

How long it would take from an offer being accepted until you can move from your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between six to eight weeks. It can be quicker or slower depending on the parties in the chain.

Mortgages/Re-Mortgages

Our fees are £399.00 plus VAT plus disbursements. Disbursements will include £6.00 fee for obtaining Office Copies from the Land Registry and may also include search fees depending on whether the mortgage lender requires these. There will also be a registration fee at the conclusion of the matter, this depends upon the amount of the mortgage. Please see the Land Registry fee calculator. There may also be a notice of charge fee.

Our fees cover all the work required to mortgage or re-mortgage your property including dealing with advising you with regard to the mortgage offer, carrying out any searches that the mortgage lender may require and redemption of any existing mortgages.

Some of these disbursements will incur a charge to VAT at 20% and we will notify you if this is the case in relation to your specific transaction.

Clare Thomson is a partner in this firm who has many years’ experience in delivering a high quality of work in all matters relating to conveyancing having qualified as a Solicitor in 1987. Clare deals with conveyancing matters on a regular basis.

Carol Seddon who qualified in 1980 is a Partner in this Firm has many years’ experience in delivering a high quality of work in all matters relating to conveyancing both residential and commercial.