When someone you love has died, the last thing you need is an unpredictable legal bill. We handle probate for a fixed fee, agreed in writing before any work begins.
Grief Is Complicated Enough Without Legal Uncertainty
If you are reading this page, you may be grieving — or worrying about someone who is. Perhaps you have just learned you are an executor, and responsibilities you did not ask for have arrived at the worst possible moment.
Most people find themselves unprepared. Bank accounts are frozen. Utility companies want answers. There are forms, deadlines, and tax questions — all while the person who held this estate together is no longer here.
At the same time, families often discover a difficult truth: they are personally responsible for getting it right. Executors can be held liable for errors in distribution or tax. And, in many cases, there is simply no one else left who understands the paperwork.
Get in touch
Most traditional firms charge by the hour. That means you begin a deeply personal task without knowing what it will cost — sometimes for a year or more. Many people put off the work for this reason alone, which only prolongs the strain on everyone waiting.
We built our probate service around a different principle: one fixed fee, agreed in advance, covering the work your estate actually needs. Clarity at the start, so you can focus on what matters.
OUR SERVICES
Probate Support Shaped Around Your Estate
Every estate is different. Some need end-to-end administration; others need one specific piece of work done properly. Below is what we handle — you choose how much, or how little, we take on.
1. Grant of Probate Applications
We prepare and submit the full application to the Probate Registry, including the legal declaration. You gain court authority to deal with the estate.
2. Full Estate Administration
We manage the entire estate: valuing assets, settling debts, paying any tax due, and distributing to beneficiaries. You hand over the burden entirely and receive a final account at the end.
3. Inheritance Tax & Estate Accounting
We complete the necessary HMRC returns and calculations, referring to your accountant or ours where specialist tax advice is needed. Accurate filings, no penalties, no missed reliefs.
4. Asset & Financial Institution Liaison
We correspond with banks, pension providers, insurers and utility companies on your behalf. Accounts are identified and released faster — without you repeating the same conversation twelve times.
5. Property & Business Assets
Where the estate includes a home, land, or a business interest, we coordinate with valuers, conveyancers and our corporate colleagues. Complicated assets are dealt with by people who handle them every day.
6. Contested or Sensitive Estates
Multiple beneficiaries, blended families, concerns about a will’s validity, or absent family members. Sensitive situations are managed lawfully and calmly, protecting family relationships where possible.
Why Executors and Families Choose Us
Fixed Fees, Confirmed in Writing
Our charges are agreed before work begins — not discovered after it ends. Because our overheads are lower than a conventional firm’s, our fixed fees are much lower for comparable work.
A Consistent Point of Contact
You work with the same person from first call to final distribution. No re-explaining your circumstances to a new voice each time. Enquiries are answered the same working day.
Relevant Private Client Experience
Our team regularly handles wills, powers of attorney, trusts and estate administration daily and we select the right partners where we appropriate.
Accessible, Not Institutional
No marble reception, no chargeable six-minute phone calls. Straight answers in plain English, by phone, email or video — wherever you are in England or Wales.
From First Call to Final Distribution
Step 1 — Free Consultation and Written Quote
Tell us about the estate — the will (if any), the assets, the family circumstances. We assess the work honestly, including whether you need us at all. Your fixed-fee quote follows in writing.
Step 2 — Instruction and Estate Information
We confirm our engagement, take your instructions, and gather the information the estate requires: asset values, liabilities, and beneficiary details. We prepare the HMRC returns where needed.
Step 3 — Grant of Probate
We prepare and submit the application to the Probate Registry and track it through to issue. Once granted, the legal authority to collect assets, settle debts and transfer the estate is in place.
Step 4 — Administration and Distribution
We gather in the assets, discharge liabilities and tax, then distribute the estate to beneficiaries. You receive a clear final account showing everything received, paid and transferred.
Transparent Fixed-Fee Pricing
We believe cost uncertainty is the single biggest problem in probate services — that’s why we charge fixed fees.
| Package | Typical Estate | What’s Included | Fixed Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant of Probate Only | Executor needs court authority, then wishes to self-administer | Application, legal declaration, HMRC return if required | Upon enquiry |
| Full Estate Administration | Standard estate, UK assets, cooperative beneficiaries | Everything above, plus asset collection, debt settlement, distribution, final account | 2.5% of estate |
| Complex or Sensitive Estates | Business interests, disputes, multiple properties, tax complexity | Bespoke scope agreed after initial assessment | Upon enquiry |
Notes on pricing:
- Disbursements (Probate Registry fee, certified copies, official searches) are charged at cost and itemised in your quote.
- If the scope changes materially during the administration — for example, a dispute arises — we shall agree any revised fee with you in writing before proceeding. .
- Fees are normally payable from the estate, not from your own pocket.
A Calm Word About Doing It Yourself
There is genuine DIY probate: the Probate Registry allows personal applications, and for very small, simple estates it can work well.
But for most estates, self-administration carries real and rarely advertised risks:
- Executor liability. Executors are personally liable for errors — distributing assets before debts are settled, or underpaying inheritance tax, can leave you footing the bill personally.
- Tax exposure. Missed reliefs or miscalculated returns attract HMRC penalties and interest. Professional preparation costs less than correcting these errors.
- Longer timelines. First-time administrators typically spend many hours navigating unfamiliar procedures. Meanwhile assets sit frozen and beneficiaries wait.
- Family friction. Ambiguity in how an estate is handled is one of the most common triggers for disputes between relatives. Clear documentation protects relationships as well as assets.
Off-the-shelf probate kits and online wills solve the “getting started” problem, but they cannot tell you what your specific estate requires. That judgement — and the responsibility for it — still sits with you.
The reassurance: instructing us does not mean surrendering control. You stay informed during the process and approve the major decisions. We simply carry the procedural weight and the risk of error.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How much does probate cost in the UK?
Fees vary widely. Many firms charge hourly rates for full administration; percentage-of-estate charging is also common and expensive on larger estates. We quote one fixed fee, in writing, based on the actual complexity of your estate.
Do I legally need a lawyer to handle probate?
No — personal applications are permitted. The better question is whether the responsibilities suit you: executor liability, tax returns, and multi-party correspondence are all yours if you self-administer. Many executors delegate the process while retaining full oversight.
Can you review what another firm has quoted us?
Yes. If you have received a percentage-based or hourly estimate elsewhere, send it to us. We shall tell you whether our fixed fee would be lower for the same work..
Who actually does the work?
Your matter is handled by our private client team and we select chosen partners to work with where applicable.
What if the family disagrees about the estate?
Disagreements are more common than people expect, and early professional handling often prevents escalation. We administer contested or sensitive estates regularly and can coordinate with mediators where needed.