Regulatory and Pricing Information

Business

Our charges are based upon the time we spend in dealing with a matter. The hourly rate for our specialist Solicitor would be £180 plus VAT. Should it become necessary for applications to be issued at Court, Court fees would be payable to HM Courts & Tribunal Services. Court fees vary and the fee earner dealing with your matter will be able to supply you with information as to Court costs should the need arise.

Court Claims

For work we carry out in respect of an unpaid invoice where the amount due is not disputed and enforcement action is not required our costs will start at £500 plus VAT. Our costs will range upwards if the other party disputes your claim at any point and we will discuss any further work required providing you with revised advice about costs if necessary, which could be on a fixed fee (e.g. if a one off letter is required), or an hourly rate if more extensive work is needed.

Debt value Court fee
Up to £5,000.00 £35 – £205
£5,001 – £10,000 £455
£10,001 – £50,000 5% of the value of the claim

Anyone wishing to proceed with a claim should note that:

  • The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor.
  • Interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding, with a higher cost.
  • The costs quoted above are not for matters where enforcement action, such as the bailiff, is needed to collect your debt.

Our fee includes:

  • Taking your instructions and reviewing documentation
  • Where relevant undertaking solvency searches
  • Sending a letter before action
  • Receiving payment and sending onto you, or if the debt is not paid, drafting and issuing claim
  • Where no Acknowledgment of Service or Defence is received, applying to the court to enter Judgement in default
  • When Judgement in default is received, to correspond with the other party to request payment
  • If payment is not received within 28 days, providing you with advice on next steps and providing details of anticipated costs

Matters may take many weeks from receipt of instructions from you to recover of payment of outstanding sums from the other party, depending on whether or not it is necessary to issue a claim. This is on the presumption that the other party pays promptly on receipt of Judgement in default. If enforcement action is needed, the matter will take significantly longer to resolve.

Samuel Brown is the principal Solicitor with over 10 years of experience.


Individuals

Residential Conveyancing

    • Our costs for acting in the purchase of a freehold residential property starts from £595 plus VAT. These costs range upwards.
    • The charges are based upon the complexity of the purchase ie. Leasehold, new build plot purchase, barn conversion etc and the consideration for the property.
    • The anticipated expenses in the purchase of a freehold property in Wolverhampton by a First Time Buyer purchasing a Freehold registered property at circa £150,000 would be:-
      Local Authority Search £71.00
      Coal Mining Report £43.60
      Environmental Search £61.20
      Severn Trent Drainage Search £56.40
      HMLR Application Fee £95.00
      HMLR Official Searches £5.00
    • Stamp Duty Land Tax (on purchase)This 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 located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority’s website.

      The speed of the transaction will be determined by issues affecting other parties in the chain. For example, if you are a first time buyer, purchasing a new build property with a mortgage in principle, it should be one of the quicker transactions. However, if you are buying a leasehold property which are typically more involved due to liaison with other third parties such as the freehold owner or management company, this can take significantly longer.

    • Stages of the processThe precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, below are those usually encountered:
      • Taking instructions and providing initial advice to you
      • Receipt of and advising upon contract documents
      • Carrying out searches
      • Obtaining further planning documentation if required
      • Making any necessary enquiries of seller’s solicitor
      • Providing you advice on all documents and information received
      • Going through conditions of the mortgage offer with you
      • Sending final documents to you or meeting with you to discuss the documents for signature
      • Seeking to agree a completion date (date from which you own the property)
      • Exchanging contracts and notifying you that this has happened
      • Arranging for all monies needed to be received from lender and you
      • Completing purchase
      • Dealing with payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax
      • Dealing with application for registration of your ownership of the property at Land Registry
    • Additional Possible Expenses for Leasehold transactions
      • Notice of Transfer fee – this fee is payable to the Landlord/Management Company whose costs would need to be ascertained
      • Notice of Charge fee (if the property is to be mortgaged) – This fee is payable to the Landlord/Management Company whose costs would need to be ascertained
      • Deed of Covenant fee – This fee is payable to the Landlord/Management Company whose costs would need to be ascertained
      • There may be additional fees payable depending upon the terms of the Lease

Our fee assumes that:

    1. this is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including for example (but not limited to) a defect in title which requires remedying prior to completion or the preparation of additional documents ancillary to the main transaction
    2. this is the assignment of an existing lease and is not the grant of a new lease
    3. the transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complications arise
    4. all parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation
    5. no indemnity policies are required to address defects in title. Additional expenses may apply if indemnity policies are required
  • The anticipated expenses in the sale of a freehold registered property would be:-HMLR Official Copies £6.00
  • The transactions are allocated internally based upon the nature of the transaction by experienced Conveyancers and Solicitors all of whom are members of the Conveyancing Quality Scheme. The industry views upon the average transaction times vary. Frequent opinion is expressed at an average time of 8 – 12 weeks but some commentators have now suggested it may be 16 weeks.
  • Angus Smillie is Head of Conveyancing and based at our Bridgnorth office. Angus is a Solicitor with in excess of 30 years post-qualification experience. Scott Vanes is also a qualified Solicitor specialising in residential conveyancing from our Bridgnorth office. Scott also attends to enfranchisement, Lease extensions and other aspects of leasehold conveyancing having trained with a national firm in Birmingham.
  • Alex Thompson, a qualified Solicitor, is supervising Director of Conveyancing at our Wolverhampton office and Katherine Watson is an experienced Conveyancer of 20 years. Nikyle Bains is a Conveyancing Paralegal.

Probate

  • Our costs for acting in obtaining a Grant of Probate on behalf of the Executors named in a Will start from £500 plus VAT but this will depend upon the complexity of the Estate and value and nature of the assets within it. Our costs will range upwards from this if you would wish us to act in the administration of the Estate itself and such cost will depend on the anticipated work involved. Please contact us to discuss the nature of your matter and we can advise as to our costs in more detail.Common expenses would include:-
    • £155 (HM Courts & Tribunal Service Probate fee)
    • £7 (Oath for Executors where there is a Will and one Executor)
    • £1 (Bankruptcy Search per Beneficiary)

    Our fees would typically include:-

    • Providing you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter
    • Identifying the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries
    • Accurately identifying the type of Probate application you will require
    • Obtaining the relevant documents required to make the application
    • Completing the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms for the Executors approval
    • Drafting a legal oath for you to swear
    • Making the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
    • Obtaining the Grant of Representation
    • Collecting all known assets in the estate, discharging liabilities
    • Preparing Estate Accounts and distributing the Estate

    The time taken upon each stage of work will inherently vary with the different aspects of each matter. Once we are able to submit the application for the Grant of Representation it takes approximately 14 – 28 days for the Grant to be produced. Thereafter it is our experience that most institutions should release the monies held within a further 14 – 28 days of our request for closure of the accounts. The Executors may then be in a position to authorise an interim distribution to the Beneficiaries.

    Alex Thompson is the Head of our Probate Department with 18 years post-qualification experience, as is Angus Smillie with over 30 years experience.

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