Kenneth is the head of our private client work specialising in Wills and probate. He has been working in this area since he qualified and has helped thousands of families and individuals.

Kenneth qualified as a solicitor in 2001, is a notary and has completed professional development courses in probate, estate administration, residential conveyancing and notarial.

Kenneth supervises the wills and probate department.

For Kenneth’s full biography and testimonials, please click here.

Shahida joined Curtis Parkinson in 2021 and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives who are known for being a global leader and innovator within the legal sector, setting high professional and ethical standards and driving greater diversity in the profession.

Shahida approach to each client is a personal one. Her ethos towards her work reflects the same and will work towards the best interest of each client.

We normally charge on a time-spent basis for the work that we undertake
(prices below are exclusive of VAT):

• Solicitor with 8 years post qualification experience – £295.00 per hour
• Solicitor & Chartered Legal Executive (FCILEx) with 4 years post qualification experience – £260.00 per hour
• Other Solicitors & Legal Executives and fee-earners of equivalent experience – £240.00 per hour
• Trainee Solicitor, Paralegals & fee-earners of equivalent experience – £160.00 per hour

We’re able to provide a fixed fee quotation for some types of work but it will depend on your individual case. As a guide, we’ve provided some examples of typical fixed fee probate matters below.

It should be noted, whilst we try our best to cover all bases when we provide a fixed fee quotation, the final cost may change if the information we’re given is incorrect or if circumstances change.

Estate Value £200,000
Obtaining Grant of Probate & Estate Administration

Our legal fees for obtaining the Grant of Probate are £750.00 +VAT. We anticipate this will take between 4 and 10 hours of work at £295 per hour.
Total cost estimated at £1,930.00 to £3,700.00 (+VAT).

The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property, and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end.

This cost estimate assumes we’ll handle the full process

For estates where:

1. There is a valid will
2. There is no more than one property
3. There are no more than 4 bank or building society accounts
4. There are no other intangible assets
5. There are 1-4 beneficiaries
6. There are no disputes between beneficiaries on the division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
7. There is no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
8. There are no claims made against the estate

Expenses or Disbursements

Expenses are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Probate Application fees. We handle the payment of the Expenses on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. The following are a list of common expenses, it will depend on your circumstances as to which are relevant.

Expenses not included in the cost estimate above

1. Probate Court Fee
   (application fee for probate unless the estate is less than £5,000.00, when there is no fee) – £273.00. Further copies are charged at £1.50 each.
2. Settling Fee
   (if the oath required for probate or affidavit requires checking) – £12.00
3. Identity Verification
   Mandatory (Anti Money Laundering electronic verification per person required – England only) – £25.00 + VAT
4. Certainty Will Search
   (To search to see if there is a Will or later Will) – £99.00 + VAT (approximate)
5. S27 Statutory Notice
   (To advertise for unknown claims & creditors) – £200.00 + VAT (approximate)
6. Unclaimed Asset Search
   (Check if there are any other assets, you’re not aware of) – £200.00 + VAT (approximate)
7. HM Land Registration Fee
   (Depending on the type of application and value of property/consideration – Check Fee) – £40.00 (approximate)
8. Copy Property Title
   (To check ownership of the property at HM Land Registry) £6.00

Potential Additional Costs

1. If there is no Will or the estate consists of any shareholdings (stocks and bonds) there is likely to be additional costs that could range significantly 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.
2. If any additional copies of the grant are required, they will cost £1.50
   (1 per asset usually).
3. Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.

A few factors can affect the complexity of an Estate. For example, whether there’s a Will, how many Beneficiaries there are, and the value and nature of the assets.

Some of our clients prefer the option of a fixed fee so that they have certainty. As you might expect, depending on individual circumstances, the costs involved in handling the process will vary.

However, to help you understand our pricing structure, we’ve listed below four typical examples of estates valued within the current Inheritance Tax (IHT) threshold of £325,000. You will see a headline price, that includes our fees, VAT, and associated third-party expenses or disbursements.

Example One – Estate Value £200,000
Obtaining Grant of Probate ONLY

• 1 Valid Will
• 1 property
• 2 bank accounts
• No liabilities
• 2 Executors
• 2 Beneficiaries (assuming they are also Executors)

Total Estate value £200,000

BREAKDOWN OF COSTS

Legal fees £750 (to obtain Grant)
VAT on legal fees £150
Electronic ID checks (two) £50.00 +VAT (£25 +VAT each)
VAT on ID checks (two) £10.00 (£5 each)
Expenses / Disbursements (£278.50)

1. Probate Court Fee – £273.00
2. Bankruptcy – £4.00 (£2.00 each)
3. Probate copy £1.50 (each)

Please note – there are also several additional optional searches we can perform. For a guide to these, please see Optional Searches below.

TOTAL COST FOR EXAMPLE ONE: a fixed fee of £1,238.50 (inc. all expenses and VAT).

This fee includes:

1. Curtis Parkinson obtains the grant of probate
2. The client administers the estate, collects the assets, and distributes to the Beneficiaries

Example Two – Estate Value £200,000
Obtaining Grant of Probate & Estate Administration and where short-form IHT 205 is required (includes collecting and distributing assets)

• Valid Will
• 1 property
• 2 bank accounts
• No liabilities
• 2 Executors
• 4 Beneficiaries (different to Executors)

Total Estate value £200,000

BREAKDOWN OF COSTS

Legal fees (to obtain Grant) £750.00
VAT on legal fees £150.00
Legal fees (for administration) £1475.00 (5 hours at hourly rate)
VAT on legal fees £295.00
Electronic ID checks (six) £150.00 +VAT (£25.00 +VAT Each)
VAT on ID checks (six) £30.00 (£5 each)
Expenses / Disbursements (£332.50):

1. Probate Court Fee – £273.00
2. Bankruptcy – £12.00 (£2.00 each)
3. Land Registry Fee – £40.00
4. HM Land Registry Fee (copy title to check ownership) – £6.00
5. Probate copy £1.50 (each)

Please note – there are also several additional optional searches we can perform. For a guide to these, please see Optional Searches below.

TOTAL COST FOR EXAMPLE TWO: a fixed fee of £3,182.50 (inc. all expenses and VAT).

This fee includes:

1. Curtis Parkinson obtains the grant of probate
2. Curtis Parkinson administers the estate by collecting assets and distributing to the Beneficiaries

This fee does not include sale of property, only transfer of registered land to Beneficiaries

Example Three – Estate Value £450,000
Obtaining Grant of Probate ONLY and where no Inheritance Tax is payable but IHT400 form is applicable

• Valid Will
• 1 property
• 2 bank accounts
• No liabilities
• 2 Executors
• 4 Beneficiaries

Total Estate value £450,000

BREAKDOWN OF COSTS

Legal fees £1500.00 (to obtain Grant)
VAT on legal fees £300.00
Electronic ID checks (two) £50.00 +VAT (£25.00 +VAT each)
VAT on ID checks (two) £10.00 (£5 each)
Expenses / Disbursements (£278.50):

1. Probate Court Fee – £273.00
2. Bankruptcy – £4.00 (£2.00 each)
3. Probate copy £1.50 (each)

Please note – there are also several additional optional searches we can perform. For a guide to these, please see Optional Searches below. 

TOTAL COST FOR EXAMPLE THREE: a fixed fee of £ 2138.50 (inc. expenses and VAT).

This fee includes:

1. Curtis Parkinson obtains the grant of probate
2. The client administers the estate, collects the assets and distributes to the Beneficiaries

Example Four – Estate Value £750,000
Obtaining Probate & Estate Administration, where long-form IHT 400 is required (and Inheritance tax is payable) and includes the administration of the estate

• Valid Will
• 1 property
• 4 bank accounts
• No liabilities
• 2 Executors
• 6 Beneficiaries

Total Estate value £750,000

BREAKDOWN OF COSTS

Legal fees £1,500.00 (to obtain Gant)
VAT on legal fees £300.00
Legal fees (for administration) £2,950.00 (10 hours at hourly rate)
VAT on legal fees £590.00
Electronic ID checks (six) £150.00 +VAT (£25.00 +VAT each)
VAT on ID checks (six) £30.00 (£5 each)
Expenses / Disbursements (£332.50 in total):

1. Probate Court Fee – £273.00
2. Bankruptcy – £16.00 (£2.00 each)
3. HM Land Registry Fee – £40.00
4. HM Land Registry Fee (copy title to check ownership) – £6.00
5. Probate copy £1.50 (each)

Please note – there are also several additional optional searches we can perform. For a guide to these, please see Optional Searches below.

TOTAL COST FOR EXAMPLE FOUR: a fixed fee of £5,852.50‬ (inc. expenses and VAT).

This fee includes:

1. Curtis Parkinson obtains the grant of probate
2. Curtis Parkinson administers the estate by collecting assets and distributing to the Beneficiaries

This fee does not include the sale of property, only transfer of registered land to Beneficiaries

How long will the Probate process take?

It’s difficult to set a timescale for probate and administration, but if you have any expectations you must let us know when instructing.

On average, estates such as the one in our example above would be settled within 3-6 months. Where there’s no requirement for HM Revenue & Customs to provide a certificate for probate the process is more straightforward and would generally take between 4-8 weeks.

Once probate is received or the property is sold, finalising administration will normally take around 4-8 weeks.

Stages of the process

As circumstances vary, the probate process will also vary. At the outset, we will explain fully when you become a client.

However, as a guide, we’ve listed below the most common stages in the process:

1. You instruct us and provide all necessary identification evidence
2. Pay any money required on account of costs and expenses
3. You provide details of the estate
4. We verify the details of the estate
5. We carry out searches and identification checks
6. Obtain further information if required
7. Make an application for probate
8. Close accounts and settle liabilities
9. Prepare estate accounts for approval by you
10. Distribute to beneficiaries

Optional Searches

Statutory Notice

Statutory Notice requires creditors and claimants to come forward within 2 months. If you do not and should not have known about the debt, you can then distribute it without being personally liable as executor/administrator. Without this, you will be personally liable even if you have distributed the estate.

The cost is approximately £200.00 + VAT.

Unclaimed Assets Search

An Unclaimed Assets Search is a thorough search of accounts that the deceased may have held, without this you may be at fault for not making a thorough search and become personally liable if other accounts come to light at a later date.

The cost is approximately £200.00 + VAT.

Certainty Will Search

This performs a National Will Register search.
It includes a REACH search that contacts solicitors closest to the deceased last known addresses and places they may have made their Will. If a will cannot be located it places a Missing Will Notification on the Certainty Missing Will Register (accessible by solicitors only). Without this, you may be at fault for not making a thorough search and become personally liable if another Will (or a Will) comes to light at a later date and you have dealt with the estate incorrectly.

The Approximate cost is £99.00 + VAT.

PERSONAL FINANCIAL DANGER TO YOU!

If you do not carry out the Certainty Will Search and there is a later Will (or a Will), these are some of the possible consequences for you:

1. The cost of dealing with the administration of the estate and correcting
2. If you have paid out monies to the wrong beneficiaries – you may have to pay this out of your own monies to pay to the correct beneficiaries
3. You could be sued for negligence and or breach of fiduciary duty
4. You may have sold items, property and the real beneficiaries would not have wanted you to do – you may have to try to correct this or pay compensation

There are many other risks and you are personally responsible out of your own monies!!!

Tax Liability

There are various taxes that can be relevant to an estate, it is case-specific.

Inheritance Tax

We will always advise which tax is applicable to the estate in question. For an overview, please visit Direct Gov – Inheritance Tax.

Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax

If income tax or capital gains tax is applicable, we can obtain a quote and instruct an accountant on your behalf to deal with tax returns.

Risk Assessments & Fee Assumptions

1. There is no dispute and you are instructing us in your proposed capacity as Executor/Administrator and will provide us with all the information in a diligent manner and co-operate with us diligently throughout.
2. If new or unforeseen matters come to light you must notify us immediately so that our risk assessments and costs can be revised.
3. If you do not instruct us to undertake bankruptcy searches, will search, unclaimed assets search and enter a statutory notice the risk to you personally increases.
4. If the deceased was in receipt of any benefits which were means-tested i.e., they only received them due to their level of savings and or income
5. You must obtain clearance from the DWP prior to distributing any monies. Essentially, if the deceased claimed benefits that they were not entitled to in life then the DWP can and will request these back. You as the administrator are personally responsible for this and if you have distributed the estate and can’t recover it from the beneficiaries it WILL come out of your own monies! It can take over 6 months to deal with a claim from DWP or get clearance.
6. All beneficiaries are co-operative and diligent – if not, they can increase the time on your matter considerably.

Common factors that increase cost & time

1. Property Sale – you will need to agree to a separate fee with our conveyancing department
2. Disputes & disagreements
3. Delay in providing accurate documentation or information requested
4. New matters arising
5. DWP investigating the estate
6. HM Revenue & Customs investigating the estate
7. Tax returns being required

Disputes between beneficiaries can be extremely frustrating, particularly where the dispute itself is arguably disproportionate. In those circumstances, the Executor(s)/administrator(s) have one of two options:

1. Either leave the beneficiaries to ‘fight it out’ and you hold the estate assets (or enough assets without delaying payment to other beneficiaries) pending determination of the dispute, or
2. Where the dispute is causing unnecessary delays and neither beneficiary is willing to issue proceedings, the Executor(s)/administrator(s) may threaten and, if necessary, seek court directions

In these circumstances where we are the Executor(s)/administrator(s), we may apply to the Court for directions, the costs of which will be borne by the Estate. If you are the Executor(s)/administrator(s) and you refuse to make an application to the court if so advised, we may in our absolute discretion terminate our retainer. We will have to revise our costs estimate if disputes arise, they can take a considerable time and cost to resolve.

It is part of our business plan that where we receive a commission from an Independent Financial Adviser that you agree to this commission being paid

to and retained by us and shall belong to us without us having to account to you for the receipt of the monies.

If we receive a commission, you will be notified in writing of the amount and terms. Upon notification, you agree that your irrevocable consent is then given, and such commission may be retained by us, without our being liable to account to you for it.

In doing so you allow us to maintain reasonable fees in relation to the foundation fees however the receipt or not or the size of the commission has no influence upon us in relation to the choice of Independent Financial Adviser.