SRA price transparency

SRA Transparency Rules – Maurice Turnor Gardner’s fees for Probate, Immigration and Residential Real Estate

Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP works as efficiently as possible and only charges for the time we spend on a matter and relevant third party expenses, which are listed below in relation to Probate, Immigration and residential Real Estate.

Our fees include all time recorded in our time keeping system and we are always willing and able to provide a breakdown of time spent by each person, together with expenses and any other costs. Hourly rates charged by the firm range from £290 for trainees (and, in the case of our real estate practice, £380 for Chartered Legal Executives) to £835 for senior partners. In addition, VAT at a rate of 20% is charged on our fees and related third party expenses where required under UK law. We charge on a cost recovery basis for third party expenses.

We will normally provide cost estimates at the outset of all matters. These cost estimates are not capped or fixed fees and our actual costs may be more or less than the estimated amount. The conduct of other parties and other unexpected complications which emerge during the course of the matter may affect both the cost of our work and how long it takes for the matter to be concluded. We monitor the time recorded and advise our clients if the estimate is likely to be exceeded.

Probate Work

The Process

When a person dies, those dealing with their estate are generically called the personal representatives. In its simplest form, their role is to collect in and distribute all the assets of the deceased in accordance with their Will or the intestacy provisions. This is a two-stage process:

Obtaining the grant: the personal representatives must prove that they have the right to deal with the deceased’s assets: this is generically called obtaining the grant of representation. The inheritance tax return must be sent, and any inheritance tax due must be paid, to HMRC before an application can be made for the grant of representation. Our services for obtaining the grant will include drafting and submitting the inheritance tax return and the Application Form for the grant which the personal representatives must sign or approve.
Administration of the estate: the personal representatives must then identify and collect in the deceased’s assets (this may include their home, personal belongings, bank account balances, investments etc.), pay the outstanding liabilities of the deceased and then distribute the balance according to the deceased’s Will or, if there is no Will, the laws of intestacy.

Our Specialties

We advise on a wide range of complex probates often involving international aspects and high values. We are well-placed to assist and support personal representatives, executors and families during this inevitably difficult time. We also advise private banks on the legal, practical and tax issues which are relevant to them in the event of the death of a client.

Even the simplest of probate processes may take up to a year to complete, for example, up to six months to obtain the grant of representation and a further six months to collect in and distribute all of the assets in the deceased’s estate. The administration of an estate with multiple, including jurisdictional, complexities may take much longer, with legal fees in excess of £100,000 (plus VAT) depending on the nature and situs of the assets and any claims or potential claims by third parties.

Our Fees

We charge for our services on a time spent basis with reference to the hours recorded in our time keeping system and the seniority of the individual involved. Hourly rates range from £290 (plus VAT) per hour for a trainee to £835 for a senior partner. We do not charge a percentage of the value of the estate.

The Team

The team working on a probate matter will usually consist of a partner, an associate and often a trainee. Click here to see details of the leading members of our probate team who will be assisted by one or more individuals whose profiles and experience can be seen via the people page on our website. The names of the people advising you would be set out in the engagement letter if you instructed us.

Third Party Expenses

Typical third party expenses in probate matters which may be charged in addition to our fees include:

the probate application fee of £300 plus £1.50 for each sealed copy of the grant required if the value of the estate exceeds £5000.
placing advertisements to protect against unexpected claims from unknown creditors (£200 – £400)
valuation fees (ranging from £500 (plus VAT) to £20,000 (plus VAT) depending on the situs and nature of the asset.
translation costs (£200 – £500 (plus VAT))

Inheritance tax and any other taxes are charged in addition to our fees and will vary depending on the size and the nature of the assets in the estate.

Depending on each individual client, different levels of help will be required. Some wish and are able to act independently in the administration, but others may require assistance at each stage of the process. Our level of involvement will significantly affect the level of fees we charge as more hours will be expended where the personal representatives are in need of more support in the administration period.

Timescales

No individual’s personal financial affairs are exactly the same and our fees will reflect the personal representatives’ particular requirements in the circumstances, as will the time it takes to gather the information required to apply for a grant of representation or administer an estate. Factors which can affect the amount we charge and how long the administration process will take include:

The nature of the assets in the estate.
Whether any assets are held overseas.
Whether the deceased died in the UK or abroad.
The domicile of the deceased.
Whether there is a valid Will.
Whether the validity of the Will is called into question.
Whether the executors named in the Will are willing and able to act.
Whether UK inheritance tax (or the equivalent in another country) is payable.
Whether any reliefs or exemptions from inheritance tax apply.
The deceased’s marital status.
Whether there are any dispositions to charity in the Will.
The amount and type of liabilities outstanding against the estate.
The level of support the personal representatives require in relation to the administration. Some personal representatives may wish to undertake much of the work themselves or through their accountants.
Actions and behaviours of third parties such as the probate registry, HMRC, companies in which the deceased held an interest and banks with which the deceased had accounts.
The identity and number of beneficiaries under the Will and whether there are any beneficiaries who are unhappy with the provisions of the Will.
Whether all of the beneficiaries, executors or administrators of the estate can be found.
Whether any of the beneficiaries, executors or administrators reside overseas.
The relevance of any trusts, either ongoing or newly created by the Will.
Whether there are any claims against the estate by dependents of the deceased.
The quality of financial records kept by or available in respect of the deceased.

These variable factors make it very difficult to provide a meaningful estimate before we know the particular circumstances. However, based on our experience, we have set out below examples of typical fee estimates up to the grant of representation. The amount of work involved in administering the estate after the grant depends entirely on the complexity of the estate.

UK resident and domiciled deceased (no foreign element)	Range of fees up to application for grant (ex. VAT at 20%) £
With valid UK Will
Excepted estate [1] – no inheritance tax (IHT)	3,500 – 6000
Simple estate (no APR, BPR [2] or other IHT reliefs (save spouse exemption))	6,000 – -14,000
More complex estate (including IHT reliefs)	14,000 – 30,000
Additional charge for drafting supplementary deeds relating to the distribution of the estate	2,500 – 7,500
No Will
Excepted estate – no inheritance tax	4,000 – 9,000
Simple estate (no APR, BPR or other IHT reliefs (save spouse exemption))	8,900 – 18,000
More complex estate (including IHT reliefs)	15,000 – 30,000
The above estimates assume the following:
Instructions received and documents provided in a timely manner
Charge covers: Initial information gathering and meeting with executors/intending administrators. Collating details of the deceased’s assets and liabilities with help from intending representatives and liaising with other professional advisers e.g. accountants and investment managers Applying (if necessary) for an IHT reference Preparation of IHT return. Preparation of Application Form for grant. Filing IHT returns and supporting documents with HMRC. Assistance in organising payment of IHT. Charges do not cover The preparation of income and capital gains tax returns for either The deceased (for the period up until the date of death); or The estate (during the period of administration) The production of full estate accounts.

Examples of more complex work in which we specialise (for which we would charge at an hourly rate, and which are not included in the ranges given above) include:

Considering and advising on the application of APR and BPR.
Working with foreign lawyers to deal with foreign assets whether or not administered by an English Will.
Making arrangements so that changes to the distribution of the estate are as effective as if they were made in the Will.
Advising the beneficiaries of estates on their own personal tax position and how they may structure their affairs efficiently.
Advising executors and beneficiaries in contentious probates.
Negotiating and reaching settlements with HMRC.

Immigration

Our services

The Immigration team at Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP principally advises individuals and their families on their inbound UK immigration status. This advice also extends to commercial businesses, funds and family investment companies on their UK inbound immigration needs for their executives or their wider staff, or as part of wider business strategy.

Immigration advice at Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP can be a stand-alone practice area, or it can be combined with another speciality area, such as UK tax. At all times, estimates provided will be split between the relevant practice area, and all estimates will be provided with an immigration estimate (where that practice area is required).

Advice and assistance regarding outbound immigration applications for countries other than the UK can be provided but any assistance with these types of questions will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and with the support of advisors in the relevant country who specialise in immigration law. For any outbound work, a scope of service will be provided, and a fee estimate will be provided on a bespoke basis (and hence it is not listed below). However, it is anticipated that support with a project of this nature is likely to incur fees exceeding £8,000.

A key specialism of the team at Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP is obtaining entry clearance for HNW and UHNW clients who require bespoke advice and support with their immigration needs (UK inbound and outbound) for themselves, their families and their staff (both domestic and employees in their businesses). The advice provided is entirely dedicated to providing them with solutions that fit their needs and their timescales. The team has an abundance of experience advising clients on all of the legal and practical aspects of the immigration process, from assessing and compiling their applications through to obtaining the relevant permissions for them and their families to come to the UK. The advice provided is always bespoke to each family’s discrete circumstances.

Team

The immigration team is managed and supervised by Colin Senez, Counsel and Head of the Immigration team. He is supported by the client Partner on each individual file, along with at least an Associate, a Trainee or a Paralegal providing him with assistance as and when required and depending on the complexity of the matter in question.

The key members of the Immigration team are:

For each specific matter, the names of the people advising you would be set out in the engagement letter along with their up to date charge out rates. From time to time, we may need to add different lawyers to your team who were not included in the letter of engagement, but each letter of engagement will set out the charge out rates of the team members who are liable to join the team by virtue of their position within the firm. Usually, we try to avoid changing members of your team so that you receive consistent advice, but in some circumstances (for example, because of illness or holiday, this cannot be avoided).

Fees

Our team charges for our services on a time spent basis with reference to the hours recorded in our time keeping system. Your fee estimate or fixed fee would be agreed prior to us formalising our engagement with you. This fee estimate will be determined by how many hours we expect to spend on your matter. As you can expect, fee estimates are just estimates, and the actual amount included could be lower or higher. To the extent that the fees will be higher, your usual contact at the firm will speak to you about this.

The matter will always be supervised by a Partner, and work will be completed by fee-earners with different levels of experience, but each fee-earner supporting will have the necessary experience to assist on the file depending on the complexity of the matter in question. This will be determined by the Partner, or the Head of the Department.

The fee quotes are calculated by using an average hourly rate to reflect the involvement of different lawyers with differing experience levels, along with the average time it will take them to complete the work. Hourly rates range from £290 (plus VAT) per hour for a trainee to £835 (plus VAT) for a senior partner. The time spent by lawyers at different levels will vary depending on a number of factors including the complexity and nature of the matter. The fee estimates envisage the use of lawyers at appropriate levels. If a specific request is provided asking for a more experienced lawyer beyond that which is considered appropriate by the team, then the estimate will be adjusted accordingly.

Any fee estimate provided assumes the applicant meets the requirements of the Immigration Rules or the wider legislation as relevant without requiring discretion to be exercised by a Home Office caseworker. It also does not assume protracted correspondence with the Home Office. It also assumes there are no other factors which make the application more complex such as a criminal record or a history of non-compliance with UK immigration.

The exact number of hours it will take depends on the circumstances in your case. This can include how difficult the legal questions involved are, how quickly the matter needs to be resolved, the level of evidence that needs to be submitted and prepared with the application, if a quick response is required for the application including sourcing support from third party services to either accelerate an appointment or to source evidence more quickly, where the immigration history of the applicant is complex, if a Barrister is required to support a case or whether the matter is refused and falls to appeal.

The estimates below include a range for a normal application in the given route. Fixed fees are unusual and are only provided in special circumstances and must be agreed in advance with the Partner. The team reserves the right to discuss fee arrangements with the applicant even if a fixed fee has been agreed. No applications are exactly the same and our fees will reflect the applicant’s particular circumstances. These variable requirements make it difficult to provide a meaningful estimate before we know the particular circumstances. However, based on our experience, we have set out below examples of typical fee estimates:

(NB: the fees below are estimates for single applications only. Multiple application estimates should be discussed with your contact as in some circumstances, the subsequent applications can have a reduced estimate if some of the work completed can be transferred to the next application).

Route	Range of fees (excl. VAT at 20%) £
Skilled Worker Visa
Application for a sponsor licence (along with applications for certificates)	£16,000 – £20,000
(a) Application for a temporary licence under the “UK Expansion Worker visa”	£18,000 – £24,000
(b) Upgrade from a temporary licence to a full sponsor licence	£8,000 – £10,000
Skilled Worker visa application (employee)	£4,000 – £6,000
Skilled Worker dependant	£2,500 – £3,000
Further routes
Student visa (child or adult)	£4,000 – £6,000
Dependant (where available)	£3,000 – £4,000
Innovator visa	£8,000 – £25,000
Ancestry visa	£6,000 – £10,000
Global Talent visa	£10,000 – £20,000
Youth Mobility Scheme	£4,000 – £6,000
Adult Dependant Relative visa	£15,000 – £25,000
EU Settlement Scheme
Applications for pre-settled or settled status under Appendix EU (applications under this category are now assumed as “late” and therefore require additional evidence to support the late claim)	£5,000 – £6,000
Citizenship/Settlement
Applications related to British citizenship (adults)	£8,000 – £10,000
Applications related to British citizenship (children)	£4,000 – £12,000 (variable options affect cost, please enquire with your contact)
Family
Leave to enter or remain under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules (e.g., spouse, fiancé visa)	£8,000 – £10,000
Parent of a child student visa	£4,000 – £5,000
Other
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)	£8,000 – £10,000
ILR dependant	3,850 – 5,000
visit visas	£3,000 – £4,000
Family and/or business immigration strategy	> £10,000
Appeals
Advice and representation for an Administrative Appeal	> £10,000
Advice and representation at the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) in relation to appeals against Home Office visa or immigration decisions	> £25,000

The estimates provided above do not include any disbursements related to your matter. The team will handle the payment of disbursements on your behalf, or if you prefer you can pay these yourself however we will need to be made aware of any payments you make, so you may prefer to allow us to incur disbursements on your behalf and to charge you at cost subsequently. This allows an easier management of the process for all involved. Therefore, and in addition to our fees as estimated above, and depending on the type of application being made, third party expenses charged in addition to our fees for immigration matters can include (but are not limited to) the following. These fees will, of necessity, change from time to time depending on the type of visa application:

the visa application fee,
the Immigration Health Surcharge,
any postage or courier fees,
any translation fees,
counsel’s fees,
any appointment fees for biometric enrolment or otherwise (not including an appointment with your fee earner) to include any premium service fees, or services to accelerate a decision made by the Home Office, and any premium service fees, and
any incidental fees related to the application, for example any “life in the UK” test fees, or approved secure English language test booking fees.

The above is not an exhaustive list and is given by way of example only. Any costs to be incurred by your team for the purposes of an immigration application will be discussed with you and approved by you before being spent by your fee-earner on your behalf.

For any questions, please contact Colin Senez, or your usual contact at Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP.

Real Estate Work

Our Specialties

We focus on the acquisition, disposal, and letting of high-value residential property for corporate and private clients in the UK and the rest of the world, focusing in particular on the prime central London market.

In addition to sales and purchases, we also take an active role in the management of residential properties and buildings for clients and advise on a range of technical issues encountered in residential property practice. We also have experience of the regulatory and legal issues involved in secured lending in relation to the purchase of such property and are able to advise on such matters. We have additional expertise in the sale and purchase of listed buildings and in relation to leasehold enfranchisement (the statutory regime to extend a long residential lease, to acquire the freehold of a leasehold house and, collectively with other tenants, to acquire the freehold or the right to manage a residential building).

We focus on bespoke, complex transactions often involving listed buildings on London’s main estates involving estate management and restrictive covenant schemes.

This note is prepared on the basis that the transaction consists of a natural person selling to a natural person. We have flagged a number of areas where a purchase from a corporate seller may incur higher fees but transactions involving corporate sellers or purchasers are generally more complex in any event and are likely to incur fees outside the scope of this note.

Key Stages of a Simple Conveyancing Matter

Purchase

Taking initial instructions and providing initial advice aroind surveys, insurance and Stamp Duty Land Tax;
Carrying out searches and undertaking the legal due diligence on the property;
Obtaining planning documents as required;
Liaising with a funding bank’s solicitor and advising on the terms of the legal charge if finance is being obtained or, if permitted by both parties, acting for the lender;
If the property is leasehold, liaising with the landlord if consent to assign (transfer) the lease is required or if the buyer is to covenant directly with the landlord;
Liaising with the agent throughout;
Where applicable, liaising with surveyors, planning consultants and other professionals;
Reporting to the client and liaising in respect of any queries which they may raise;
Agreeing the form of the transaction documents (including drafting the transfer) and reporting on the same;
Agreeing a completion date;
Making the necessary arrangements in respect of funds to be received from the client and lender (where applicable); and
Post-completion, attending to registration formalities and payment of stamp duty land tax.

Sale

Taking initial instructions and providing initial advice;
Preparing the sales pack (including protocol forms and draft contract);
Responding to the additional enquiries raised by the purchaser;
Liaising with the agent throughout;
If the property is leasehold, liaising with the landlord if consent to assign (transfer) the lease is required or if the buyer is to covenant directly with the landlord;
Agreeing the form of the transaction documents;
Undertaking additional searches if required; and
Completing the sale.

Timescales

Timescales for conveyancing are led by our clients. We frequently exchange high-value transactions in five working days or less. However, sometimes due to complexities, perhaps relating to planning issues or tax considerations, clients may wish for transactions to proceed at a slower pace. We endeavour to adhere to our clients’ requested time-frames in each case. Timeframes may also be dependent on external factors such as a funding bank’s review and approval of the title documents and other documentation relating to the transaction.

Our usual timeframe to exchange and complete a transaction is three to six weeks, although this can be more or less and longer completion dates can be agreed if required.

The team

The team working on a conveyancing matter will always be supervised by a partner and will usually also consist of a senior counsel or senior associate or an associate and a trainee or Chartered Legal Executive (depending on the nature and complexity of the matter). The names of the people advising you would be set out in the engagement letter, if you instructed us. Details of the qualifications and experience of the supervisors and lawyers in the team can be obtained by following the link above.

Our Fees

Our fees will reflect the particular requirements of your transaction. Fees will be based on a range of factors, including but not limited to:

The value of the property;
Whether or not the property is listed;
Planning or building regulations issues;
Construction issues;
Whether finance is to be obtained and, if so, whether the bank is to be separately represented;
Whether the land is registered;
Timescales for the transaction;
Whether the transaction requires vacant possession to be first achieved i.e. tenants or third parties to vacate;
Whether the transaction is conditional e.g. conditional on the grant of planning permission;
The future intention for the property e.g. whether the property is to be redeveloped; and
Whether tax advice is required as part of the transaction.

Consequently, it is difficult to provide a meaningful estimate without details of the property and proposed transaction (but circumstances of particular transactions may mean that a quotation is higher e.g. if a purchase involves any element of enfranchisement). However, by way of rough guide, our fees for conveyancing would typically fall within the following ranges:

Purchase: £6,000 for a cash purchase of a non-development freehold property worth up to £2,000,000 to e.g. £40,000 for complex high-value transactions (plus VAT at 20% and disbursements (see further below)).
Sale: £6,000 for a sale of a non-development freehold property worth up to £2,000,000 to e.g. £30,000 for complex high-value transactions (plus VAT at 20% and disbursements).
Re-financing: £3,500 to £5,500 depending on the factors set out above (as applicable) (plus VAT at 20% and disbursements).

Our fees are generally fixed for transactional real estate matters (so we do not charge on the basis of the time incurred) and are based on certain assumptions which are set out in full in our engagement letter (and which we summarise below). Should matters abort we will charge a percentage of the fixed fee based on the point the transaction reached where it had aborted.

For certain matters (usually where matters are more complex or bespoke) we will provide a fee estimate where this is appropriate (so the fee is not fixed and is based on our hourly rates) and the circumstances may result in an estimate being higher or lower depending on matters that emerge during the course of the transaction. We will always advise if particular complications arise which mean that we are likely to exceed our fee estimate.

We will also set out the basis of our charges (whether an estimate or fixed fee) in our engagement letter so you understand how you will be charged for the specific matter.

We will quote for residential conveyancing on the basis of certain assumptions. Some assumptions may be specific to a particular matter, but our usual assumptions for a sale or purchase are as follows:

Exchange and completion take place in accordance with the contract and the timeframe set out in at the outset of the matter;
For sales, we are only required to deal with one purchaser
No unusual issues arise in the negotiation and agreement of the transaction documents and negotiations do not become unduly complicated and/or protracted;
For a purchase, we will assume either that finance will or will not be obtained and, if so, whether the bank will be separately represented;
No unusual planning or construction issues arise;
Our advice is limited to the UK; and
All meetings are held in London.

Exceptionally, for example in the case of the purchase of a corporate vehicle holding high value residential property, our fees will fall outside this range.

Our fees will be based on the hourly rates of our real estate team, which are currently as follows:

Role	Rate
Partner	£670 – £835
Senior Counsel/ Counsel	£635
Senior Associate/ Associate	£405 – £615
Chartered Legal Executive (CILEx)	£380
Trainee	£290
Paralegal	£165

VAT (at 20%) is always charged in addition to our fees and disbursements (where applicable).

Our fees are reviewed annually on 1 May.

Third Party Expenses

Third party expenses are charged in addition to our fees for real estate matters and can include, but are not necessarily limited to:

Land Registry registration and search fees (registration fees range from £20 to £910 (VAT is not payable on these fees), priority searches and obtaining official copies of the register are £7 each and bankruptcy searches are £2 per person) (VAT is not payable on these costs);
Usual conveyancing search fees (by way of example, a suite of searches for a residential property purchase is likely to be in the region of £500 – £1,000 (inclusive of VAT at 20% as applicable) but can in certain circumstances be more);
Indemnity insurance policies (these can range from around £100 for lower-value, boilerplate policies to several thousands of pounds for bespoke policies where the risks involved are higher);
Landlords’ notice fees (payable on the transfer of leasehold property) (these are typically in the region of £75 – £200 (inclusive of VAT and 20%) per notice i.e. for notice of transfer and charge);
Landlord’s management pack (payable on the transfer of leasehold property) (these are typically in the region of £500 – £1,500 (inclusive of VAT at 20%));
Other solicitors’ fees (e.g. a bank or landlord’s solicitor or overseas counsel if a legal opinion is required for a purchase from or to an overseas company) (these can vary significantly depending on the nature of the solicitors’ involvement from, at the lowest end of the scale, £500 to, at the higher end for complex advice, £8,000 (inclusive of VAT (if applicable) at 20%));
Agent’s fees (these will vary significantly depending on the nature and value of the transaction and are usually expressed as a percentage of the value of the property and our experience of commissions in London is generally between 1% and 2% of the sale price (exclusive of VAT at 20% which is charged for in addition to the fee));
Counsel’s fees (these will vary depending on the nature and scope of the advice sought and on Counsel’s experience from approximately £1,500 for a simple, discrete piece of advice to £10,000 for more complex or ongoing advice and we would note that, exceptionally, Counsel’s fees may exceed this range and fees will generally attract VAT at 20%);

Stamp duty land tax (which will depend on the value of the property and the applicable rate and which can be calculated for typical residential conveyancing transactions using HMRC’s online calculator here).

[1] An estate where a full inheritance tax account is not required, where the deceased died on or after 6 April 2004, domiciled in the United Kingdom, and whose gross value (including the deceased’s share of jointly owned assets, any specified transfers and specified exempt transfers) does not exceed the inheritance tax nil rate band or where the gross value of the estate does not exceed £1,000,000 and there can be no liability to inheritance tax, because spouse or civil partner exemption, or charity exemption, bring the estate below the inheritance tax nil rate band or estates of deceased individuals who died on or after 6 April 2002 and who were domiciled outside the UK at the date of their death; had never been domiciled in the UK during their lifetime; had never been deemed domiciled in the UK for the purposes of section 267 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984; and the value of their estate situated in the UK consists only of cash or quoted shares or securities passing under their will or intestacy or by survivorship, the gross value of which does not exceed specified limits.

[2] Agricultural property relief and business property relief from inheritance tax.

Litigation

Debt Recovery Costs Information

In compliance with the SRA Transparency Rules, law firms are required to provide clear and accessible information regarding the costs of certain legal services to help the public and small businesses make informed decisions when selecting legal services. The services we provide which are covered by these rules include debt recovery for businesses.

The fees outlined here apply to standard debt recovery cases involving unpaid invoices, which are undisputed and do not require enforcement action. Our fees are based on hourly rates, calculated by the time spent on the matter. 20% VAT will be added to our fees if applicable, which is non-recoverable from the debtor. Additional costs, known as disbursements, may apply. These are payments made to third parties as part of providing our services. VAT is not applicable to court fees.

Please note that fees may vary depending on the complexity of the case. For example, if counsel’s advice is needed to draft proceedings, fees will be higher. Should the debtor dispute the claim at any stage, we will discuss further work and provide updated cost advice. This may involve a fixed fee for specific actions (e.g., sending a one-off letter) or an hourly rate for more extensive work.

Cost Table

Claim Value	Court Fee	Our Fee (plus 20% VAT)
Up to £10,000	£35 – £455	£5,000
£10,000.01 – £100,000	5% of the claim	£5,000 – £10,000
£100,000+	£20,000	£10,000+

The costs above cover the following services:

Taking instructions and reviewing documents.
Conducting necessary searches.
Sending a letter before action.
Receiving payment and forwarding it to you, or if payment is not received, drafting and issuing proceedings.
If no Acknowledgment of Service or Defence is filed, applying to the Court for Judgment in Default.
When Judgment is entered, writing to the debtor to demand payment within 7 days.
If payment is not made, providing you with further advice on next steps and associated costs.

These fees do not cover situations where:

The debtor disputes your claim, resulting in correspondence or Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
The debtor files a defence.
The debtor applies to set aside Judgment in Default.
The debtor is outside of the jurisdiction.
Enforcement actions, such as using a bailiff, are required to collect the debt.

In such instances, we will discuss the next steps with you and provide updated cost advice.

Insolvency Proceedings

If insolvency proceedings are necessary, we will agree on the cost structure before starting the proceedings.

Team and Hourly Rates

Rupert Ticehurst (Partner) leads our debt recovery practice.

Fee Earner	Hourly Rate (plus 20% VAT if applicable)
Partner	£820
Counsel	£635
Senior Associate	£615
Associate	£405-595
Trainee Solicitor	£290

Timescales

Typically, cases are resolved within 2 to 4 weeks from receiving your instructions to receiving payment from the debtor, provided the debtor pays promptly following Judgment in Default. If enforcement action is necessary, the process will take longer.

Please contact us for further details or to discuss your specific case.