Fixed Price Probate Specialist

Can anyone recommend a fixed price probate specialist? Ideally someone you have used personally? I’ve no idea if they would need to be solicitors or accountants? 
«1

Comments

  • Marcon
    Marcon Posts: 13,924 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 4 April 2021 at 11:51AM
    valueman1 said:
    Can anyone recommend a fixed price probate specialist? Ideally someone you have used personally? I’ve no idea if they would need to be solicitors or accountants? 
    Fixed fees are normally based on a %age of the estate so may not be the best way to go, especially if the estate is high value.

    What exactly do you need them to do? The fact you don't know if you need an accountant or a lawyer makes it a bit difficult to see what you are expecting, since probate is normally very much the province of lawyers. A STEP-qualified solicitor, or one who specialises in contentious probate, would normally be the recommendation, but I'm not sure that's what you are driving at here?
    Googling on your question might have been both quicker and easier, if you're only after simple facts rather than opinions!  
  • valueman1
    valueman1 Posts: 138 Forumite
    Fourth Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper
    The estate value is high so I was trying to avoid a % based fee.  Cordis Probate have a complex probate fixed fee of £1,080 for example. Co-op need more information before they quote so I suspect it will be linked to value of estates but I don’t know.
  • naedanger
    naedanger Posts: 3,105 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    valueman1 said:
    The estate value is high so I was trying to avoid a % based fee.  Cordis Probate have a complex probate fixed fee of £1,080 for example. Co-op need more information before they quote so I suspect it will be linked to value of estates but I don’t know.
    Are you clear what services you are wishing the specialist to undertake? From looking at Cordis Probate's website it seems their fee is only covering the probate application and not, for example data gathering. So you may still be doing most of the work.
  • Marcon
    Marcon Posts: 13,924 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    naedanger said:
    valueman1 said:
    The estate value is high so I was trying to avoid a % based fee.  Cordis Probate have a complex probate fixed fee of £1,080 for example. Co-op need more information before they quote so I suspect it will be linked to value of estates but I don’t know.
    Are you clear what services you are wishing the specialist to undertake? 
    Absolutely. Make sure you agree in writing exactly who is doing what at the outset and which services fall outside the fixed fee. 

    This is probably helpful reading: https://www.which.co.uk/money/wills-and-probate/probate/probate-solicitors-a4p4b0d2yu4g
    Googling on your question might have been both quicker and easier, if you're only after simple facts rather than opinions!  
  • Flugelhorn
    Flugelhorn Posts: 7,197 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    much of the probate application work is data gathering and if you decide to employ someone to do the application they will  still expect you to do loads of the work ie running around finding everything that is needed. They will also take a lot longer than if you do it yourself. If it is very complex then certainly make sure you know what you want them to do - this mainly falls into 2 parts 
    1) applying for the probate and collecting the data
    2) all of (1) + administering the estate ie acting as executor
  • crikaus
    crikaus Posts: 91 Forumite
    Fourth Anniversary 10 Posts
    edited 5 April 2021 at 12:22AM
    I remember fairwill doing fixed price probate application or a fixed full estate administration, and thought the charges were reasonable. 

    A quick look on their website, probate from 595, and full estate administration from 1500, as always depending on complexity 
  • valueman1
    valueman1 Posts: 138 Forumite
    Fourth Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper
    @naedanger I would do the data gathering myself and appreciate there will be a lot of work.
  • Sea_Shell
    Sea_Shell Posts: 9,967 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    You say the value of the estate is high, but is it complicated?

    Have you downloaded and read through the IHT forms?

    Is it the process you want to pass to someone, or the time, or both?
    How's it going, AKA, Nutwatch? - 12 month spends to date = 2.98% of current retirement "pot" (as at end April 2025)
  • valueman1
    valueman1 Posts: 138 Forumite
    Fourth Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper
    @crikaus @Flugelhorn @Marcon is it possible for a layman to administer the estate, the main issue will be the sale of the former flat, from which half proceeds to go to my step siblings. I assume I will need their approval of the estate agent and put their names on the contract and before I can accept an offer? Then there are the costs of the flat pending sale, £2,500 per quarter service charge, utilities etc. Probably easiest if I pay and get them to repay me from proceeds of sale?
  • JGB1955
    JGB1955 Posts: 3,816 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    It is perfectly possible for a layman to administer the estate.

    If you are sole executor you have full responsibility for administering the estate.  Only the executor(s) named on the Grant of Probate would be involved in the sale of the flat.  Although you may choose to involve beneficiaries in the process, it's not necessary.  You will need to obtain a valuation of the property before applying for probate.  Then you will need to gather in any cash sitting in bank accounts - that will need to be placed in an executors account (or, an account opened solely for that purpose) and can pay any ongoing expenses as they arise.  It's not over-complicated, just time consuming.
    #2 Saving for Christmas 2024 - £1 a day challenge. £325 of £366
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 252.8K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.2K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.1K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 597.5K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.5K Life & Family
  • 256.1K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.