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We understand that whatever legal services are required, our clients value certainty about costs, which means transparent and reasonable pricing. We therefore strive to provide a tailored estimate of charges as early in the process as possible.
Due to the nature of legal work, the actual costs will vary depending on a number of factors and must be determined according to the individual needs of each client as well as the circumstances and complexity of the transaction. The following information is therefore intended to act as a guideline only.
In practice, transactions may proceed on a fixed fee basis agreed at the outset, or on a time spent basis depending on the time taken to carry out the legal work.
When we are instructed to carry out a piece of legal work we will provide our fee estimate, which includes a clear breakdown of:
In order to give our clients certainty and the ability to budget, the fee estimate will be agreed at the earliest possible opportunity before going ahead with any work and confirmed in writing.
Please contact us to discuss the services required and to receive a specific and detailed estimate of charges.
When we prepare a Will for you, we will inevitably have to discuss and consider a number of issues with you to ensure you are properly advised on your options and that your Will suits your personal, family and financial circumstances.
A simple Will with a straightforward division of the estate, the cost would typically be in the region of £250 +VAT for one person or £400 +VAT for corresponding wills for two people. There would not usually be any outlays involved in the preparation of a Will.
If your circumstances or requirements are more complex we will indicate whether you would benefit from additional inheritance, tax or succession planning, which is likely to involve a higher fee.
Additional fees would be charged if a home or hospital visit is agreed. The amount would depend on the location and time, although as a guide, the additional cost could be in the region of £200 +VAT minimum.
A Power of Attorney allows you to appoint someone you trust to assist you with finances and administrative matters and to act on your behalf if you become unable to manage your own affairs. It can enable your chosen attorney to manage your finances, including dealing with bills, institutions and agencies such as banks, care homes and the government on your behalf. It can also enable them to make decisions on your behalf about your personal welfare.
Having a Power of Attorney in place can ultimately help to make legal decisions and processes less stressful and expensive for you and your family. Making one requires careful consideration and it must be tailored to your specific needs and circumstances.
The cost for a Power of Attorney covering both continuing financial and welfare matters in standard terms would generally be around £300+VAT and outlays for an individual and around £500+VAT and outlays for two corresponding Powers of Attorney.
The outlays being the cost of having the Power of Attorney registered with the Office of the Public Guardian, which is required for it to be effective. The cost of registrations is currently £96 per person, charged by the Office of the Public Guardian per Deed (reviewed annually).
Where it was not appropriate or possible for a Power of Attorney to be made, a Guardian may instead be appointed by the Court, on application by suitable person. This is a complex court process and if instructed to assist with an application, the fee would structure would be as time spent carrying out the work on the basis of an hourly rate.
This process is based on the individual circumstances of the adult in question and will be dependant on a number of factors unique to each case, such as the financial and welfare needs of the adult and the extent of their assets.
Neither the overall cost nor a fixed fee can be agreed for this type of work, as the extent of the work required cannot be specified in advance.
However, a possible fee may be in the region of £3000+VAT and outlays. Outlays would typically include Sheriff Court lodging fees, the cost of medical and psychiatric reports and so on.
We can act as the estate administrator, in the winding up of the estate of someone who has died, on behalf of the deceased and their Executor. The work involved will depend on a number of variables, such as the value of the deceased’s estate, complexity, family circumstances, and whether or not the deceased left a valid will, among others.
Therefore, this is another service where it may be difficult or impossible to specify the overall cost or agree a fixed fee in advance. The fee would structure would be as time spent carrying out the work on the basis of an hourly rate specified at the outset.
There may also be a conveyancing work required relating to a property which form part of the estate, for example to sell it on the open market or transfer it into the name of a beneficiary. This work would be charged separately (see estate agency and conveyancing fees).
It is our standard practice to instruct a Law Accountant or Auditor of Court to review the files to assess the fee we are entitled to charge for the work carried out in the executry. This ensures the costs are fair and reasonable.
An executry matter may be billed at two stages: an interim fee part way through the process, and again at the end of the estate administration.
As each estate is different, fees will vary on a case by case basis. However, as an example, for a simple estate, an example overall fee that may be charged may be in the region of £3500-£5000 +VAT and outlays.
For a more complex estate, an example overall fee may be in the region of £7500 +VAT and outlays or more.
Outlays incurred in executry work will typically include (but is not limited to) court registration dues, for example:
We can assist clients who require to have documents certified or notarised. The typical fee will be £50+VAT but this may increase depending on the number of papers and time involved. There are no outlays incurred.
We act for clients who are buying, selling, transferring and mortgaging their homes. This can involve different types of properties, such as a flat, house, new-build property or a plot of land to build on. We shall provide provide a specific, detailed quote, tailored to your transaction at the outset, but more information on our fee ranges and the associated outlays with the different types of conveyancing transactions are detailed below.
In all conveyancing transactions, our fee range is based on the following assumptions:
Conveyancing work will usually proceed on a fixed-fee basis, agreed at the outset. This will be based on a number of factors, such as the individual circumstances of the transaction, the value of the property and the complexity and urgency of the work, among others.
The steps involved in a purchase will vary with each individual case, however a typical transaction will involve the following:
Once we have more information about your matter we will be able to provide you with a bespoke fee estimate, but the fee that we charge for this type of work ranges between £995 to £1600+VAT as an average however complex or high value purchases will be more. In addition to the fee you will need to pay associated outlays (see below).
The fee range is subject to the assumptions noted above and if these turn out to be incorrect, the final fee may be higher.
Outlays are the items paid on your behalf to third parties. For illustration purposes, a purchase price of £150,000 using mortgage finance, a typical purchase would include the following outlays:
Current Registers of Scotland registration fees can be viewed here https://kb.ros.gov.uk/fees/registration-fees
Current tax liabilities can be calculated on the Revenue Scotland website here https://www.revenue.scot/calculate-tax
The LBTT and ADS registration dues change on sliding scales according to the price of the property, therefore some outlays will change if the purchase price changes. Additional outlays could also be necessary if, for example, additional searches are required or additional deeds need to be registered.
Conveyancing work will usually proceed on a fixed-fee basis, agreed at the outset. This will be based on a number of factors, such as the individual circumstances of the transaction, the value of the property and the complexity and urgency of the work, among others.
The steps involved in a property sale will vary with each individual case, however a typical transaction will involve the following:
Once we have more information about your matter we will be able to provide you with a bespoke fee estimate, but the fee that we charge for this type of work ranges between £995 to £1600+VAT as an average however complex or high value sales will be more.
In addition to the fee you will need to pay associated outlays (see below).
The fee range is subject to the assumptions noted above and if these turn out to be incorrect, the final fee may be higher.
Outlays are the items paid on your behalf to third parties. A typical sale would include the following:
Additional outlays could also be necessary if, for example, additional searches are required, copy title deeds need to be obtained, or additional deeds need to be drafted and registered.
The conveyancing work and fee does not include any estate agency, home report or other marketing costs. These services and costs are not included in the conveyancing fee and are charged separately. More information on the Estate Agency and Home Report services we do provide and the costs are noted below.
We act in transactions for clients who are mortgaging (for the first time) or remortgaging a home. This will usually proceed on a fixed-fee basis, agreed at the outset. This will be based on a number of factors, such as the individual circumstances of the transaction, the value of the property and the complexity and urgency of the work, among others.
The work will involve:
Once we have more information about your matter we will be able to provide you with a bespoke fee estimate, but the fixed fee that we charge for this type of work approx. £850+VAT. Individual circumstances may differ. In addition to the fee you will need to pay associated outlays (see below).
Outlays are the items paid on your behalf to third parties. A typical remortgage may include the following outlays:
When a mortgage has been fully repaid, there is a legal process to update title deeds known as discharge of security.
When you have a mortgage, the lender has a legal charge registered over the title. It is this charge which enables the lender to repossess your property should you fail to keep up with your repayments. Therefore, once the mortgage has been repaid this legal charge can be removed from the title deeds.
For a basic discharge of mortgage security the fixed fee is currently £300+VAT and outlays.
The outlay is a registration dues of £80 payable to the Registers of Scotland to register the discharge and update the title deeds.
Please note that the following advice is not included in a typical conveyancing transaction:
We offer property estate agency services to assist you with the marketing of your property.
This work may include:
Commission may be based on a percentage of the sale price of the property unless a fixed fee is set. A set up fee is payable upon engagement, currently £250 inc vat but subject to change. As a company, we may receive a referral fee or commission in connection with matters referred to independent financial advisers or other service providers, where such advice or services fall outside our own scope. We may also receive commission from companies for using their services. Any such referral fees or commissions are retained by us as our property.
Home reports are instructed by us with a local surveying firm who service the area. These range in price and are payable directly to the surveying company and can vary depending on which company is used and what area the property is located.
Current prices are set by the surveying firms themselves, but these range depending on the value of the property.
