01628 472600      The Old House, West Street, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 2LS   legal@gabbitasrobins.co.uk 

Our Fees

Conveyancing

Purchase

Our fees cover all of the work required to complete the purchase of your new property, including acting for your lender (if required) dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the submission and payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax.

A fee estimate or an agreed fixed fee will be set out in our Engagement Letter which will be sent to you at the beginning of our instructions along with our Terms of Business.

We do usually agree a fixed fee with you rather than charging on an hourly rate basis. However, if it transpires that the matter becomes protracted or more complex than anticipated we will reserve the right to make a further charge as shall be reasonable and with prior notification to you.

Our Fees

  • £0 - £250,000 — £1600.00 plus VAT
  • £250 - £500,000 — £1700.00 plus VAT
  • £500 - £750,000 — £1800.00 plus VAT
  • £750 - £900,000 — £1900.00 plus VAT
  • £900 - £1.2 million — £2000.00 plus VAT
  • £1.2mil - £2 million — £2500.00 plus VAT
  • Over £2 million — Personalised Quote

Our fee (including additional fees and disbursements) may vary depending on the purchase price and what work we are required to do.

Other fees which may be payable are:-

  • Leasehold purchase additional amount: £500.00 plus VAT
  • Help To Buy ISA: £50.00 - £200.00 plus VAT
  • Bank Transfer and Handling Fee: £35.00 plus VAT per transfer

Disbursements (costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties) which may be payable are:-

  • Bankruptcy search: £6.00 per person (if acting for your lender)
  • Priority search at the Land Registry: £7.00
  • Identity check: £7.20 - £8.20 per person
  • Searches (such as local search, drainage & water search and environmental search) – Approximately £400.00 - £600.00 plus VAT
  • Stamp Duty Land Tax – this will depend on the value of your property, whether you are a first time buyer, whether you own a second property anywhere in the world or if you are classed as a non-UK resident.

The length of time between instructing us and reaching an exchange of contracts will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 10 to 16 weeks.

It can be quicker or slower, depending on the number of parties in the chain and the timeliness of each party’s responses and returning documents. Completion usually takes place 1 to 4 weeks after an exchange of contracts.

Sale

Our Fees

  • £0 - £250,000 — £1500.00 plus VAT
  • £250 - £500,000 — £1600.00 plus VAT
  • £500 - £750,000 — £1700.00 plus VAT
  • £750 - £900,000 — £1800.00 plus VAT
  • £900 - £1.2 million — £1900.00 plus VAT
  • £1.2mil - £2 million — £2000.00 plus VAT
  • Over £2 million — Personalised Quote

Our fees cover all of the work required to complete the sale of your new property, including acting for your lender and redeeming a charge registered at the Land Registry (if required).

A fee estimate or an agreed fixed fee will be set out in our Engagement Letter which will be sent to you at the beginning of our instructions along with our Terms of Business.

We do usually agree a fixed fee with you rather than charging on an hourly rate basis. However, if it transpires that the matter becomes protracted or more complex than anticipated we will reserve the right to make a further charge as shall be reasonable and with prior notification to you.

Other fees which may be payable are:-

  • Bank Transfer and Handling Fee: £35.00 plus VAT per transfer
  • Leasehold sale additional amount: £500.00 plus VAT

Disbursements (costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties) which may be payable are:-

  • Land Registry approximately £14.00 plus an additional £7.00 per document registered at the Land Registry
  • Identity check: £7.20 to £8.20 per person
  • CHAPS transfer fee: £35.00 plus VAT per transfer
  • Management pack for a leasehold property: Approximately between £200.00 - £600.00 plus VAT, however this will be subject to the number of management packs required and the management company’s fees, which are outside of our control.

The length of time between instructing us and reaching an exchange of contracts will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 6 - 10 weeks.

It can be quicker or slower, depending on the number of parties in the chain and the timeliness of each party’s responses and returning documents.

Completion usually takes place 2 – 4 weeks after an exchange of contracts.

Remortgage

Our fees cover all of the work required to complete the remortgage process, including acting for your new lender and redeeming an existing charge registered at the Land Registry.

A fee estimate or an agreed fixed fee will be set out in our Engagement Letter which will be sent to you at the beginning of our instructions along with our Terms of Business.

We do usually agree a fixed fee with you rather than charging on an hourly rate basis.

• Our usual fee to act on your behalf on a freehold remortgage will be between £750.00 plus VAT and £1,500.00 plus VAT. Our fee (including additional fees and disbursements) fees may vary depending on the funds advanced by your new lender and what work we are required to do.

Other fees which may be payable are:-

  • Bank Transfer and Handling Fee: £35.00 plus VAT per transfer
  • Leasehold additional amount: £500.00 plus VAT

Disbursements (costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties) which may be payable are:-

  • Land Registry: £14.00 plus £7.00 for any further documents required from the Land Registry
  • Identity check: £7.20 - £8.20 per person
  • Priority search at the Land Registry: £7.00
  • Management pack for a leasehold property: Approximately between £200.00 - £600.00 plus VAT, however this will be subject to the number of management packs required and the management company’s fees, which are outside of our control.
  • Searches (if required): £400.00 - £600.00
  • Search indemnity: this will depend on the value of your property, but your lender may accept this rather than obtaining searches (this option is usually cheaper and quicker)

The length of time between instructing us to completing the remortgage process and your new lender details being submitted to the Land Registry will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 6 to 10 weeks.

Wills

It is difficult to provide a complete fee schedule for the drafting of Wills as this will depend on your circumstances and the instructions provided to us.

In general, our fees are as follows:

  • to draft a “basic” Will and to advise you regarding the same, from £350 plus VAT for one Will, or £600 plus VAT for a pair of mirror Wills; and
  • to draft more complex or lengthy Wills, depending on your instructions, our fees will be higher than the above figures, and will be based on our applicable hourly rates, which are £300 plus VAT for a solicitor or £350 plus VAT for a partner.

We will advise you as to our likely fee, once we have taken your instructions, and our fee will be set out in our Engagement Letter, which will be sent to you to formalise your instruction.

We do usually agree a fixed fee with you, for the drafting of Wills, rather than charging on an hourly rate basis, but this is subject to your instructions not changing during the matter.

Upon receiving your instructions and your signed Engagement Letter, we will send your draft Will to you for your approval, as soon as possible. Wherever possible we aim to send a draft of your new Will to you within two weeks.

Estate Administration

It is difficult to provide an accurate estimate as to our likely fees for acting on behalf of the personal representatives of an estate, as this will depend on various factors, such as the nature and complexity of the estate, the scope of our instructions, the number and type of assets within the estate, the number of beneficiaries of the Will or under the Rules of Intestacy, the location of the deceased’s assets, whether Inheritance Tax is payable to HM Revenue & Customs (“HMRC”) etc.

  • However, for a straightforward estate, our fee would usually be from £3,500 upwards plus VAT and disbursements.
  • For a more complex estate, such as one where an Inheritance Tax Account needs to be submitted to HMRC, or an estate with foreign assets, or an estate with a large number of assets, our fee would be from £7,500 upwards plus VAT and disbursements.
  • Some estates will take considerably more time to administer than others and a more accurate fee estimate will be set out in our Engagement Letter, which will be sent to you along with our Terms of Business, following your instruction, after we have met with you and discussed the nature of the deceased’s estate.
  • Our fees are based on the current hourly rate of the fee earner who has conduct of your matter. The hourly rates which currently will apply are £300 plus VAT for a solicitor and £350 plus VAT for a partner.
  • Some of the disbursements payable during the administration of an estate are currently as follows:
  • AML Search Fee: £7.20 per person
  • His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Fee to obtain the Grant: £300
  • Official Hologram Copy of Grant: £1.50 per copy
  • Land Registry Fee: £7 per document (if required)
  • Section 27 Trustee Act 1925 Statutory Notices (if required): £200 - £350
  • Financial Asset Search (if required): £195 plus VAT
  • Bankruptcy Searches: £6 per person
  • Overseas Bankruptcy Searches: from £50 plus VAT

On average, a straightforward estate will take approximately 12 months to administer. A more complex estate will usually take 12 months plus to administer, depending on various factors, for example, if there is a property to be sold.

Lasting Powers of Attorney (“LPAs”)

Our fee to meet with you, take your instructions, advise you, draft your LPAs, act as your witness, act as your Certificate Provider (if required), liaise with your Attorney(s) and Replacement Attorney(s) (if applicable), register your LPAs at the Office of the Public Guardian (“OPG”), confirm registration to you, and provide you with a certified copy of your registered LPAs for safekeeping at home, will be as follows:-

For Individuals

Our fee for preparing each LPA is £450.00 plus VAT.

If, however, you require both a Property & Financial Affairs LPA and a Health & Welfare LPA, our fee is reduced to £800.00 plus VAT.

For Couples

Our fee for preparing each LPA is £450.00 plus VAT.

If, however, you require both a Property & Financial Affairs LPA and a Health & Welfare LPA our fee will be reduced to £1,500.00 plus VAT for all four LPAs.

If We Act as Your Certificate Provider

If you decide that you require us to be your Certificate Provider for the LPAs, our fee for this service is £100.00 plus VAT per person.

The fee remains the same if the person is making both types of LPA, provided they are made at the same time.

Office of the Public Guardian – Registration Fee

Before an LPA can be used, it must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. Their fee is currently £92.00 for each LPA registered. It may be possible in some circumstances to obtain a registration fee reduction.

Home Visits

If you require a home visit, there will be an additional fee of £50.00 plus VAT if you live in the Marlow area. If you live outside of Marlow or its immediate vicinity, this fee is likely to be higher.

PLEASE NOTE: that the above information is intended for guidance only. Should the matter become more complicated or time consuming than originally envisaged, an extra charge may be incurred based upon the time spent and the hourly rate of the fee earner dealing with your matter.

Once we have taken your instruction, we will usually draft the LPAs and make an appointment for you to visit the office to go through and sign the same, within approximately two weeks. Thereafter the LPAs will be sent to the Attorneys and Replacement Attorneys (if applicable) for their signature and return, and once all parties have correctly executed the documents, your LPAs will be sent to the Office of the Public Guardian for registration.

Enduring Power of Attorney (“EPA”)

Our fee to act on behalf of an Attorney or Attorneys to register an EPA with the Office of the Public Guardian (“OPG”) where the donor has lost or is in the process of losing mental capacity will be £900 plus VAT.

A fee of £92 is currently payable to the OPG to register the EPA in addition to our fee.

We can usually submit the application to the OPG to register an EPA, within two to three weeks of receiving your instructions and all the necessary information, but this depends on the Attorney(s) signing the necessary documents and when the Attorney(s) can serve the donor (if appropriate) with notice of the application.

General Powers of Attorney (“GPA”)

A General Power of Attorney is suitable for short-term or specific purposes and will automatically cease if the person granting it loses mental capacity.

If you wish to grant somebody a GPA, we can assist you and our fee will be £300 plus VAT.

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