Our Fees

Our Fees, Charges and Standards of Service


At Chubb & Co we pride ourselves on our personal service.

We would always advise you to telephone or email our office in the first instance to obtain a detailed, personal quotation based on your needs and circumstances; however an indication of our standard fees and charges are shown below. 


Wills

As part of our service to you we will:
  • Meet with you at our office or at your home (we make no additional charge for home visits in the local area)
  • Provide you with advice relating to your personal circumstances, where appropriate, in relation to:
  • Inheritance Tax
  • Care Home Fee Planning
  • Discretionary Trusts  
  • Provide you with a draft Will for your consideration, to which you can make any alterations or additions that you wish 
  • Prepare the final copy (engrossment) for your signature once the draft Will is approved.
  • Meet with you again at our office or your home to sign your Will and we will provide witnesses for your signature.
  • Provide you with copies of your Will and can store the original Will in our Wills Safe, free of charge should you wish us to do so.
  • Make no charge to you until the final copy or engrossment is signed and witnessed.
Our charges for joint Wills (for husband and wife) - £250.00 plus VAT (20%) (£50.00)  Total fee - £300.00

Single Will - £150.00 plus VAT (20%) (£30.00) Total fee - £180.00

If your requirements are to be more detailed and require greater advice then this work will be carried out at the hourly charging rate of Mr Paul Dalton.  Mr Dalton's hourly charging rate is £200.00 plus VAT per hour (VAT element 20%) (£40.00) Total hourly charging rate would therefore be £240.00.



Lasting Powers of Attorney & 
Registration of Enduring Powers of Attorney

As part of our service to you we will:

  • Meet with you at our office or at your home (we make no additional charge for home visits in the local area)
  • Explain to you the process of making a Lasting Power of Attorney, the different powers available and the likely timescales involved.
  • Provide advice, based on your personal circumstances in relation to the different types of powers available and which are most suitable to you.
  • Prepare the Lasting Power of Attorney documents for your prior approval and will explain them to you.
  • Where appropriate, be your certificate provider and provide our certificate of capacity.
  • Meet with you and your Attorneys at our office or at your home to sign the documents and witness your signatures
  • Send out the document to any Attorneys or Replacement Attorneys who cannot attend the office or are not local to us and provide them with an explanation and guidance in relation to the document.
  • Submit the application to the Office of the Public Guardian for registration.
  • Provide you with certified copies of the document upon registration and can store the original Lasting Power of Attorney in our Wills Safe, free of charge should you wish us to do so.
  • Make no charge to you until the Lasting Power of Attorney is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian and certified copies have been provided.

Our Charges:

Financial Decisions - £250.00 plus VAT (20%) (£50.00)   TOTAL FEE - (£300.00)
Health & Care Decisions  - £250.00  plus VAT (20%) (£50.00)   TOTAL FEE  (£300.00)


Revoking an existing Lasting Power of Attorney by Deed  -  £50.00 plus VAT (20%) (£10.00) TOTAL FEE  (£60.00)

Fees payable to the Office of the Public Guardian:
Please visit https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney for the current registration fee as set by the Office of the Public Guardian.


Registration of Enduring Powers of Attorney

As part of our service to you we will:

  • Meet with you at our office or at your home (we make no additional charge for home visits in the local area)
  • Explain to you the process of registering your Enduring Power of Attorney
  • Prepare the necessary documents for your prior approval
  • Serve any notices that are required
  • Submit the application to the Office of the Public Guardian
  • Provide you with certified copies of the Enduring Power of Attorney upon registration and can store the original Enduring Power of Attorney in our Wills Safe, free of charge should you wish us to do so.
  • Make no charge to you until the Enduring Power of Attorney is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian and certified copies have been provided.

Our Charges:

Registration of Enduring Power of Attorney £200.00 plus VAT (20%) (£40.00) - TOTAL FEE (£240.00)
  
Please visit 


for the current registration fee as set by the Office of the Public Guardian.

Applying to the Court of Protection
Deputyship Applications

As part of our service to you we will:

  • Meet with you at our office or at your home (we make no additional charge for home visits in the local area)
  • Explain to you the process of becoming a Deputy, the different types of powers available and the likely timescales involved.
  • Provide advice, based on your personal circumstances in relation to the different types of powers available and which are most suitable to you.
  • Discuss with you your rights and responsibilities as a Deputy and the ongoing fees and charges involved if your application is accepted by the Court.
  • Prepare the relevant court documents for your prior approval, including application forms, certificates and reports from medical professionals and Witness Statements.
  • Submit the documents to the Court of Protection.
  • Arrange for the relevant notices to be served as per the timescales set by the Court and comply with any directions set out by the Court.
  • Liaise with the Court of Protection throughout the application process. Make no charge to you until the application has been accepted and the Court Order has been received and copies have been provided to you.

Our Charges:

Property & Financial Affairs Deputy £500.00 - £1000.00 plus (VAT @ 20%) (£500.00 plus VAT (20%) (£100.00) Total fee £600.00),  (£1,000.00 plus VAT (20%) (£200.00) Total fee £1,200.00)

Personal Welfare Deputy £500.00 - £1000.00 plus (VAT @ 20%)  (£500.00 plus VAT (20%) (£100.00) Total fee £600.00), (£1,000.00 plus VAT (20%) (£200.00) Total fee £1,200.00)

For a current list of fees as set by the Court and payable directly to the Court of Protection please visit 


Obtaining Probate/Letters of Administration &
General Estate Administration

As part of our service to you we will:

  • Meet with you at our office or at your home (we make no charge for home visits in the local area)
  • Explain to you the process of obtaining Probate or Letters of Administration and provide you with advice in relation to the process and how to proceed.
  •  Where required we can provide you with advice in relation to inheritance tax and explain to you the process where a full account is required.
  • Notify all financial institutions and/or government departments of the death 
  • Obtain the original Will if it is not in your possession.
  • Obtain valuations for all moveable and immoveable assets owned
  • Obtain information in relation to all outstanding liabilities.
  • Prepare a Schedule of Assets and Liabilities as at the date of death for your perusal
  • Provide advice on whether the estate is taxable or non-taxable and prepare the necessary HMRC Account based on that advice
  • Arrange for a Section 27 Trustee Act Notice to be placed into the London Gazette and/or a Local Newspaper of your choice.
  • Draft the Executor’s/Administrator’s Oath 
  • Meet with you to explain the HMRC Account and Executor’s Oath and the next steps
  • Arrange for you to swear your Executor’s Oath with an independent Solicitor and we will attend with you at their offices 
  • Submit the application to the Probate Registry
  • On receipt of the Grant, we will notify all the relevant institutions and government departments that probate has been obtained
  • Arrange for the collection in of all assets and prepare the necessary closure forms for your signature
  • Arrange for the payment of any outstanding liabilities
  • Arrange for the payment of any inheritance tax
  • Contact the beneficiaries of the estate to obtain their identification in readiness for distribution
  • Pay out any legacies that are included in the Will and obtain receipts for the same
  • Prepare Estate Accounts showing how the estate had been administered for your approval
  • Prepare Distribution Accounts showing how the estate will be distributed
  • Where a full inheritance tax account is required we will calculate any income tax/capital gains tax due for the period of administration and arrange for payment of the same.
  • Where Inheritance Tax, Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax is payable we will arrange for clearance to be obtained from HMRC in order to distribute the estate.
  • We will then distribute the estate in line with the terms of the Will or the provisions of the Rules of Intestacy.
  • We will obtain receipts from the beneficiaries and when all receipts of received we will let you know that the administration of the estate has come to an end.

Our Charges

Each estate is unique and some require more work than others.   We are therefore happy to work with you, if you would like to carry out or assist with some of the work yourself.  We are happy to undertake as much or as little of the work as you feel is approrpriate to suit your budget and needs.

At Chubb & Co we DO NOT charge a percentage of the estate’s value and our charges reflect only the work carried out.

Following our initial meeting with you we will be able to give you an individual quotation in relation to the level of costs which may be incurred.

Please note our charges are payable by the estate and not you personally.

Hourly Rate for Paul Dalton: £200.00 plus VAT @ 20% (£40.00) (Total £240.00)  per hour

Routine letters which we write and receive and routine telephone calls we make and receive will be charged as units of 1/10th of an hour plus VAT. Other letters and calls will be covered on a time basis.

Our average costs for probate work and applications range between £1,000.00 plus VAT (20% - £200.00) total £1,200.00 and £5,000.00 plus VAT (20% - £1,000.00) total £6,000.00 depending upon the complexity the probate and the time required to be spent on the matter.

Disbursements:
(These fees are subject to change and are correct as at 19th February 2024)
HM Courts & Tribunal Service – Probate Fee £273.00
HM Courts & Tribunal Service – sealed copies £1.50 per copy
Section 27 Trustee Act Notice London Gazette Only. Prices vary between providers and range from
£62.50 - £84.60


Residential Property:
Purchase of a House or Flat

We will provide you with a detailed personal quotation at the outset of your matter so you can prepare a budget. Your detailed personal quotation will include all fees and disbursements, including stamp duty payable.

An important element in assessing our fee is the time spent by the Solicitor/Conveyancing Executive and supporting staff to deal with your transaction. However, it is impossible to assess the time required and whether and what complications or problems may arise in advance although we do know how much time is required in dealing with an average straight forward transaction.

Therefore, we have provided our estimate by reference to the work that is routinely included in a transaction of this type and this is set out below. We have also set out some of the things which are occasionally encountered which are not included and will therefore be subject to an additional charge if they arise.

THE FOLLOWING ARE INCLUDED IN THE STANDARD CHARGE

  • Preparation, dispatch and checking of searches.
  • Checking Contract and title documents supplied.
  • Checking Property Information Forms in respect of information already in the deeds or otherwise in our possession.
  • Preparation of Conveyancing Report to advise you about the property.
  • Sending you the Contract for signature and advising you to agree a completion date with the sellers.
  • Checking title and preparing, dispatching and checking title searches.
  • Preparation of Transfer Deed and Title Enquiries and submitting to seller's solicitors and checking Replies.
  • Preparation of Statement of Account and obtaining balance as necessary
  • Arranging completion and advising you.
  • Stamping Transfer Deed and registration of Title.

THE FOLLOWING ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE STANDARD CHARGE:

  • Any personal attendances on you in excess of 30 minutes. (Most, if not all, contact between us can be conducted by telephone, correspondence, and electronic communication. Indeed, we act for many clients out of the area whose attendance here is geographically impossible).
  • Negotiations on the condition of the property, allowances, contents or price.
  • Arranging Property Insurance.
  • Matters arising as a result of Search Entries requiring further action.
  • Advising, negotiating and liaising regarding defects in the legal Title.
  • Advising (other than in our Joint Tenancy Form) on joint ownership and/or Trust arrangements for Joint Owners and/or other persons.
  • Receiving and dealing with additional or frequent enquiries from Estate Agents and other solicitors relating to the dates of exchange of Contracts and completion.
  • Dealing with Guarantees for property repairs. 
  • Dealing with outstanding or missing documents.
  • Matters arising as a result of unforeseen delays beyond our control
  • Dealing with work arising from Land Registry early completion where your seller’s mortgage lender does not comply with the timescales laid down in the Land Registry’s requirements.
  • Correspondence with mortgage lender’s solicitors if the mortgage lender has chosen separate representation.

STANDARD DISBURSEMENTS AND OTHER FEES

  • Identity Verification Search £2.80 plus VAT (20%) (£0.56) Total fee £3.36
  • Local Search Fee (these vary depending on the district in which the property falls - please therefore ask for this price to be obtained at the time the quote is given)
  • Drainage Search Fee £54.00 plus VAT (20% - £10.80) total price £64.80
  • Flood Risk Assessment £19.50 plus VAT (20% - £3.90) total price £23.40
  • Energy and Infrastructure - £19.50 plus VAT (20% - £3.90) total price £23.40
  • Environmental Search Fee (if required) £61.00 plus VAT (20% - £12.20) total price £73.20
  • Landmark Planning - (if required) £42.50 plus VAT (20% - £8.50) total price £51.00
  • Coal Mining Search Fee (if required) £54.00 plus VAT (20% - £10.80) total price £64.80
  • Land Registry Search Fee £3.00 per title inclusive of VAT
  • Land Charges Search Fee £2.00 per name plus VAT (20% - £0.40) total fee £2.40
  • Bankruptcy Search Fee £2.00 per name plus VAT (20% - £0.40) total fee £2.40 
  • Land Registration Fee *1 based on property value and set by the Land Registry please see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hm-land-registry-registration-services-fees
  • Telegraphic Transfer Fee *2 £35.00 inclusive of VAT
  • Stamp Duty Land Tax Fee *3 £140.00 plus VAT (20%) (£28.00) Total fee £168.00
  • Land Registry Early Completion Fee (if applicable) *4 £60.00 inclusive of VAT
  • Mortgage Lender Fee (if applicable) *5 £Not known until Mortgage Offer received
  • Conveyancing Report (Hard Copy)*6

*1 If your purchase can be registered using the Land Registry’s electronic document registration service the Land Registration fee will be reduced by 50%.

*2 There will be a fee of £35.00 inclusive of VAT in respect of the telegraphic transfer fee that is generated when we send the completion monies to the Seller’s Solicitors on the date of completion. This comprises the bank’s charge to us and the costs of our time in making the transfer. Any additional bank transfers required by you will be charged at the same rate.

*3 There will be a fee of £140+VAT (20%) £28.00)(£168.00) in respect of the completion of the Stamp Duty Land Tax formalities which we must complete on your behalf.

*4 Due to new regulations brought in at the Land Registry and revised professional practice guidance, changes have been made to the process of registration at the Land Registry. As a consequence, in the event that your Seller’s Lender does not or is unable to provide us or the Land Registry with evidence of discharge of their mortgage in the required time scale additional work may have to be carried out on your behalf. This additional work is not included in the standard specification and therefore will incur an additional charge which we would not expect to exceed £50.00 plus VAT (20%) (£10.00) (Total amount £60.00) together with the possibility of further Land Registry fees and search fees. However, should the additional work become unusually complicated and protracted we will bring this to your attention as reasonably as possible.

*5 If you require a mortgage to purchase the property then we are obliged to act for that mortgage lender and there will be a charge for carrying out the work involved which will be referred to in Clause 8 of your Mortgage Offer. If your lender uses its own solicitors the inevitable additional correspondence will incur an additional cost and which you will be informed of as soon as reasonably practicable.

*6 Your Conveying Report is an important document which contains important information and can often contain lengthy documents and enclosures. To enable us to limit our impact on the environment and to enable us to keep our fees as competitive as possible, this will be provided to you by email or by Letter and CD. The CD will contain all the important documents referred to in the report. If you require us to send you hard copies of the documents referred to in the report we will charge you a fee of £50 plus VAT (20%) (£10.00) (Total amount £60.00) for the provision of the same.

Stamp Duty Land Tax will also be payable and calculated at a percentage of the purchase price in accordance with the table below:-

Purchase Price/Lease Premium or Transfer Value Stamp Duty Land Tax Rate
£0 - £250,000 0%
The next £675,000 (the portion from £250,001 to £925,000) 5%
The next £575,000 (the portion from £925,001 to £1.5 million) 10%
The remaining amount (the portion above £1,5 million) 12%


If the property is located in an area designated as disadvantaged Stamp Duty Land Tax is not payable for properties with a purchase price less than £150,000 after which the Stamp Duty Land Tax is calculated in the same way as the above table.

If the property includes a new residential lease Stamp Duty Land Tax will be payable.

Increased SDLT rates for additional residential properties

Higher rates of SDLT will apply to acquisitions of additional residential properties (such as second homes and buy-to-let properties) with an effective date on or after 1 April 2016. The higher rates will be 3% above the current SDLT rates for residential property, so that the following rates will apply on a progressive rate:

Chargeable Consideration Applicable SDLT Rate
£0 - £250,000 3%*
£250,001.00 - £925,000.00  8%
£925,001.00 - £1,500,000.00  13%
£1,500,000+ 15%

* If the chargeable consideration is less than £40,000 the additional 3% SDLT charge will not apply. However, if the chargeable consideration is £40,000 or more, the total amount (up to £125,000) will be chargeable at 3%.

As we are not qualified to provide advice regarding Stamp Duty Land Tax you should visit
 www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax for further information and an SDLT calculator.

There may be other disbursements payable, which may only come to light after examination of the documents. These are usually for comparatively small amounts, but any large amounts will be notified to you as soon as we become aware of them. All amounts above are subject to change.

Residential Property:
Sale of a House or Flat

We will provide you with a detailed personal quotation at the outset of your matter so you can prepare a budget.

An important element in assessing our fee is the time spent by the Solicitor/Conveyancing Executive and supporting staff to deal with your transaction. However, it is impossible to assess the time required and whether and what complications or problems may arise in advance although we do know how much time is required in dealing with an average straight forward transaction. 

Therefore, we have provided our estimate by reference to the work that is routinely included in a transaction of this type and this is set out below. We have also set out some of the things which are occasionally encountered which are not included and will therefore be subject to an additional charge if they arise.

THE FOLLOWING ARE INCLUDED IN THE STANDARD CHARGE

  • Obtain the title deeds from storage/lender etc.
  • Prepare Contract of sale and prepare/obtain Abstract of Title/Office Copy Entries.
  • Send to you the standard Property Information Forms and Fixtures and Fittings List for completion by you.
  • Submit documentation to Buyer's solicitors at the earliest opportunity.
  • Answer reasonable routine enquiries from the Buyer's solicitors with reference to you as necessary.
  • After you have agreed a completion (or moving) date (which will normally be your responsibility as you will need to discuss this with your buyers first), arranging for signature and exchange of contracts, advising you as necessary.
  • Approve draft Transfer and arrange for final copy to be signed by you.
  • Answer standard title enquiries from the Buyer's solicitors as appropriate.
  • Arrange and carry out completion, Statement of Account, and accounting to you, forwarding deeds to buyer's solicitors.
  • if required, obtaining mortgage redemption figure, repayment of mortgage, preparation of discharge form and sending for sealing, and then forwarding to buyer's solicitors.
  • Receipt of initial instructions from Estate Agents, notifying them of exchange and completion payment of their account.  

THE FOLLOWING ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE STANDARD CHARGE

  • Any personal attendances on you. (All contact between us can be dealt with easily by telephone, correspondence and electronic communication. Indeed, we act for many clients out of the area whose attendance here is geographically impossible).
  • Negotiations about the condition of the property, allowances, contents or price.
  • Assistance in the preparation of Property Information Forms and Fixtures and Fittings Lists. 
  • Dealing with Additional Enquiries raised by the buyers or their solicitors.
  • Dealing with any matters relating to Covenants, Chief Rents, Town & Country Planning or Leasehold Rents.
  • Receiving and dealing with additional or frequent enquiries from Estate Agents or other solicitors relating to dates of exchange of contracts and completion.
  • Dealing with Guarantees for Property Repairs.
  • Dealing with outstanding or missing documents.
  • Dealing with Life Policies or other securities in relation to your mortgage.

In the case of Leasehold Flats:

  • Obtaining copies of the Accounts, Rent and Service Charge Receipts and Property Insurance documents from the Lessor or the Management Company.
  • Dealing with enquiries and matters relating to the Accounts and Service Charge of the Flats.
  • Complying with any requirements of the Lessor or Management Company in connection with the proposed sale.
  • Matters arising as a result of unforeseen delays beyond our control
  • Dealing with work arising from Land Registry early completion where your mortgage lender does not comply with the timescales laid down in the Land Registry’s requirements.
  • Dealing with protracted correspondence with your mortgage lender to obtain a redemption statement.

STANDARD DISBURSEMENTS AND OTHER FEES

  • Identity Verification Search £2.80 plus VAT (20%) (£0.56) Total amount £3.36 per name searched.
  • Office Copy Entries £6.00 per Title
  • Additional Office Copy Documents (if required) £3.00 each
  • Copy Planning Documents (if required) £12.50 each
  • Estate Agents Charges (if applicable) 
  • Telegraphic Transfer Fee (if required) *1 £35.00 inclusive of VAT
  • Land Registry Early Completion Fee (if applicable) *2 £60.00
*1 To repay any existing mortgage there will be a fee of £35.00 inclusive of VAT in respect of the telegraphic transfer that is generated when we send the balance to repay the mortgage to the mortgage lender. This comprises the bank’s charge to us and the costs of our time in making the transfer. Any additional bank transfers required by you (e.g. sale proceeds to be sent direct to your Bank accounts) will be charges at the same rate.

*2 In the event that your lender does not or is unable to provide us or the Land Registry with evidence of discharge of your mortgage in the required timescale additional work may have to be carried out on your behalf. This additional work is not included in the standard specification and therefore will incur an additional charge which we would not expect to exceed £50.00 plus VAT (20% - £10.00) total fee £60.00,  together with the possibility of further Land Registry fees and search fees. However, should the additional work become unusually complicated or protracted we will bring this to your attention as soon as reasonably possible.

OUR FEES

FREEHOLD PROPERTY ONLY

Our costs information is set out generally below for both residential sales and purchases.  For a more bespoke quote that is relevant to your exact property purchase then further details would need to be taken from you and a quotation would then be worked out specific to your transaction.

SALE OF PROPERTY ONLY

PROPERTY PRICE RANGE                      LEGAL FEE                            VAT(20%)                     TOTAL FEE
                         
£0.00 - £200,000.00                                 £625.00                                 £125.00                         £750.00
          
£201,000 - £350,000                                £750.00                                 £150.00                          £900.00

£350,000 - £500,000                                £875.00                                 £175.00                           £1,050.00

501,000 and above                                   £950.00                                 £190.00                           £1,140.00


PURCHASE OF PROPERTY ONLY

PROPERTY PRICE RANGE                     LEGAL FEE                            VAT(20%)                     TOTAL FEE
  
£0.00 - £200,000.00                                £750.00                                 £150.00                         £900.00

£201,000.00 - £250,000.00                    £875.00                                 £175.00                         £1,050.00

£250,000.01 - £300,000.00                    £975.00                                 £195.00                         £1,170.00

£300,000.01 - £400,000.00                    £1,100.00                              £220.00                         £1,320.00

£400,000.01 - £500,000.00                    £1,250.00                              £250.00                         £1,500.00

£500,000.01 and above                         £1,375.00                               £275.00                         £1,650.00                                


All new build property purchases are charged at £1,400.00             £280.00                         £1,680.00

Leasehold Property 

Please also add the following costs to the applicable fee listed in the table above to your leasehold purchase.

DESCRIPTION OF FEE                                                   FEE                               VAT (20%)                 TOTAL FEE

If the property is leasehold                                          £175.00                       £35.00                      £210.00

Stamp duty land tax return admin fee                        £140.00                       £28.00                      £168.00

Solicitor/Conveyancer bank account check                £12.00                         £2.40                         £14.40
provided via Lawyer Checker 

This type of check is carried out to protect you and any lender you may have from the threat of fraudulent parties attempting to pose as Law firms in order to steal deposits and completion monies.

Commercial & Agricultural Property

These types of transactions are priced individually and are based on the fee earners charging rate. Please contact us to discuss your particular transaction so that we are able to provide you with a detailed, personal quotation.

Our Charges:

Hourly Rate for Paul Dalton: £200.00 plus VAT (20%) (£40.00) per hour Total fee £240.00

Hourly Rate for Donna Masters: £165.00 plus VAT (20%) (£33.00) per hour  Total fee £198.00

Routine letters which we write and receive and routine telephone calls we make and receive will be charged as units of 1/10th of an hour plus VAT (VAT element is 20%). Other letters and calls will be covered on a time basis.

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