Probate Blog

In the weeks that follow a bereavement most people do not feel up to shopping around for probate quotes and the vast majority of families use the solicitor who is holding the will or go to a local high street firm. All too often this can prove to be a expensive mistake.

Final Duties the independent probate broker recently obtained quotations on 6 different probate cases from 10 different providers. The difference in the fees charged was staggering. As you can see from the table below the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive probate fee can be as much as 821%.

Estate Value	Final Duties	Average Solicitor		Bank
£20,000	£420	£450		£800
£70,000	£570	£1575		£2800
£180,000	£1520	£4050		£7200
£260,000	£3076	£5850		£10400
£405,000	£1135	£9113		£16000
£750,000	£4700	£16875		£30000
£1,500,000	£7306	£33750		£60000

Commenting on the results of the survey Adam Walker Mangering Director of Final Duties said “In most areas of life the maxim you get what you pay for holds true but this is not always true when it comes to choosing a probate provider. The cheapest quotation actually came from one of the largest firms of specialist probate solictors in the country.”

Adam Walker has the following advice for bereaved families.

1 – Always obtain more than one probate quotation.
2 – Ensure you obtain a fixed fee probate quotation not an estimate that may increase later.
3- Insure that the probate quotation is confirmed in writing before you accept it.
4 – Make sure that the work will be handled by a fully qualified probate soliuctor with specialist knowlewdge of wills, trusts and probate matters.

Final Duties provides a probate fee comparison service for further details go to www.finalduties.co.uk

For as long as anyone can remember banks solicitors and will writers have offered cheap wills as a loss leader. Their objective is insert themselves in the will as executors or joint executors. Once they have done so they know they can charge what they like to obtain probate when the time comes. Fees of two three four or even ten times the proper rate are not uncommon.

Final Duties the independent probate broker is campaigning to change what it sees as a very unjust business practise. Adam Walker - Final Duties Managing Director has the following advice for consumers.

1 – if you are writing a new will ,insist that that trusted friends or relatives are appointed as your sole executers. If they need help when the time comes they will be free to appoint a solicitor of their own choice.
2 – if you have an existing will, check to see who is named as executors. If a bank, solicitor or will writer is named as either a sole executor or joint executor you should prepare a codicil to remove them or write a new will.
3 – if you have no suitable friends or relatives to act as executors then you will need to appoint a professional firm. If you do so make sure that you get a detailed written estimate of their charges for administering the estate before you commit yourself .

Final Duties offer a unique probate pre-payment option were you can fix your probate fee in advance.