| Unlike other areas of law, the probate system is | | | | than at the end. |
| largely unregulated and without a little research | | | | Ensure your charges are transparent: Banks, the |
| and warning, you could lose out on your | | | | UK's largest and traditional provider of probate |
| inheritance through probate fees. | | | | services, charge a flat rate fee that is usually |
| As anyone who has to deal with the probate | | | | based on a percentage of the Estate value. This |
| system is likely to have recently suffered a tragic | | | | means that it doesn't change even if |
| loss, many people are too distraught to focus on | | | | the deceased's Estate requires very little work - |
| things like probate fees when they enter into an | | | | if their fee is 4%, it'll always be 4%. Sometimes |
| agreement. This can mean that solicitors and | | | | their scales change depending on the value of the |
| banks secure contracts that give them a | | | | estate, rising to claim higher proportions of more |
| significant share of someone's inheritance, rather | | | | valuable estates. Worse than this, some solicitors |
| than a reasonable fee for what is usually a basic | | | | work on a 'cost per hour' basis as well as a |
| legal service. | | | | percentage of the estate. Being dealt with on an |
| There are several things you should look out for | | | | arbitrary basis with the potential for hidden costs |
| when securing a solicitor or firm for probate | | | | such as this is generally a bad idea and it's |
| services that can help make sure you don't lose | | | | something you don't have to put up with. |
| out on probate fees: | | | | Open your probate to tender: You don't have |
| Obtain a fixed price quotation: Whilst many | | | | to directly arrange your estate through a single |
| probate solicitors will claim that the system is too | | | | probate service. You can ensure that you get a |
| complex to provide a fixed quotation for their | | | | competitive price based on the realities of your |
| probate fees, the truth is that it's not impossible. | | | | situation by engaging a probate broker, who will |
| Given that without a proper quote you won't | | | | tender your Estate and requirements to a bidding |
| know what the fee is until the bill arrives, it's | | | | process and provide you with the best possible |
| worth finding a reputable service that will provide | | | | quotation. Not only will this reduce probate fees |
| a written quotation based on the details of the | | | | by competition, it will also let you take full |
| Estate at outset of your arrangement, rather | | | | advantage of individual workloads. |