001 · HOW WE HELP
We work by what has happened to you, not by what it is called in law.
Three things make up almost everything we do. If what you need is not here, ring anyway and we will say who does it.
002 · THE FOUR THINGS
Four kinds of work, and what each one costs.
01
Probate and estates
Someone has died and their affairs need settling. We find out what there is, apply for the grant, pay what is owed and pass the rest to the people named in the will or set by law. From the first call to the last payment it usually takes nine to twelve months. Most of that is waiting on the registry, the banks and the tax office, not on you.
02
Wills and trusts
A will says who gets what and who is in charge. We write it after one meeting and a follow-up call, and it is signed within two weeks. A trust is for when you want to hold something back: for a child, for a second marriage, for a house you want someone to live in but not sell. We will tell you plainly when you do not need one.
03
Lasting power of attorney
This names the people who can deal with your money or your care if you cannot. It has to be made while you are well, and the Office of the Public Guardian takes about four months to register it. Most people make two, one for property and one for health, and most people wish they had done it sooner.
04
What it costs
A grant of probate only, where you do the rest yourself, is £1,200 plus VAT. Full administration of an estate is £2,400 to £4,500 plus VAT, agreed in writing before we start. A single will is £350 plus VAT. The probate registry charges £300 for the grant. That fee is not ours and we pass it on at cost.
003 · WHAT YOU GET
Three things we promise on every file.
None of them sound clever. They are the things clients tell us they were most relieved by, and each one is written into the letter you receive before we start.
One solicitor throughout
The person you meet on the first day is the person who signs the last letter. If they are away, the one covering has read your file before they ring you.
The fee in writing before we start
You receive a letter with the fee, what it covers and what would change it. If something comes up that was not in it, we tell you before we do the work, not after.
A written note after every conversation
Grief makes it hard to hold on to detail. After every call or meeting you get a short note saying what was decided and what happens next, so you never have to ask twice.
004 · QUESTIONS
The questions people apologise for asking.
1
Do you charge for the first conversation?
No. The first call or meeting is free and takes about twenty minutes. We tell you what we think needs doing, what it would cost and whether you need a solicitor at all. Plenty of people leave that call and do it themselves, with our blessing.
2
What if the estate is small?
Then you may not need probate, and we will say so. If the money sits in one or two accounts and there is no property, the bank can often release it against the death certificate and the will. We will check for you, and there is no charge for checking.
3
Can you act if I live abroad?
Yes. Most of our work happens by post, email and telephone, and the papers you have to sign can be witnessed where you are. In the last year we have acted for executors in Australia, Spain and the United States, and none of them came to Winchester.
4
Do I need to come in?
Only if you want to. A will has to be signed in front of two witnesses, and it is easiest to do that here, but we can come to you, or to a hospital or care home. Everything else can be done from your kitchen table.
5
How long does a will take?
About two weeks from the first meeting to a signed will. We send a draft within five working days, you tell us what to change, and we arrange the signing. If someone is very unwell we can do it in a day.
Something else on your mind?
005 · TALK TO SOMEONE
Ring us before you start filling anything in.
Twenty minutes on the telephone costs nothing and usually saves a form. If we are not the right firm for you we will say so and tell you who is.
TALK TO SOMEONE