Pricing

We are required by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to provide clients and prospective clients transparency as to the fees that are likely to accumulate and at what rate throughout the duration of your matter.  As such, our Fee Earner's hourly rates can be seen as follows:

Liz Dumbleton - £265.00 plus VAT

Catie Dumbleton-Moore - £261.00 plus VAT

Amanda Plattern - £218.00 plus VAT

Georgina Maxa - £200.00 plus VAT

Bradley Lynam - £150.00 plus VAT

Daniel Chamberlain - £100.00 plus VAT

Assistants - £50.00 plus VAT

In addition to our Fee Earner rates, some matters that EMD Law LLP undertakes are conducted on a fixed fee basis.

Please note that all our fees and some disbursements are subject to VAT at the rate of 20%.

Conveyancing:

Our Freehold Residential Purchase pricing can be found as follows:

Our Leasehold Residential Purchase pricing is as follows:

Our Freehold Residential Sale pricing can be found as follows:

Our Leasehold Residential Sale pricing can be found as follows:

Please note that these fees may be subject to change dependent on the status of the property such as: whether it is a new build property or a shared ownership property. 

Remortgage Pricing:

Deciding to remortgage your home can be as life changing as buying your first property.  It is important that you speak to an independent mortgage adviser who can look at all the options open to you.

We are proud to hold the CQS accreditation issued by the Law Society which is only awarded to solicitors who can show that they maintain the highest standards of conveyancing and client care at all times.

Pricing

We will usually work on a fixed fee basis so that you know how much your remortgage is going to cost from the outset.  However, if there are any new developments which could lead to additional cost we will discuss these with you and agree a way forward at the earliest opportunity.

Remortgages:

Disbursements

These are any costs related to your matter which are payable to third parties, such as search fees.  We will handle the payment of disbursements on your behalf. The disbursements we anticipate are set out below. However, this list is not exhaustive and other disbursements may become due throughout the course of your remortgage.  We will update you should this be the case.

H M LAND REGISTRY FEES (payable on all matters where registration at H M Land Registry is required

Exclusions

We do not provide mortgage or tax advice, which you should obtain from an independent mortgage broker, financial adviser, accountant or tax specialist if required.

Timescales

A typical remortgage will take between 5 and 8 weeks.  However, it can take longer if there are any complications such as an application being rejected.  The process may also take longer if you change lenders from your current mortgage company.

Key Milestones

We will:

• Take your instructions and provide initial advice based on the information you give.  We will provide you with a client care letter and associated documentation.
• Request a redemption statement.
• Obtain Official Copies of the Title and check the Title.
• If your property is Leasehold we will need the Lease to be checked and enquiries of the Landlord or Management company will be raised if relevant.
• Carry out Searches.
• Check your mortgage offer.
• Prepare for completion.
• Request a final redemption statement.
• Request your mortgage advance.
• Complete your remortgage.
• Register the transaction at the Land Registry.

It would not normally be necessary to undertake other work or incur other costs other than those described above.  However, we would be very happy to provide you with a more tailored quote for all stages of your particular case once we know about your specific circumstances.

Our Team

We have an experienced team who understand the stress involved in buying, selling or re-mortgaging your property.

Robert Taylor is a Solicitor, Partner of EMD and head of conveyancing.  He has over 40 years of experience in conveyancing, both residential and commercial and is competent in all areas of conveyancing. Contact Robert on 01424 420261

Nicola Bradley is a Conveyancing Executive with 30 years of conveyancing experience, dealing with freehold and leasehold sales and purchases and more.  Contact Nicola on 01580 890600 or 01424 420261.

All members of staff in the Conveyancing department are supervised by Robert Taylor and Liz Dumbleton.  Robert is a Partner of the firm and Head of the Conveyancing Department and Liz is the Senior Partner and SRO.

Probate Pricing:

Coping with the death of a loved one can be very stressful and emotional and the legal side of dealing with a death can often be confusing and overwhelming.  We offer compassionate advice from our experienced legal team to help make a difficult situation easier on you and your loved ones.

Where there is a Will in existence the Executors will need to apply for the Grant of Probate which will give them the right to administer the Estate.  If there is no Will or an invalid Will or where the Will does not specify an Executor, an Administrator will need to be appointed.

Our experienced team can assist you with every aspect of the probate process to reduce the burden and will advise on the key decisions which need to be made.  We will give you a clear time frame of how long probate should take and will keep you and any beneficiaries advised throughout. 

Timescales

An average probate matter will take between 3 and 12 months. The Grant of Probate can generally be obtained in 3 to 6 months followed by the collection of assets and the distribution of the Estate, which can take between 4 and 12 months.

With each transaction there are milestones that we need to reach.  These are generally, but may vary:

Application for the Grant of Probate;

Obtaining the Grant of Probate;

The settling of liabilities;

Collecting monies for distribution;

Distributing the funds;

Drafting Estate Accounts. 

Pricing

The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end.

We will handle the full process for you. For example this quote is for Estates where:

• There is a valid Will
• There is no more than one property
• There are no more than 5 bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are between 1 and 4 beneficiaries
• There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
• There is no inheritance tax payable and the Executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
• There are no claims made against the Estate

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties. Disbursements included in this fee:

• Probate application fee of £277.50 (with 4 copies), £288.00 (with 10 copies)
• £250-£350 advertisement in The London Gazette – this protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.

Potential additional costs

• If there is no Will or the Estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there is likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the Estate and how it is to be dealt with. We can give you a more accurate quote once we have more information.
• If any additional copies of the Grant are required, they will cost £0.50 each
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the Estate is not included.
• Depending upon the value of the Estate there may be an inheritance tax liability which is additional to the price displayed.  For an accurate figure of the tax that could be payable, please refer to the HMRC online inheritance tax calculator at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/tools/inheritancetax/interest-rate-calculator.htm

Probate – Fixed Fee Arrangement for Grant of Probate Only

We can help you through this difficult process by obtaining the Grant of Probate on your behalf. We will also undertake the collecting and distributing of assets.

As part of our fixed fee we will:

• Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter
• Identify the legally appointed Executors or administrators and beneficiaries
• Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
• Obtain the relevant documents required to make the application
• Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms
• Draft the legal statement for you to sign
• Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
• Obtain the Probate and securely send copies to you
• Collect and distribute all assets in the Estate

Breakdown of costs:

Legal fees:

• Non taxable Estate - £750 - £1,500 plus VAT
• Taxable Estate – £1,500-£3,500 plus VAT

Disbursements:

• Probate Court fee of £277.50 (with 4 copies); £288 (with 10 copies)
• £250-£350 advertisement in The London Gazette – this protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
• Depending upon the value of the Estate there may be an inheritance tax liability which is additional to the price displayed.  For an accurate figure of the tax that could be payable, please refer to the HMRC online inheritance tax calculator at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/tools/inheritancetax/interest-rate-calculator.htm

The cost of selling or transferring a property is not included in the prices quoted. If you require this service please let us know and we will let you have a relevant quotation.

It would not normally be necessary to undertake other work or incur other costs other than those described above.  However, we would be very happy to provide you with a more tailored quote for all stages of your particular case once we know about your specific circumstances.

All members of staff in the Probate department are supervised by Liz Dumbleton.  Liz is the Senior Partner of the firm.

Wills and LPA Pricing:

It would not normally be necessary to undertake other work or incur other costs other than those described above.  However, we would be very happy to provide you with a more tailored quote for all stages of your particular case once we know about your specific circumstances.

All members of staff in the Private Client department are supervised by Liz Dumbleton.  Liz is the Senior Partner of the firm.

Debt Recovery Pricing:

These costs apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice which is not disputed and where enforcement action is not needed.  If the other party disputes your claim at any point we will discuss any further work required and provide you with revised advice about costs which could be on a fixed for where, for example, a one-off letter is required, or on an hourly rate basis if more extensive work is needed.

A Court fee will apply and varies depending on the size of the debt.  These are set out online at https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money/court-fees

Should you wish to proceed with a claim, please note that:

• The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor;
• Interest may take the debt into a higher banding which may result in a higher cost to you
• The costs quoted above are not for matters where enforcement action such as the Bailiff is needed to collect your debt.

Our fee includes:

• Taking your instructions and reviewing any documentation;
• Sending a letter before action;
• Receiving payment and sending on to you or, if the debt is not paid, drafting and issuing claim form;
• Where no Acknowledgment of Service or Defence is received, applying to the Court to enter Judgement in default;
• When Judgement in default is received, writing to the other side to request payment;
• If payment is not received in accordance with the Court Order's timescale, providing you with advice on the next steps and likely costs.

It would not normally be necessary to undertake other work or incur other costs other than those described above.  However, we would be very happy to provide you with a more tailored quote for all stages of your particular case once we know about your specific circumstances.

Timescales

Matters usually take 4-20 weeks from receipt of instructions from you to receipt of payment from the other side, depending on whether or not it is necessary to issue a claim.  This is on the basis that the other side pays promptly on receipt of Judgment in default.  If enforcement action is needed, the matter will take longer to resolve.

Exclusions

Whilst our fees are fixed and include those items detailed above there may be unforeseen factors that could increase fees charged.  Where there is likely to be any additional cost we will ensure that you are informed of this at the earliest opportunity and provide you with a clear estimate of any additional fees that might be incurred.

Our Debt Recovery Team

Regardless of who works on your matter, all file handlers will be supervised by Liz Dumbleton, Senior Partner.

Liz Dumbleton is our Senior Partner. She qualified as a Solicitor in 1999 and has worked in many areas of law. Liz supervises the work of the Debt Recovery Team.

Amanda Platten has worked in law for over 16 years.  She is experienced in dispute resolution matters and has a successful record of debt recovery matters.

Our pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal

Simple case: £2500 -£5000- (excluding VAT, charged at 20%)

Medium complexity case: £5000-£8000 (excluding VAT, charged at 20%)

High complexity case: £8,000-£12,000 (excluding VAT, charged at 20%)

We charge based on an hourly rate which varies depending on the member of staff dealing with your matter. Our lowest hourly rate is £150 and our highest hourly rate is £275. The seniority of the members of staff dealing with your case will depend on its complexity. We will discuss this with you when you instruct us.

Factors that could make a case more complex:

• If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim
• Defending claims that are brought by litigants in person
• Making or defending a costs application
• Complex preliminary issues such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties)
• The number of witnesses and documents
• If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. if you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer
• Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Counsel's fees estimated between £500 to £1000 per day excluding VAT, charged at 20% (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation)

Key stages

The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:

• Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change)
• Entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached;
• Preparing claim or response
• Reviewing and advising on claim or response from other party
• Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process
• preparing or considering a schedule of loss
• Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing
• Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents
• Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses
• preparing bundle of documents
• Reviewing and advising on the other party's witness statements
• agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list
• Preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including instructions to Counsel

The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.

How long will my matter take?

The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take 2-8 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take up to a year. This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.

All members of staff in the Debt Recovery department are supervised by Liz Dumbleton.  Liz is the Senior Partner of the firm.

Additional Fees:

All clients will be required to pay an onboarding fee of £15.00 plus VAT where we are acting for a sole client and £25.00 plus VAT where acting for joint clients.

If your transaction requires us to send money by Telegraphic Transfer, you will be charged £36.00 plus VAT to do so.

If your transaction requires us to send money by Faster Payment, you will be charged £10.00 plus VAT to do so.

It would not normally be necessary to undertake other work or incur other costs other than those described above.  However, we would be very happy to provide you with a more tailored quote for all stages of your particular case once we know about your specific circumstances.