Solicitor’s fees for probate

Bitten & Hisses

Hi, just wondering if those of you who have had to deal with probate involving farm transfer could provide some insight.
Im posting in the farming forum as this query specifically relates to the inheritance of a farm.

I’m helping a family member on probate on an estate which only involves a farm and family home. There Is no conflict/challenges from other family members, titles are clean and everything is on 2 folios. There are no cash/investment/pension assets.
Am I correct in saying that for straightforward cases like this, a typical solicitor’s fee is 1% of the estate value?

Bass Reeves

Probate us a fairly straightforward business.bthe only real work the solicitor needs to do is to lodge the will on the probate office and transfer the property to the beneficiaries. There may be small debts to clear.

Do what the cost O have seen property transfer's carried out for 7-800 by solicitors. For a straight forward estate like that 1.5-2k should be sufficient. And that is including vat. Shop around you do not need to remain with the solicitor the will was lodged with. Strictly speaking you can lodge the will on the probate office yourself. I sure if you checked you can change the.propertu registeration yourself but I be slow to advise this.

Solicitors are required to issue you with a bill of costs. Registeration fees would be.on top of costs.

Bitten & Hisses

Thanks. If I had skin in the game, I might go lodging it myself, but under the circumstances I wouldn't draw a DIY job on myself.

Based on your experience, even the 1% fee sounds like it may be excessive?

StopWatch

Shop around. Alot.
Only listen to people who are straightforward about the actual cost. And give you those numbers upfront.
It's a simple transfer.

keepalive213

Bitten & Hisses wrote: »

Hi, just wondering if those of you who have had to deal with probate involving farm transfer could provide some insight.
Im posting in the farming forum as this query specifically relates to the inheritance of a farm.

I’m helping a family member on probate on an estate which only involves a farm and family home. There Is no conflict/challenges from other family members, titles are clean and everything is on 2 folios. There are no cash/investment/pension assets.
Am I correct in saying that for straightforward cases like this, a typical solicitor’s fee is 1% of the estate value?

In 2018 a solicitor quoted me around €2700 to sort out probate and transfer estate ownership when my late father died without having made a will.
Around 30 acres plus commonage, house, sheds, yard. No conflicts / challenges, straight forward.
Despite 'expert advice' not to, I successfully completed a personal probate application, I think it cost me €430 all in and did it all without a solicitor.
The folks in the probate office were so good, can't praise them enough, they really helped.
Agri planner helped a little bit but not much.
Saved almost €2300, better in my pocket than Saul Goodman's.

StopWatch

I also know someone who did it themselves. So it is doable.
But this percentage thing is solicitor nonsense. Avoid it. It will never work to your advantage.
Why enter an agreement where you don't know the cost upfront?

tabby aspreme

Two different solicitors, wanted €21000, plus expenses, for probate on my Dads will, did it myself, took about a day and a half including the visit to the probate office, as previously mentioned the staff in the probate office were excellent

148multi

We did it ourselves, probate office couldn't have been more helpful. Can't remember the fee, but was small.