LETTER BEFORE ACTION

Our standard charge for sending an initial letter is £180 plus 20% VAT, which also includes additional chase ups in the absence of response. If there are legal issues involved which require a more detailed analysis prior to drafting and sending an initial letter then the fee charged will be based on time spent on the matter and the complexities involved.

Our hourly rate in debt collection matters is £180 per hour plus 20% VAT.

Letters before action sent to companies usually require the debtor to pay within 14 days, but letters to individuals provide for a 30-day period in accordance with guidelines laid down by the court and the time limit for payment in international letters before action may vary.

UNCONTESTED PROCEEDINGS

The legal fees charged are in respect of uncontested debt recovery proceedings only and are based on the size of debt and the court in which proceedings are issued. The fees charged do not include disbursements such as Court fee.

Our legal fees structure is set out in the charts below:

Amount of Debt	Our fee
Up to £1,000 £1,001 to £3,000 £3,001 to £5,000 £5,001 to £10,000 £10,001 to £200,000	£90 plus 20% VAT £150 plus 20% VAT £160 plus 20% VAT £190 plus 20% VAT £250 plus 20% VAT

Court fee

You must pay a court fee when you make a claim. If you know the claim amount, the court fee is based on the amount you’re claiming, plus interest.

Claim amount	Paper form fee	Online claim fee
Up to £300	£35	£25
£300.01 to £500	£50	£35
£500.01 to £1,000	£70	£60
£1,000.01 to £1,500	£80	£70
£1,500.01 to £3,000	£115	£105
£3,000.01 to £5,000	£205	£185
£5,000.01 to £10,000	£455	£410
£10,000.01 to £100,000	5% of the claim	4.5% of the claim
£100,000.01 to £200,000	5% of the claim	You cannot make a claim online
More than £200,000	£10,000	You cannot make a claim online

Once the court has served the claim, a debtor has 14 days in which to file a defence or enter an acknowledgement. After the 14-day period has expired, a request can be made to the court for judgment to be entered providing the debtor has not filed an acknowledgement or a defence.

ENFORCEMENT

There are a number of ways in which to enforce a judgment obtained in debt collection proceedings. In terms of the legal fees involved, the following is a breakdown of the fees based on the remedy used. The fees charged do not include disbursements such as Court fee, third party costs (process server, deposit, search fee) etc

Request Judgment: £50 plus 20% VAT

Writ of control (High Court Enforcement Officer to seize goods in satisfaction) - £75 plus 20% VAT

Warrant of execution - £75 plus 20% VAT

Expected time: A writ of control or warrant of execution may be applied for once judgment has been obtained but whether or not any recovery will be made depends on the debtor’s ability to pay and whether there are any assets which may be seized and whether a repayment agreement is entered into. A typical enforcement may take about 8-12 weeks from instruction. If we are required to enter into correspondence about the enforcement, then the matter will no longer be treated as a fixed fee enforcement and additional charges will apply. These charges will be based on an hourly rate set out above.

Issue of statutory demand for companies and individuals - £150 plus 20% VAT

Expected time: A statutory demand should only be made where the debt is not disputed for example where there is a judgment or an admission that the debt is due. A statutory demand can be prepared on receipt of instructions and is then usually sent to a process server for personal service. Personal service generally takes about 2-3 weeks via a process server.

Bankruptcy proceedings - £750 plus 20% VAT

This is applicable to cases where the matter is determined at the first hearing, there are no issues with regards to service and is only applicable in cases whereby the debt is not disputed or if a court judgment has been obtained which has not been set aside or appealed.

Expected time: A bankruptcy order can usually be obtained within about 8-12 weeks of the petition being issued by the court.

Winding up - £950 plus 20% VAT

This is applicable to cases where the matter is determined at the first hearing and is only applicable in cases whereby the debt is not disputed or if a Court judgment has been obtained which has not been set aside or appealed.

Expected time: A winding up order can usually be obtained within about 8-12 weeks of the petition being issued by the court.

Attachment of earnings - £150 plus 20% VAT

This is applicable to cases where the attachment of earnings is obtained without a hearing or further applications or revisions to deal with debtors who have not been found or their employment has changed.

Expected time: An attachment of earnings order can sometimes be obtained within about 6-8 weeks of the application for an attachment of earnings order being issued by the court.

Charging order - £325 plus 20% VAT (excluding hearing)

Expected time: An interim charging order can sometimes be obtained within about 2-3 weeks of application being made to court. The timescale for the final charging order will depend upon whether the debtor files an objection and if the Court lists the case for a hearing. Without any objections or a hearing it would be a further 4-6 weeks.

Third party debt order - £250 plus 20% VAT

Expected time: A third party debt order can sometimes be obtained within about 8-12 weeks of the application being issued by the court.

Order that debtor attends court for questioning/oral examination - £250 plus 20% VAT

Expected time: The debtor will usually be required to attend court for questioning within about 8-12 weeks of the application being made.

PROBATE

1. Grant only service

Grant only service is applicable to cases where no inheritance tax is due. The client will be responsible for dealing with the estate once the grant has been received.

Our Fee

• In Simple case: (IHT 205 submitted - £1,000 plus 20% VAT
• In complex case: (IHT 400 to be submitted) - £1,500 plus 20% VAT

2. Full Estate Administration service

With respect to full estate administration service. we will Provide initial advice, Collect the necessary details for Probate application, collecting in the estate assets, working out the Inheritance Tax liability and paying the taxes, dealing with HMRC and distributing the residue of the estate to the beneficiaries.

Our fee for this work will vary depending upon the work involved, i.e. terms of the will, the size and complexity of the estate. Our fee for the full estate administration will start from £3,000 plus 20% VAT.

Probate Court fees and other disbursements are payable in addition to our fees.

IMMIGRATION

1. UK Work Visa

• Entry clearance as Tier 2 General Migrant and Tier 2 ICT £800 plus 20% VAT
• Switching into Tier 2 General £600 plus 20% VAT
• Tier 2 General and Tier 2 ICT Extension £600 plus 20% VAT
• Dependants of Tier 2 General and Tier 2 ICT £500 plus 20% VAT
• ILR Tier 2 General £600 plus 20% VAT
• Entry clearance as Tier 1 Entrepreneur £1,500 plus 20% VAT
• Switching into Tier 1 Entrepreneur £1,500 plus 20% VAT
• Tier 1 Entrepreneur Extension £1,500 plus 20% VAT
• ILR Tier 1 Entrepreneur £1,500 plus 20% VAT
• Dependants of 1 Entrepreneur £800 plus 20% VAT
• Entry Clearance as Tier 1 Investor £2,000 plus 20% VAT
• Switching into Tier 1 Investor £2,000 plus 20% VAT
• Tier 1 Investor Extension £2,000 plus 20% VAT
• ILR as Tier 1 Investor £2,000 plus 20% VAT

2. Family of the settled person or British Citizen

• Entry Clearance as a Spouse £700 plus 20% VAT
• Switching into Spouse visa £700 plus 20% VAT
• Extension of stay as Spouse £700 plus 20% VAT
• ILR Spouse visa £700 plus 20% VAT
• ILR victim of Domestic violence £1,000 plus 20% VAT

3. British Citizenship

• Naturalisation as a British Citizen £700 plus 20% VAT
• Registration of a child as British Citizen £700 plus 20% VAT

4. EU Law applications

• Residence card as a family member of the EEA National £800 plus 20% VAT
• Permanent Residence as an EEA National £800 plus 20% VAT.

Visa fees and other disbursements are payable in addition to our fees

The work will involve:

• discussing your circumstances in detail and confirming whether this is the most appropriate application for you to make and what other options may be available to you;
• giving you advice about the requirements of the Immigration Rules and whether you meet the criteria.
• if you do not fulfil certain criteria, whether this can be overcome;
• considering the supporting evidence you have provided;
• where necessary, helping you obtain further evidence (such as medical records and bank statements), including taking statements of any witnesses;
• preparing your application and submitting it on your behalf;
• Attendance at a Home Office interview: if the Home Office ask you to attend an interview, we will give you clear advice (and discuss the possibility of us attending with you) at the appropriate time.
• giving you advice about the outcome of the application and any further steps you need to take.

CONVEYANCING

All prices below are exclusive of 20% VAT. The fees listed are our average fee ranges for a Purchase, and Sale transactions. The fees (including additional fees and disbursements) may vary depending on the source of the instruction, location of the property, the property price and the work we are required to do.

Value not exceeding	Our Professional Fees	Leasehold/Share of Freehold
Up to £250,000	£650 plus 20% VAT	£750 plus 20% VAT
£250,001-£500,000	£750 plus 20% VAT	£850 plus 20% VAT
£500,001-£750,000	£850 plus 20% VAT	£950 plus 20% VAT
£750,001+	£1,200 plus 20% VAT	£1,300 plus 20% VAT

Other Additional Fees, if applicable to your transaction:

• Telegraphic Transfer: £35
• SDLT Admin: £100
• Acting for Lender: £250

Disbursements (third party costs):

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

• Search Pack: £250 approx. (excluding 20% VAT)
• Bankruptcy Search: £2 per person
• ID/AML Checks: £6 - £12 per person
• Land Registration Fee: £40 - £910

The Land Registry fees referred to above are not subject to 20% VAT.

Please note the fee range will vary depending on the work required. Factors which may increase the fees charged include:

• If the property is leasehold;
• If a lease extension of deed of variation is required;
• If you wish for us to expedite your transaction;
• If we also need to act for your lender;
• If we cannot meet you in person and will need to complete an electronic ID check.

Stages of the Process

The precise stages involved in residential property transaction may vary according to the circumstances. However, we have outlined the standard steps below:

Sale:

• Take your instructions by getting you to complete sale instructions and Protocol forms and give you initial advice;
• Check finances are in place to fund any related purchase (if applicable);
• Obtain a copy of the Title and prepare a contract pack to send to purchasers Solicitors;
• Respond to any pre-contract enquiries;
• Obtain a redemption statement from your mortgage lender
• Arrange for you to execute the final contract and Transfer Deed
• Arrange an exchange and completion date;
• Complete sale
• Deal with redemption of your mortgage
• Pay the estate agents commission account (if any)
• Transfer any remaining money from sale to you

Purchase:

• Take your instructions and give you initial advice;
• Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender's solicitors, if needed;
• investigating the title to the property which you are buying;
• Prepare Report on Title and send to you with the contract for signature and supporting documents to include advising on the conditions of your mortgage offer and joint ownership, if required;
• Agree completion date;
• Proceeding to exchange of contracts and completion of the purchase;
• calculating stamp duty land tax (SDLT) on the purchase and preparing and submitting to HM Revenue & Customs the appropriate SDLT forms; and
• registering the purchase and any mortgage at the Land Registry.

Please note the fees quoted above assumes that:

(1) your matter is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including for example (but not limited to) a defect in title which requires remedying prior to exchange or the preparation of additional documents ancillary to the main transaction;

(2) your matter is the assignment of an existing lease and is not the grant of a new lease;

(3) your matter is concluded in a timely manner and that no unforeseen complications arise;

(4) all parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation; and

(5) no indemnity policies are required.

MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS

Statutory declaration drafting and witness	£75.00 plus 20% VAT
ID1 Witness	£50.00 plus 20% VAT
Certify per page	£10.00 inc 20% VAT
Advice on Occupiers Consent	£100.00 plus 20% VAT
Advice on Guarantee for loan	£110.00 plus 20% VAT
Witness and advice on TR1	£100.00 plus 20% VAT
Independent legal advice	£100.00 plus 20% VAT
Drafting simple Will and Witness	£150.00 plus 20% VAT
Drafting complex Will and Witness	Please consult for quotation
Power of Attorney	£150.00 plus 20% VAT

GUIDELINES ON HOURLY RATES

Solicitors and Legal Executives with over 8 years’ experience	£250.00 plus 20% VAT per hour
Solicitors and Legal Executives with over 4 years’ experience	£200.00 plus 20% VAT per hour
Other Solicitors or Legal Executives and fee earners of Equivalent experience	£150.00 plus 20% VAT per hour
Trainee Solicitors, Paralegals and other fee earners	£121.00 plus 20% VAT per hour