Legal Practice Pricing & Fees in Kent

At Elite Legal Services in Maidstone, we believe in providing high-quality legal assistance at clear and competitive rates. Transparency and trust are at the heart of our approach, ensuring you always know what to expect. Explore our straightforward pricing options for a range of legal services below.

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We understand that cost is an important consideration when choosing legal services. That’s why at Elite Legal Services, we offer a clear breakdown of our fees, so you can plan confidently. Our pricing reflects the expertise of our senior solicitors and the level of care and dedication we bring to every case.

Our Legal Services Fees

Prices

Hourly rate Senior Solicitor £250 plus VAT and £175 plus VAT (new qualified Solicitor)

We offer fixed fees starting from: £250 per hour plus VAT

Our fees for Wills are as follows from:

£250 plus VAT (£300) for a basic single Will

£450 plus VAT (£540) for mirror Wills

£150 plus VAT (£180) for a Living Will (prepared with a basic single or mirror Wills)

For more complex Wills from: £400 plus VAT (£480) each

Lasting Power of Attorneys from: £500 plus VAT (£600) each plus the Court fee

Business Lasting Power of Attorney from: £700 plus VAT (£840) each plus the Court fee

Transfer of Equities (without mortgage) from: £650 plus VAT (£780) plus expenses such as HM Land Registry fees

Property sales from: £950 plus VAT (£1140) plus expenses such as HM Land Registry fees

Property purchases (without mortgages) From: £1200 plus VAT (£1440) plus expenses such as HM Land Registry fees, search fees etc.

Declaration of Trusts from: £550 plus VAT (£660) plus expenses such as HM Land Registry fees

Pre-Marital Agreement from £1500 plus VAT (£1800) plus expenses

ID1 Form from £100 plus VAT (£120)

Probate

The price information below is only a general indication of costs based on our experience.

We estimate a fixed fee cost is likely to range between £4,750 and £5,750 plus VAT and disbursements* for a straightforward grant of probate, and administration of an estate, for estates in England and Wales, where:

There is one property in the sole name of the deceased
There is one bank account
There are no debts (other than utility bills)
There is a valid Will appointing executors
There is a single beneficiary
There are no complications

An additional fee from 1% plus VAT is added to the bill

*Disbursements (costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties)

Item

Probate fee* value of estate over £5,000

Probate fee* value of estate £5,000 or less

Office copies of the grant of probate (per copy)

Post in the local paper (estimate)

Post in the London Gazette (estimate)

Fee

£300

No Fee

£1.50

£185

£87.30 ex VAT

VAT

None

Payable

None

Please contact us so that we can provide you with an individual quote based on your specific circumstances which is usually after our having had the time to peruse and consider information provided by you regarding the assets and liabilities in an estate.

You should also list any factors that could increase overall costs.

Example: additional costs

The following factors are likely to increase the cost of your matter:

Not having all of the paperwork available, or having missing or incorrect information that needs investigation and correction
Original will lost
Having to arrange valuations of assets
Third parties not responding to our communications promptly
Dealing with unusual or complex assets or items (for example fine art, timeshares, shares in private companies, overseas assets etc.)
Disputes between beneficiaries

As soon as any complications arise we will discuss these with you and agree the fee for the additional work being carried out in advance of any additional work being undertaken.

Timescale:

It can take 8-12 months to obtain a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration. Each case is different. Currently, the Probate Service will not acknowledge an application until after 16 weeks have passed from the date it was received by them. So much depends on how quickly the information is gathered together to make the application and also the workload of the Probate Service.

Once the Grant has been issued the administration of the estate can start with the gathering in of assets in the estate, for example, monies in deceased’s bank account.

The time it takes for third parties such as banks to respond will then influence how long it will take to finalise the administration of the estate, but generally speaking the administration of a straightforward estate should take 12-36 months.

In some cases where there are professional executors, the distribution of the net estate to beneficiaries could take longer. It is common for distribution to be delayed until 10 months after the issue of the Grant.

Obtaining a grant of representation and dealing with the administration of an estate can be complicated; it usually takes several months to make sure everything is done properly. At Elite Legal Services we offer a complete estate administration service to deal with everything for you.

Every estate is different, which is why we encourage you to contact us so we can provide you with an estimate outlining a range of potential fees to make sure that you get the right amount of support to meet your individual circumstances. We will update you regularly on your costs throughout the matter so you can stay in control throughout.

Conveyancing

Below is an example of the fees involved in the purchase of a freehold residential property

Please note we do not conduct conveyancing work where mortgages or other borrowing is involved.

Our fees cover all of the work* required to complete the purchase of your new home, including dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty) if the property is in England, or Land Transaction Tax (Land Tax) if the property you wish to buy is in Wales.

Conveyancer’s fees will depend on the value of the property being purchased. This is an example of fees in a transaction where a property has a value of £280,000 Our fees and disbursements would be as follows:

Legal fee £1000
Electronic money transfer fee £50
VAT £200
Subtotal £1,250

Disbursements examples

Indemnity Policy Premium Searches £112
HM Land Registry fee – online application £150
HM Land Registry search fee – £7
Subtotal £269

Estimated total (excluding Stamp Duty or Land Tax – see below): £1,519

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.

Stamp Duty or Land Tax (on purchase)

This depends on the purchase price of your property. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC’s website or if the property is located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority’s website.

Estimated Costs for Your House Purchase:

Before 1st April 2025

Estimated Stamp Duty Land Tax: £1,500
Our Fees: £1,529
Total Estimated Cost: £3,029

From 1st April 2025

Estimated Stamp Duty Land Tax: £4,000
Our Fees: £1,529
Total Estimated Cost: £5,529

How long will my purchase take?

How long it will take from your offer being accepted until you can move in to your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 12 and 16 weeks.

It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. For example, if you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer, between 6 and 8 months. In such, a situation additional charges would apply.

Stages of the process

The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, below we have suggested some key stages that you may wish to consider:

Take your instructions and give you initial advice
Check finances are in place to fund purchase
Receive and advise on contract documents
Carry out searches
Obtain further planning documentation if required
Make any necessary enquiries of seller’s solicitor
Give you advice on all documents and information received
Send final contract to you for signature
Agree completion date (date from which you own the property)
Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened
Arrange for all monies needed to be received from you
Complete purchase
Deal with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax
Deal with application for registration at Land Registry

Please see below an example of the fees involved in the purchase of a leasehold residential property

Our fees cover all the work* required to complete the purchase of your new home, including dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty) if the property is in England, or Land Transaction Tax (Land Tax) if the property is in Wales.

Conveyancer’s fees

Legal fee £1000
Electronic money transfer fee £50
VAT £200
Subtotal £1250

Disbursements

Estimated total: £800

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as search fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. There are certain disbursements which will be set out in the individual lease relating to the Property. The disbursements which we anticipate will apply are set out separately below. This list is not exhaustive and other disbursements may apply depending on the term of the lease. We will update you on the specific fees upon receipt and review of the lease from the seller’s solicitors.

HM Land Registry on-line fee: £150
Indemnity Premium Searches: £112
HM Land Registry fees: £7
Subtotal: £269

Anticipated Disbursements*

Notice of Transfer fee – This fee if chargeable is set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £100 and £150
Deed of Covenant fee – This fee is provided by the management company for the property and can be difficult to estimate. Often it is between £150 and £300.
Certificate of Compliance fee – To be confirmed upon receipt of the lease, as can range between £100 and £300.

*These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above. We can give you an accurate figure once we have sight of all the relevant documents.

You should also be aware that ground rent and service charge are likely to apply throughout your ownership of the property. We will confirm the ground rent and the anticipated service charge as soon as this we receive this information.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Estimated total of our fees and disbursements (excluding Stamp Duty Land Tax) is £1,900. Stamp Duty Land Tax on a purchase for £280,000 is currently £1500, but the figure is subject to change and depends on whether or not you have an additional property. If so, the Tax is likely to be much higher. As from 1st of April 2025 stamp duty land tax will change.

The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential leasehold property vary according to the circumstances. However, below we have suggested some key stages that you may wish to include:

Take your instructions and give you initial advice
Check finances are in place to fund purchase
Receive and advise on contract documents
Carry out searches
Obtain further planning documentation if required
Make any necessary enquiries of seller’s solicitor
Give you advice on all documents and information received
Send final contract to you for signature
Draft Transfer
Advise you on joint ownership
Obtain pre-completion searches
Agree completion date (date from which you own the property)
Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened
Arrange for all monies needed to be received from you
Complete purchase
Deal with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax
Deal with application for registration at Land Registry

How long will my house purchase take?

How long it will take from your offer being accepted until you can move in to your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 16 and 20 weeks. It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain.

If you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer, between 6 and 8 months. In such, a situation additional charges would apply.

* Our fee assumes that:

a. This 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 completion or the preparation of additional documents ancillary to the main transaction.

b. This is the assignment of an existing lease and is not the grant of a new lease.

c. The transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complication arise.

d. All parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation

e. No indemnity policies are required except if you choose to put one in place instead of carrying out searches. Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity policies are required.

Purchase at auction
Property has been repossessed

ALL WORK CARRIED OUT BY A QUALIFIED SENIOR SOLICITOR

PLEASE NOTE VAT IS PAYABLE all fees where applicable. Elite Legal Services VAT Registration number is 387 8990 11.

Factors That May Affect Pricing

While we strive to provide accurate estimates, certain factors may affect the cost of your legal matter:

Missing or incomplete paperwork requiring investigation
The need for asset valuations
Delays in receiving responses from third parties
Unusual or complex assets such as overseas properties, fine art, or private company shares
Disputes or unforeseen complications
Indemnity policies

We will always discuss these factors with you upfront and agree on additional fees before proceeding with extra work.

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What our customers say about us

We have used the services of Elite Legal Services on several occasions over the last few years alway having received a quality and cost effective service, would strongly recommend every time.

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Every case is unique, and we’re happy to provide a personalised quote based on your specific circumstances. Contact us to discuss your needs and get a clear, upfront estimate for our services.

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Legal Practice Pricing & Fees in Kent

Transparent Pricing Structure