VAT
The standard rate of UK VAT is currently 20%. This is charged on our fees as indicated.
Domestic Conveyancing
Jane Coley is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the conveyancing field and has worked at David J Foster & Baxter Solicitors for over 14 years as a fee earner. She is responsible for all conveyancing work at the firm, ensuring smooth and efficient property transactions for her clients. Jane is accredited with the Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS), reflecting her commitment to high standards and best practices in conveyancing. Her services are available at an hourly rate of £240 plus VAT.
Please contact Jane Coley at our Tamworth Office by telephone 01827 58333 or by email at jane@davidjfostersolicitors.co.uk for a quotation
Or contact our branch office at Polesworth by telephone 01827 899059 or email reception@baxtersolicitors.co.uk for a quotation.
Our charges for all forms of Conveyancing work are competitive. The below fees are plus VAT
| PRICE | FREEHOLD SALE | LEASEHOLD SALE | FREEHOLD PURCHASE | LEASEHOLD PURCHASE |
| < £100,000.00 | 795.00 | 945.00 | 850.00 | 950.00 |
| <£150,000.00 | 825.00 | 975.00 | 900.00 | 1000.00 |
| <£200,000.00 | 875.00 | 995.00 | 950.00 | 1050.00 |
| <£250,000.00 | 925.00 | 1045.00 | 1050.00 | 1150.00 |
| <£300,000.00 | 1000.00 | 1095.00 | 1100.00 | 1200.00 |
| <£350,000.00 | 1050.00 | 1145.00 | 1150.00 | 1250.00 |
| <£400,000.00 | 1100.00 | 1195.00 | 1200.00 | 1300.00 |
| <£450,000.00 | 1150.00 | 1245.00 | 1250.00 | 1350.00 |
| <£500,000.00 | 1200.00 | 1295.00 | 1300.00 | 1400.00 |
| <£550,000.00 | 1250.00 | 1345.00 | 1350.00 | 1450.00 |
| <£600,000.00 | 1300.00 | 1395.00 | 1400.00 | 1500.00 |
| <£700,000.00 | 1350.00 | 1445.00 | 1450.00 | 1550.00 |
| <£800,000.00 | 1400.00 | 1495.00 | 1500.00 | 1600.00 |
| <£900,00.00 | 1450.00 | 1595.00 | 1550.00 | 1700.00 |
| <£1,000,000.00 | 1550.00 | 1695.00 | 1650.00 | 1800.00 |
| >£1,000,000.00 | will be dealt with on an hourly rate basis of £175 + VAT and expect to spend 17 – 22 hours on the matter, costs will be provided within our client care letter | |||
NB – New Builds subject to additional fees of not less than £250.00 Plus VAT
| Price/Mortgage Value | Freehold Re-mortgage | Leasehold Re-mortgage |
| >£300,00.00 | £700.00-£800.00 | £875-£975.00 |
| £300,000.00 – £500,000.00 | £800.00-£900.00 | £975-£1075.00 |
| £500,000.00 – £750,000.00 | £900-£1000.00 | £1075-£1175.00 |
| £750,000.00+ | £1000.00 + | £1175.00+ |
Other Residential Fees:
The below fees are plus VAT
| Lease extension | £250.00 |
| Deed of Trust/Declaration | £300.00 |
| Deed of Postponement | £150.00 |
| Deed of Covenant | £150.00 |
| Removal of a Registered Caution | £150.00 |
| Mutual Deed of Covenant for Flying Freehold | £250.00 |
| Transfer of Business Loan facility/overdraft | £200.00 |
| Drafting additional contract packages (eg for sale – Contract race) | £150.00 |
| Statutory Declaration for Title Rectification | £150.00 |
| Deed of Assignment of Life Policy between Policy holders | £250.00 |
| Services of Notice of Assignment or Reassignment to Life Company | £50.00 |
| Electronic transmission of money outside the UK | £100.00 |
| Cheque returned unpaid | £50.00 |
| Cheque stopped at clients’ request | £50.00 |
| Dealing with Third Party Lawyer (eg matrimonial Transaction Separate lawyer for lender) | £150.00 |
| File retrieval after completion from archive store | £50.00 |
| Administering service charge retentions (payable on completion) | £75.00 |
| Discharge of any second/secured loan | £50.00 |
| Additional payment redeeming unsecured loans | £50.00 |
| Dealing with indemnity insurance policy | £20.00 |
| Occupiers’ Waiver/consent form (depending on lender) from | £50.00 |
| Telegraphic Transfer fee | £10.00 |
| SDLT filing Fee | £50.00 |
| Deeds release fee | £5.00 |
Additional Costs
- Redemption of Target HCA Shared Equity Loan £150.00 plus VAT *(where its part of the sale)
- Gift (per gift) £100.00 plus VAT
- HTB ISA or Lifetime ISA (per ISA) £50.00 plus VAT
Disbursements
| Sale | Purchase | ||
| Office copies Inc VAT | £3.00 plus VAT per document | SDLT | TBC on a case by case basis |
| Bank Charge | £12.00 (no vat) | Land Registry fee | TBC on a case by case basis |
| AML searches per name | £7.50 | Bank Charge | £12.00 (no vat) |
| Lawyer checker | £15.00 | ||
| Searches | £274.50 (approx.) plus vat | ||
| Official Search of Priority | £3.00 plus VAT | ||
| Bankruptcy search | £2.00 per name plus VAT | ||
| Lender portal fee | TBC if applicable |
Key Stages & Timeline
As part of your sale and purchase transaction, we aim to complete the process in a minimum of 8 weeks, although this can vary depending on individual circumstances. Below is an outline of the key stages involved in both your sale and purchase:
For your Sale, we will:
- Obtain your Title Deeds or Title Information from the Land Registry.
- Prepare the contract package and send it to the buyer’s solicitors.
- Respond to any initial and additional enquiries raised by the buyer’s solicitors.
- Arrange for you to sign the contract and transfer documentation.
- Exchange contracts and complete the sale.
- Redeem your mortgage and, if applicable, settle the estate agent’s fees from the sale proceeds.
For your Purchase, we will:
- Apply for the necessary property searches.
- Review the contract documentation provided by the seller’s solicitors.
- Raise any relevant enquiries about the property.
- Review the search results.
- Review your mortgage offer (if applicable).
- Prepare the Report on Title.
- Arrange for you to sign the relevant contract documents.
- Exchange contracts and complete the purchase.
- Submit the Stamp Duty Land Tax Return (if applicable).
- Register your property with the Land Registry.
This process typically takes at least 8 weeks, though it can vary depending on the complexity of the transaction. Our Client Care letter will provide further details specific to your transaction.
*Please note that the above disbursements are those that are most likely to be applicable however, there may be other disbursements depending on the matter such as management pack fees etc which we are unable to confirm at quote stage.
For all other forms of work, our normal charges for legal services are calculated at the rate of £175 per hour, with letters written and telephone calls and emails (unless timed) at 1/10th, letters received at 1/20th of the hourly rate. Any expenses are charged at the same cost to ourselves.
Full details of our chargeable rates will be contained within our initial letter to yourself.
Disclaimer:
Please note that the provided fee scale is for informational purposes only and is subject to change. The fee structure may be adjusted based on market conditions, regulatory changes, or internal review. While we aim to provide accurate and up-to-date information, we reserve the right to modify the fees without prior notice. Clients will be notified of any significant changes that may affect their cases.
Proceedings relating to Care Proceedings
If the Local Authority are concerned about the care that you are providing for your children you may require advice on such matters.
In most cases, you should qualify for free legal aid for such advice.
- If you receive a PLO (Public Law Outline) letter all parents qualify for free legal aid.
- Free legal aid is also available for all parents in Care proceedings.
- If you are not a parent (for instance a grandparent) we can provide initial advice upon a fixed fee basis for £100 plus vat (total £120).
- Our charge rate for other work including attending court, we charge £175 per hour plus vat. For complicated hearings or where Counsel is instructed to represent you, these may be charged at a fixed rate upon which we will discuss this with you before any work is undertaken.
Wills, LPA & Probate Charges Guide
Gail Willoughby is a distinguished solicitor, admitted to the roll on 16th November 19981. With over 25 years of post-qualification experience (PQE), she brings extensive expertise to her practice. Gail is responsible for all private client work at David J Foster & Baxter Solicitors, where she provides her services at an hourly rate of £300 + VAT. Her commitment to excellence and client-focused approach make her a trusted advisor in her field.
Wills
To advise upon the preparation of a straight forward Will, our charges are normally £180 for a single Will or £250 for a mirror Will plus vat.
For Wills to include a Life Interest Trust we will charge £220 for a single and £475 for a mirror Will plus vat.
For more complicated matters we are able in most cases to give you an indication of your likely charges upon your first appointment.
Lasting Power of Attorney
Our charges for completing and registering a Lasting Power of Attorney either for Financial matters or for Health matters will normally be £400 or for both type of LPA’s £600 plus vat.
For a couple making one (either Financial or Health) LPA each, we charge £600 plus vat or if you both types of LPA we charge £900 plus vat.
All costs quoted are exclusive of VAT and Disbursements such as Registration fees.
To register each LPA the Court fee is £82.
PROBATE MATTERS
We can act on your behalf to wind up a Deceased’s Estate.
Probate
Our charges are based on an hourly rate and in addition, if we are carrying out full estate administration we also charge a 1% plus VAT uplift based on the total gross value of the estate.
We shall write to you after your first appointment to give a better idea of what will be required to wind up the Estate and the likely charges that will apply.
- At your initial appointment, once we have ascertained what is involved in administering the estate we will provide you with an estimate of your likely charges .Our estate administration fees are based on an hourly charge of £300 per hour plus VAT and in addition to this, if we are carrying out full estate administration, we also charge a 1% plus VAT uplift based on the total gross value of the estate. There may also be other related disbursements such as probate registry fees and other searches/advertisements which are applicable to the estate. Total costs normally fall between £550 and £3,500 (plus VAT).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. The charges will also depend upon whether the Estate will be liable to pay Inheritance Tax. We will handle the full process for you. This quote is for estates where:
- There is a valid will
- There is no more than one property
- There are no more than 4 bank or building society accounts
- There are no other intangible assets
- There are between 1 – 5 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
- All of the Assets are in England or Wales
Disbursements to be added to our fee:
- Probate application fee is normally £300 (VAT does not apply)
- Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)
- £250 – £500 (incl vat ) Post in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors (you may choose not to incur this expense).
- £250 – £500 (incl vat ) Post in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims (you may choose not to incur this expense).
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.
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 £1.50 (1 per asset usually).
- Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.
How long will this take?
On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 3 – 6 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 4 -8 weeks, which can be longer if the estate has to pay Inheritance Tax. Collecting assets then follows, which can take upto 16 weeks. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally upto 4 weeks. There are potential many variables, as with all communications we send, progress depends upon how quickly third parties respond upon which we have no control, which may significantly alter our estimated time to complete your matter.