Know the cost first
Clear fees,agreed before we start
Before we begin work we agree what we are doing for you, who will handle your matter, the applicable rates, an estimate of charges, likely disbursements and a timescale.
The figures below are taken from our published cost transparency information. Where a fee is shown as a range, your formal quotation will depend on the complexity of your matter.
Starting prices at a glance
Excluding VAT at 20% unless stated.
- Making a willfrom£350
- Property & finance LPAfixed£400
- Naturalisation or registrationfrom£800
- Motoring offence, stage 1from£310
- Freehold purchasefrom£1,000
Immigration
Applications and appeals
Fixed fee ranges for common immigration cases. Government and tribunal fees are paid to the Home Office or court directly and attract no VAT.
Entry clearance: partner, spouse or child
Depends on whether priority processing is chosen.
Our fee (+VAT)£1,800 – £2,600
Typical government fee£2,000 – £2,500
In-country partner extension
Standard processing.
Our fee (+VAT)£1,800 – £2,600
Typical government feeAround £1,500
First-tier tribunal appeal: refusal of partner leave
Court fee for an oral hearing.
Our fee (+VAT)£2,500 – £4,000
Typical government fee£140
Naturalisation or registration as a British citizen
Our fee (+VAT)£800 – £1,500
Typical government fee£1,300
Visitor visa
Depends on complexity, especially any previous refusal.
Our fee (+VAT)£1,000 – £2,500
Typical government feeFrom around £100
Tier 1 entrepreneur extension
Our fee (+VAT)From £4,500
Typical government feeAround £1,200
- Disbursements: interpreter fees £100 – £1,000 and medical or other expert reports £500 – £3,000, both plus VAT. We quote before incurring any cost on your behalf.
- Not included: Home Office fees, and advice or assistance on any appeal if your application is refused.
- A typical spouse entry clearance application can be prepared in 4 – 6 weeks if supporting evidence is provided promptly.
Conveyancing
Buying or selling a home
Our fees cover all work to complete your purchase, including Land Registry registration and stamp duty land tax or land transaction tax. VAT at 20% is added to every legal fee.
Legal fees, plus VAT (inc. VAT in brackets)
| Purchase scenario | Freehold | Leasehold |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum fee | £1,000 (£1,200) | £1,150 (£1,380) |
| Average, £500,000 purchase | £1,300 (£1,560) | £1,500 (£1,800) |
| Average, £1,000,000 purchase | £1,500 (£1,800) | £1,750 (£2,100) |
| Average new build (first registration) | £1,250 (£1,500) | £1,500 (£1,800) |
| Average shared ownership | Not listed | £1,500 (£1,800) |
| Purchase price above £1,500,000 | Negotiable percentage | Negotiable percentage |
Typical disbursements and extras
- HM Land Registry registration fee
- £95 – £550 (no VAT)
- Local authority search
- £125 – £350 + VAT
- Environmental search
- £49 + VAT
- Drainage & water search
- £52.10 + VAT
- Chancel report search
- £20 + VAT
- ID check, per person
- £6 + VAT
- Electronic money transfer fee
- £30 + VAT
- A typical transaction takes 10 – 14 weeks. Leasehold lease extensions, new builds or tight deadlines can add 4 – 6 weeks and extra charges.
- Leasehold purchases may also involve notice of transfer, notice of charge, deed of covenant and certificate of compliance fees, often £25 – £200 each plus VAT, as set out in the lease.
- We do not undertake tax advice. Stamp duty land tax or land transaction tax depends on the purchase price.
Motoring offences
Fees by stage of your case
Our fees rise with the stage your case reaches. VAT at 20% is added to each fee.
Stage 1 · 1 month
From £372
£310 + £62 VAT
Meeting with a solicitor, review of disclosure and advice on plea and likely sentence. Minimum one hour, potentially up to three.
Stages 1 – 2 · 2 months
£372 – £1,200
£310 – £1,000 + VAT
Preparing defence evidence or mitigation, and an explanation of court procedure.
Stages 1 – 3 · 1 – 6 months
£1,200 – £2,400
£1,000 – £2,000 + VAT
Further preparation and representation at court for a guilty plea, including exceptional hardship.
Stages 1 – 4 · 1 – 12 months
£2,400 – £4,800
£2,000 – £4,000 + VAT
Full preparation and representation at trial or a special reasons hearing.
Prices shown including VAT at 20%.
- Not included: expert witnesses, taking witness statements, special reasons hearing advice, and any appeal.
- Court location, complexity and length of proceedings can increase cost. Disbursements such as mileage, parking and barrister fees are estimated at £100 – £500 + VAT.
Employment law
Employment tribunal claims
Our pricing for bringing or defending unfair or wrongful dismissal claims, excluding VAT at 20%.
What can make a case more complex
- Applications to amend or provide further information on a claim
- Defending claims brought by litigants in person
- Making or defending a costs application
- Complex preliminary issues, such as whether the claimant is disabled
- Many witnesses or documents
- Automatic unfair dismissal, such as after whistleblowing
- Discrimination allegations linked to the dismissal
Simple
Example: £8,000, about 40 hours of trainee solicitor time
£6,000 – £10,000
Medium
Example: £11,000, about 40 hours of solicitor time
£10,000 – £12,000
High complexity
Example: £13,500, about 48 hours of solicitor time
£12,000 – £15,000
Attending a tribunal hearing
Plus VAT. We generally allow 1 – 5 days depending on complexity.
+ £2,000
- Disbursements: tribunal fees estimated £30 – £500 + VAT. Counsel's fees estimated £1,000 – £15,000 per day + VAT depending on experience, including preparation.
- Timescale: 2 – 6 weeks if settled during pre-claim conciliation, 8 – 12 weeks if the claim proceeds to a final hearing.
Wills, probate & private client
Plan ahead with confidence
Fixed fees plus VAT at 20%, excluding disbursements and application fees. Formal quotations depend on the complexity of your matter.
Lifetime planning package
£900
Will + two LPAs
A will and two Lasting Powers of Attorney.
Lifetime planning package
£1,500
Will + trust deed
A will and a separate trust deed.
Lifetime planning package prices are plus VAT.
- Making a will
- £350 – £1,500
- Probate
- From £1,000
- Letters of administration
- From £1,000
- Property & finance LPA
- £400
- Health & welfare LPA
- £400
- Bare trust
- From £1,000
- Discretionary trust
- From £1,000
- Court of Protection and statutory wills
- Hourly rate
- Court of Protection deputy and statutory will applications are charged at hourly rates once assessed by the Senior Courts Costs Office.
- We do not act as administrators of estates. Fees do not include Probate Registry, Office of the Public Guardian or Court of Protection fees.
Debt recovery
Charged by the hour, agreed up front
We do not undertake debt collection on a fixed-cost basis. All charges are plus VAT at 20%.
£200per hour
Paralegals, legal assistants and trainee solicitors
Simple, uncontested debt collection.
£280 – £350per hour
Solicitors
More complex cases.
Likely charges by stage
- 01Initial consultation£200 – £350
- 02Letter before action and pre-action correspondence£250 – £500
- 03Preparing court papers and issuing proceedings£300 – £750
- 04Progressing the case to trial£750 – £1,250
- 05The trial itself£500 – £1,000
- Debts of £10,000 – £100,000: legal fees can be recovered from the debtor. Average fees £2,500 – £5,000 + VAT, or £5,000 – £50,000 + VAT for more complex matters. Some cases may suit a conditional fee agreement.
- Court fees for claims up to £10,000 range from £35 to £445. Fast and multi-track claims carry a fee of 5% of the claim. Barrister fees are typically £200 – £550 per hour + VAT.
- Matters usually take 3 – 6 weeks from instruction to payment, longer if enforcement is needed.
The small print
- All fixed fees are shown before VAT unless stated; VAT is charged at the prevailing rate, currently 20%.
- Figures are examples and ranges taken from our published cost transparency information. They can change, and your quote will confirm the exact fee.
- Disbursements are costs payable to third parties, such as court fees, searches and expert reports. We handle the payment on your behalf.
- A mix of paralegals and solicitors may work on your matter at different times. We confirm who is responsible for your file in your engagement letter.