Genealogy Chat

Hi folks, again I'm sorry for delay in responding. ( I've had a problem with my wound from my hip replacement so been visiting hospital a lot). The solicitor required a sum to cover the costs for a will search and probate registration and advert placement? Myself and my cousin have offered to be administrators and the solicitor said this would be the only outlay and we would be reimbursed at the end. I was really taken aback so rang another solicitor for advice. They said they didn't charge up front but they were a large company. I then contacted the solicitor who was dealing with it and she said " Your quite welcome to go somewhere else but I shall charge an admin fee of £95 for the work I've done so far ! After ringing round two more solicitors they said she had a right to charge that for the initial work. She ( the original solicitor) charges one and a half % of the estate but the other solicitors I asked charge 3%. After much discussion with the remaining cousins we have stayed with the original one. She said there would be no more outlay at all so fingers crossed. :-(

She claiming that until she knows if his assets will cover the costs of registration then as she's a small company she asks everyone for the initial outlay?
Here's her charges
Probate Registry fees £150
Certainty Will Search £108
Statutory Adverts. £220
Assess Search. £25

Total. £503
:-S

Those four 'events' are in the correct order (in my opinion). But I suggest you ask the solicitor to explain to you:-
a. What a 'Certainty Will Search' means.
b. The make-up of the Statutory Adverts fee (probably two - The Gazette and a local paper)

So, presently, there is just a death certificate? Who has it - and any copies?

Did the person registering the death action the "Tell us once" online process?

Have any bank accounts been frozen?

Who has access to his home? (You mentioned social services) Did he own it?
EDIT: You have previously mentioned that he owned it. So why does the solicitor have concerns about the value of his estate? Also, I think that there is a requirement to complete an IHT form - even though there may not be any tax due. (ie net proceeds from sale of home plus his any other assets total less than the IHT start point))

At this stage do not be tempted to have a 'company' go in and clear his belongings.

The list of (my) action points goes on, and on...