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Category Archives: Will and probate

HCL

Posted by Hindle Campbell

Business debt recovery

When it comes to retrieving an unpaid debt, action is often required, and our corporate debt recovery team is ready to help. Our team has extensive knowledge with all areas of money claims.

Our Costs
Business to Business Debt Recovery is often done for a fixed cost. The following information is provided to assist you in understanding how we calculate our fees. The costs provided are an estimate of a case’s possible cost and should not be regarded as an absolute price. You must still contact us for a detailed quote based on the specifics of your case.

Court Claims
These fees apply if your claim is for an unpaid invoice that has not been challenged and requires no enforcement action. If the opposing party contests your claim at any point, we will discuss any extra work that is required and provide you with revised cost advice, which could be a fixed charge (for example, if a one-time letter is required) or an hourly rate if more detailed work is required.


Debt value Court fee Our fee (incl. VAT) Total
Up to £5,000 £205.00 (max.) £600.00 £805.00
£5,001 – £10,000 £455.00 (max) £1,200.00 £1,655.00
£10,001 – £50,000 5% 12% 17%

Anyone wishing to proceed with a claim should note that:

  • The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor.
  • Interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding, with a higher cost.
  • The costs quoted above are not for matters where enforcement action, such as the bailiff, is needed to collect your debt.

In the case of an uncontested claim or a claim under £10,000, you will often be unable to add your legal fees to your claim and will be limited to fixed costs alone.

Our fee includes:

  • Following your instructions and going over the paperwork
  • Doing necessary searches
  • Before taking action, send a letter
  • Collecting payment and forwarding it to you, or writing and issuing a claim if the bill is not paid
  • When no Acknowledgement of Service or Defense is received, the court may enter a default judgement
  • After a default judgement is received, write to the other side to request payment
  • If payment is not received within 7 days, we will advise you on future measures and potential costs.

Depending on whether or not a claim is required, matters typically take 8-10 weeks from receipt of your instructions to receipt of payment from the opposite side. This is based on the assumption that the other party pays immediately upon receipt of a default judgement. If enforcement action is required, the problem will take longer to resolve.

HCL

Posted by Hindle Campbell

Motoring offences

Motoring offence work is typically done on a set cost basis. The following information is offered to help you understand how we determine our fees. Prices are offered as an indication of the anticipated cost of a transaction or case and should not be interpreted as an absolute quote.

You must still contact us for a precise quote that takes into consideration the specifics of your transaction or case. This price information applies only to summary driving offences under Part I of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and s89 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

Cases involving a Guilty Plea and one court appearance:

Fees: £300.00
VAT: £60.00
Disbursements: £0.00


Total: £360.00

The essential stages of your case are predicated on the assumption that you have entered or will enter a guilty plea and have a hearing date.

  • Speak with your solicitor to provide instructions on what occurred.
  • We will review the first disclosure as well as any additional material and provide guidance.
  • We will explain the court procedure to you so you know what to expect on the day of your hearing, as well as the court’s sentence alternatives.
  • We will complete any additional preparation work, collect additional instructions from you if necessary, and respond to any follow-up questions you may have.
  • We cannot provide an exact time for your hearing because it is depends on the court’s schedule on that particular day and how busy the court is.
  • We will attend court on the day of the hearing and speak with you before the case is called.
  • We expect to be in court for no more than half a day, and we will discuss the conclusion with you. If extensive advice is necessary on an appeal, there will be an extra charge.

Our price includes:

  • Up to 2 hours of attendance/preparation
  • Consideration of evidence
  • Taking your instructions
  • Advice on likely punishment
  • Attendance and representation at a single Magistrates Court hearing.

The cost does not include:

  • Expert witness instruction;
  • Witness statements;
  • Advice and assistance with a ‘special reasons’ or ‘mitigating circumstances’ hearing
  • Advice and support with conducting any appeal.

For more complicated matters, such as several offences or an argument to avoid a penalty points disqualification (‘mitigating circumstances’)

Fees: £500.00
VAT: £100.00
Disbursements: £0.00


Total: £600.00

The essential stages of your case are predicated on the assumption that you have entered or will enter a guilty plea and have a hearing date.

  • Meet with your solicitor to provide instructions regarding what occurred.
  • We will review the first disclosure as well as any additional material and provide guidance.
  • Arranging for any necessary witness statements (at an additional fee of £100.00 per hour).
  • We will explain the court procedure to you so you know what to expect on the day of your hearing, as well as the court’s sentence alternatives.
  • We will complete any additional preparation work, collect additional instructions from you if necessary, and respond to any follow-up questions you may have.
  • We cannot provide an exact time for your hearing because it is dependent on the court’s schedule for that day and how busy the court is.
  • We will attend court on the day of the hearing and speak with you before the case is called. • We expect to be in court for no more than half a day, and we will discuss the conclusion with you. If extensive advice is necessary on an appeal, there will be an extra charge.

Our price includes:

  • Up to 3 hours of attendance/preparation
  • Evaluating evidence
  • Taking your instructions
  • Advice and support in respect to a special reasons hearing on’mitigating circumstances’
  • Offering advise on likely sentence
    Attendance and representation at no more than two hearings at the Magistrates Court

The cost does not include:

  • Expert witness instruction;
  • Taking witness statements; or
  • Advice or aid in pursuing any appeal.
  • Pleas of Not Guilty and Trials
  • A preliminary hearing is usually held before the trial.

Fees: £750.00
VAT: £150.00
Disbursements: £0.00


Total: £900.00


Not guilty pleas and trials

Usually involving an initial hearing and the trial itself.

Fees: £750.00
VAT: £150.00
Disbursements: £0.00


Total: £900.00

  • The essential stages of your case are predicated on the assumption that you have decided to plead not guilty from the start.
  • Meet with your solicitor to provide instructions regarding what occurred.
  • We will review the first disclosure as well as any additional material and provide guidance.
  • Organising for any relevant witness statements. If witness statements are required, they will be charged at a rate of £100 per hour.
  • We will explain the court system to you so that you know what to expect on the day of your hearings, as well as the procedures the court will use to reach a verdict and determine your sentence alternatives if you are found guilty.
  • We will complete any additional preparation work, collect additional instructions from you if necessary, and respond to any follow-up questions you may have.
  • We are unable to establish a timetable for your hearings because it is dependent on the court’s calendar and how busy the court is.
  • We will appear in court on the required dates and speak with you before the case is called. We expect to be in court for no more than one day.
  • We will consult with you on the conclusion. If extensive advice is necessary on an appeal, there will be an extra charge.

Our charge includes the following:

  • Up to 5 hours of attendance/preparation:
  • Considering the evidence
  • Taking your instructions
  • Instructing any expert witnesses
  • Offering advice on possible sentence if convicted
  • Attending and representing you at no more than two Magistrates Court hearings, including the trial.

The fee does not include:

  • Advice or assistance in relation to conducting any appeal.

We may be required to amend the fee structure outlined above, in very challenging cases or when the court is located a long distance away from our office. We would always notify you if we thought your case was going to be especially challenging, and we would never start any chargeable work on your behalf without first obtaining your permission. If we felt it was essential to deviate from the cost structure outlined above, we would charge an hourly rate of £100.00 plus VAT.

Disbursements:
In most circumstances, there will be no disbursements (out of pocket expenses).
In some cases, we may recommend that you acquire a report from a specialist or expert witness. This could be the situation if you were charged with drunk driving and wanted to argue that you were just over the limit because you drank more alcohol after you completed driving.

We may suggest you to seek an expert report to determine your alcohol level at the time you were accused of driving by the police. If an expert witness is called, you will be liable for their fees. The fees paid will vary based on the expert consulted and the nature of their advice. The typical charge would be £1,000 plus VAT.

If you request that we visit a court that is more than fifteen miles distant from our Wallsend office, we may charge mileage. If we do charge mileage, it will be 45p per mile plus VAT.

HCL

Posted by Hindle Campbell

Probate

The complexity of this depends on both the deceased’s preferences as expressed in their will and the size of their estate. You may prefer to handle this yourself, but if you feel you need professional assistance, our team of experienced and sensitive probate professionals is here to assist you.

Our team has expertise delivering high-quality services in all probate situations. There are few aspects of probate that the team has not dealt with previously, and you can be confident that the team will make the probate procedure as simple and stress-free as possible.

Application for the grant, asset collection, and distribution
Probate work is typically done on an hourly basis. The following information is offered to help you understand how we determine our fees. The costs listed are an estimate of the potential cost of a case and should not be considered an absolute quote. You must still contact us for a full quote that takes into consideration the specifics of your case.

The prices shown below presume that the case is uncontested and that all of the deceased’s assets are located in the United Kingdom. This comprises testate and intestate estates (with and without a will), as well as taxable and non-taxable estates.

We expect this will take between 15 and 30 hours of administration, charged at an hourly rate of £200.00 plus VAT. The exact hourly charge will be determined by who does the task on your behalf. The more complicated a situation, the more likely it will require the assistance of a highly experienced solicitor.

The hourly rates that apply are as follows:

Partner: £225.00 plus VAT for a Partner
Associate Solicitor: £175.00 plus VAT
Trainee Solicitor: £125.00 plus VAT
Paralegal: £100.00 plus VAT

Overall costs are projected to range between £2,500 to £6,000 plus VAT.

The actual cost will be determined by the facts of the case. einsteinerupload of. Costs will be higher if there are several beneficiaries, a property, and multiple bank accounts.

In unusually difficult instances, we may be compelled to deviate from the fee structure outlined above. We would always notify you if we thought your case was going to be particularly challenging, and we would never start any chargeable work on your behalf without first gaining your permission.

A fixed fee may be possible in simple or less complex matters. A standard fixed price is £2,500.00 including VAT. We will manage the entire process for you. This quotation is for estates where:

  • There is a valid will
  • There is only one property
  • There are no more than five bank or building society accounts
  • There are no other intangible assets
  • There are between one and five beneficiaries; and
  • There are no conflicts between beneficiaries over asset allocation.
  • There is no inheritance tax payable and the executors are not required to file a detailed account to HM Revenue and Customs
  • There are no claims made against the estate
  • The estate is worth more than £5,000

Disbursements included in this fee:

  • Probate application fee of £273.00
  • Bankruptcy only – Land Charges Department searches (£2.00 per beneficiary)
  • £85.00 to post in The London Gazette this protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
  • £215.00 – £400.00 to post in a local newspaper, this also helps to protect against unexpected claims.

Disbursements are expenditures associated with your case that must be paid to third parties, such as court fees. To guarantee a simpler transaction, we manage the payment of disbursements on your behalf.

Possible Additional Costs

If there is no will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds), there will very certainly be additional expenses that will vary greatly depending on the estate and how it is to be handled. Once we have more information, we will be able to provide you with a more exact price.

  • If further copies of the grant are needed, they will cost £1.50 each (one per asset usually).
  • Dealing with the sale or transfer of any estate property is not included.
  • Filing tax returns*

*If a tax return is necessary, specialised guidance from an accountant will be required at an additional expense.

How long will it take?
Estates in this price range are typically handled within 3-6 months. Obtaining a grant of probate typically takes 6-12 weeks. The next step is to collect assets, which can take 2-6 weeks. After that, we can disperse the assets, which usually takes 2-6 weeks.

HCL

Posted by Hindle Campbell

Employment tribunal

Companies will sometimes dismiss employees without following the appropriate legal procedures. If you were dismissed unfairly or wrongfully by your employer, we may be able to help you file a claim and reclaim the money that is rightfully yours.

Employment law is complicated, and expert guidance is frequently helpful to employers in ensuring that right procedures are followed to avoid allegations of unfair or unlawful dismissal. If a claim is filed, our employment law team can take charge in such a way that expense and disruption to the business are kept to a minimum.

Our fees
Employment law work is often performed on an hourly basis. The following information is offered to help you understand how we determine our fees. The costs listed are an estimate of the potential cost of a case and should not be considered an absolute quote. You must still contact us for a full quote that takes into consideration the specifics of your case. An average employment tribunal case takes between 10 and 30 hours to complete, according to our estimates.

The hourly rates that apply are as follows:

Associate Solicitor: £173.00 plus VAT
Trainee Solicitor: £150.00 plus VAT
Paralegal: £120.00 plus VAT
Simple case: £1,500 – £3,000 (excluding VAT)
Medium complexity case: £3,000 – £8,000 (excluding VAT)
High complexity case: £8,000 – £30,000 (excluding VAT)

Factors that could make a case more complex:

  • Whenever it is essential to make or defend motions to alter claims or give additional information about an existing claim
  • Defending claims brought by litigants in person
  • Filing or defending a costs application
  • Complicated preliminary questions such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties)
  • The number of witnesses and documents
  • If there is an automatic unjust dismissal claim, for example, if you are fired after blowing the whistle on your company
  • Discrimination allegations related to the dismissal.

Attending a Tribunal Hearing will incur an additional charge of £1,000 per day (excluding VAT). Normally, depending on the complexity of the situation, we would allow 1-3 days.

Disbursements
Disbursements are expenditures associated with your case that must be paid to third parties, such as court fees. To guarantee a simpler transaction, we manage the payment of disbursements on your behalf. Counsel’s fees for attending a Tribunal Hearing are anticipated to range between £750.00 and £1,000.00 per day (depending on the advocate’s experience), plus VAT (including preparation)

Key stages

  • The fees listed above cover all work related to the following key stages of a claim:
  • Receiving your initial instructions, evaluating the documents, and advising you on the merits and potential compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change)
  • Engaging into mandatory pre-claim conciliation to determine whether a settlement can be reached
  • Drafting claim or answer
  • Examining and advising on claim or response from other party
  • Exploring and negotiating settlement throughout the process
  • Preparing or evaluating a loss timetable
  • Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing
  • Exchanging documents with the opposing side and reaching an agreement on a bundle of documents
  • Taking witness statements, composing statements, and agreeing on their content with witnesses
  • Compiling bundle of documents
  • Reviewing and advising on the opposing party’s witness statements
  • Agreeing on a list of problems, a chronology, and/or cast list

The phases outlined above are indicative; if part of the processes outlined above are not required, the fee will be lowered. You may prefer to manage the claim yourself and simply seek our guidance on certain stages. This can also be tailored to your specific requirements.

How long would it take to resolve my case?
The time it takes from receiving your initial instructions to the ultimate resolution of your case is primarily determined by the stage at which your case is settled. If you achieve a settlement during pre-claim conciliation, your case will most likely take 4-6 weeks.

If your case goes to a Final Hearing, it will most likely take 6-9 months. This is only an estimate, and we will be able to provide you with a more precise timeframe once we have more information and as the situation advances.