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FEES
Dispute Resolution – Debt Recovery
The Team
Our Dispute Resolution team is supervised by Senior Solicitor and Co-Founding Director, Niamh Matthews Murphy, and is comprised of solicitors and other fee earners.
OUR FEES
There are three main elements to the legal fees that you will incur in relation to debt recovery matters:
- Our fees;
- Expenses we must pay out on your behalf such as court fees, barristers fees, disclosure and potential third-party fees; and
- Costs that you may have to pay another party, such as the defendant or the claimant should the claim be unsuccessful.
The amount we charge depends on a number of different factors such as complexity and value. The final cost will depend on the hourly rate of the lawyer acting on your matter and the amount of time taken. Our typical hourly rates range from £275 per hour + VAT for a solicitor to £375 per hour + VAT for a Director.
However, every case is different, and we encourage you to contact us to discuss your circumstances as we sometimes agree fixed fees for different stages of a matter. We as a firm endeavour to liaise with our clients on a stage by stage basis to discuss the claim, its prospects and the costs incurred to date and any future costs to be incurred to ensure that our clients costs are proportionate to the value of any claim.
Expenses (disbursements)
Even where our charges are fixed, you may also have to pay some expenses towards your claim. For example, a barrister’s fees, or court fees. As mentioned above, we will advise accordingly of the expenses at the outset of the matter, such as court fees or barrister fees if they are needed, we work closely with chambers to ensure that client needs are met at a reasonable rate.
Costs you may have to pay another party
If you are unsuccessful in your claim, you may be liable for the costs of the other party, however, the value depends on the value of the debt claim. If the value is less than £10,000.00, costs which can be claimed by either party are fixed in accordance with Part 45 of the Civil Procedure Rules. However, if the value is over £10,000.00 costs can be awarded on a standard or indemnity basis.
Overall Costs
Fixed Fee Consultation
We appreciate that some debt recovery is below the £10,000.00 threshold and it may not be proportionate to instruct solicitors, however, you may require advice as to deal with the matter on your own but would like guidance on the procedure. With that in mind the Firm offers a Fixed Fee Consultation for £275 plus VAT which covers 1 hour of the fee earner’s time to provide you with assistance and advice to any of your questions.
Letters Before Action and Claim Form and Particulars
Some clients may require the initial assistance on their matter, which the client can follow and continue to deal with on their own.
The firm offers a fixed fee letter before action service for 2.5 hours of a solicitor’s time at £687.50 plus VAT (that is at an hourly rate of £275 plus VAT). If the client requires a claim form to be drafted with the letter before action this will bring the fixed fee to 3.5 hours at £962.50 plus VAT (that is at an hourly rate of £275 plus VAT).
For debt recovery claims over the £10,000.00 fix costs figure the above fixed rates are still available for the client to use, however, any additional work will be charged at our hourly rate.
Debt recovery matters of a high substantial value, (£100,000.00 and above) we estimate that the total cost to bring or defend a case in the court will be approximately:
- -£100,000.00 claim – Costs would start from £25,000.-£30,000.00 plus VAT
- £100,000.00- £500,000.00 - Costs would start from £30,000.01 to £100,000.00 plus VAT
- Please note for higher value claims and more complex issues the costs will increase .
This estimate includes our professional charges and disbursements (such as barrister’s costs). However, there may be addition disbursements which will need to be quoted for such as disclosure and expert witness etc.
A debt recovery case can become more complicated if the other party defend the claim or your opponent makes applications against you. This will increase our legal fees. The ‘estimated total legal costs’ above do not include defending emergency applications brought by you or your opponent – However, should such action be needed we would notify you before incurring additional fees.
We also point out that we aim to try and settle claims before any trial takes place, as it is required by us to so by the courts in accordance with the “overriding objective”. If settlement is reached before trial, this would reduce the overall cost. If you instruct us you will be provided with a tailored quotation for your case in our client care letter/terms of business.
What are the key stages of a debt recovery claim?
The key stages are as follows and are included in the estimated overall legal costs:
- Taking your initial instructions and reviewing the initial documentation that you send to us.
- Doing a ‘case assessment’ where we will send you a letter of advice on the strengths and weaknesses of your case.
- Drafting a letter before action and setting out your position to the other party.
- Drafting the claim form or defence
- Preparing a schedule of loss or responding to the claimant’s schedule of loss with a counter schedule of loss.
- Liaising with counsel, agreeing a list of issues, reviewing the documentation, preparing a bundle for the preliminary hearing and preparing for the preliminary hearing.
- Attending the preliminary hearing and discussing the outcome with you.
- Advising you on your disclosure obligations, reviewing the documents that you will disclose and submitting the disclosure documents to the other side.
- Preparing the bundle of documents to give to the other parties and the court
- Preparing witness statements and advising on the witness statements provided by the other side.
- Agreeing and preparing a bundle for the final hearing.
- Liaising with the barrister in relation to the final hearing, reviewing the documentation in relation to the final hearing and attending the final hearing.
Likely timescale
A simple debt recovery claim is likely to take 9-12 months from start to finish, if the matter goes to trial (this is largely dependent on how busy the court is). However as stated above debt cases often settle and can be resolved before the full hearing.
Residential Conveyancing
Gillen De Alwis is accredited with the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme kitemark and endeavour to provide a professional and efficient legal service to individuals who instruct us to handle residential property transactions (such as sales, purchases or linked sales and purchases). We do not offer different levels of service depending upon the legal fee charged. For example, we do not offer an online only service, or a service with a capped number of telephone discussions within a set price. Gillen De Alwis charge what we believe to be a fair and proper fee to reflect the bespoke and tailored service that we provide.
Gillen De Alwis tends to work on a repeat basis for clients who know us or who have been recommended to us. However, we are independent and neither pay nor accept referral fees.
Our Residential Property Team is headed by Shehani De Alwis, a Co-Founding Director. Details of her experience, and those within the Team, can be easily accessed by clicking on the names below. The team is also comprised of other Senior Solicitors and fee earners who are always at hand to assist in any matter. You will have a dedicated person who will be responsible for your case and who will be supported by our team.
Our Residential Property Team is headed by Shehani De Alwis, a Co-Founding Director. Details of her experience, and those within the Team, can be easily accessed by clicking on the names here.
For any questions about where to start with a house sale or purchase, we would be happy to answer any queries about moving home or the services we provide.
There are few more exciting times than moving home, but it can also be a highly stressful time, and we recognise that it can also be one of life’s biggest purchases. As such, we offer the security and peace of mind that comes from the best advice that is delivered with a personal touch by our property lawyers.
OUR FEES
Our fees for conveyancing services will depend on the value of the property and the degree of complexity. We do not aim to be the cheapest in the market, but to offer good value for quality work and service.
Residential Property sales and purchases.
Our Legal Fees will start from £1,050 plus VAT any other additions if applicable are listed below. Standard disbursements will be in addition to this, more information below. Please do contact for a ‘no obligation’ specific quotation, tailored to the particular work involved please email info@gdasolicitors.com
SALE & PURCHASE
Fees
-
Freehold
Starting from £1,050
VAT £210 -
Leasehold
Starting from £1,250
VAT £250
-
Freehold
Starting from £1,250
VAT £250 -
Leasehold
Starting from £1,500
VAT £300
-
Freehold
Starting from £1,500
VAT £300 -
Leasehold
Starting from £1,750
VAT £350
-
Freehold
Starting from £1,750
VAT £350 -
Leasehold
Starting from £2,100
VAT £420
-
Freehold
0.25% of purchase price
VAT 0.05% of purchase price -
Leasehold
Starting from £3,500
VAT £700
VAT will be payable in addition to the fees quoted above and a handling charge of £35.00 plus VAT for telegraphic transfers
* If the property is being purchased with a mortgage, then the Mortgagee’s solicitors fee will be payable.
Please note our fees will increase in the following circumstances:
- The property is a new build or off-plan
- A new lease is to be granted
- The property is not registered at the Land Registry
- If the matter becomes protracted or materially more complex than the initial instruction.
- An urgent and expedited service is required
- The transaction involves a mortgage from a private/commercial lender or a bridging loan.
Lender Fee for acting for a high street lender (purchase) | From £195 plus VAT £39 |
Redeeming a mortgage (sale) | £50 plus VAT £10 |
Bank Transfer Fee | £35 plus VAT £7 |
AML Check (per Search) | £15 plus VAT £3 |
We may charge different fees for cases which have particular features or complications. For example of anticipated additional charges for a purchase are as follows:
- Auction purchase. Typical additional charge will be 25% of our usual fee OR a minimum fee starting from £450 plus VAT £90 depending on how urgent the work would be
- Unregistered title Registration of tile. Typical additional charge will be £800 plus VAT £160.
- New build properties (this will include an off plan property or a property which has been built within 10 years or less) Typical additional charge will be £650 plus VAT £130.
- Help to buy. Supplement £450 plus VAT £90
- Help to Buy ISA £250.00 plus VAT £50
- Shared ownership. Supplement £450 plus VAT £90
- Purchase of repossessed property. Typical additional charge will be 25% of our usual fee plus VAT.
- Lease extensions and variations. Fees dependent on terms and complexity but will typically start at £750 plus VAT £150.
- Overseas identity requirements £250 – £500 plus VAT £50 – £100
- Documentation for deposit gifts are typically £350 plus VAT £70 per giftor
- Deed of Trust starting from £350 plus VAT £70
- Additional Money Laundering checks £350 plus VAT £70
- If we are required to redeem a mortgage we will charge and additional fee of £50 plus VAT £10 for each mortgage to be redeemed
- If we need to take out any restrictions or anything registered against the property, we will charge a fee of £50 plus VAT £10
| AMOUNT | VAT |
Searches including chancel insurance (indicative cost; amount varies per Local Authority)
| £155.85 | £37.40 |
Land Registry Priority Searches | £3 | n/a |
Bankruptcy Search per person | £2 | n/a |
Stamp Duty Land Tax | (Dependent on purchase price) |
|
Land Registry Fee | £135 |
|
Check on the seller’s solicitor’s bank account | £12 | £2.40 |
Electronic ID checks | £6 | £1.20 |
Notice Fees to Landlord (only chargeable on Leasehold properties) | £100 | £20 |
If the property is a leasehold sale there will be charge for
| £250 |
|
Stamp Duty Land Tax
Stamp Duty Land Tax may be payable on some transactions relating to property purchases and lease extension. The amount of tax will depend on various factors including the premium paid. The amount of tax payable can be checked on the Government’s website at the following link: https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/calculate-stamp-duty-land-tax/#/intro or if the property is located in Wales, by using the Welsh Revenue Authority website. This can be found using the following link: https://beta.gov.wales/land-transaction-tax-calculator
Land Registry Registration Fee
The Land Registry charges a fee for dealing with the registration of a purchase. This is based on the value of the transaction. The following link can be used to calculate the fee: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hm-land-registry-registration-services-fees
Property Searches
For a purchase or re-finance transaction, property searches to include Official Local Authority Search, Drainage and Water Search, Chancel Check Report and Environmental Search will need to be obtained. These costs are charged direct by the search provider.
Bankruptcy Search
If a transaction involves mortgage finance, we are required by the lender to carry out a bankruptcy search against the borrower’s name. The search must be carried out against all variations of the borrower’s name.
Land Registry Priority Search
On a purchase or refinance transaction a pre-completion priority search will be carried out.
How long it will take from your offer being accepted until you can move into your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 2-8 weeks from being in receipt of searches, which can take between 1- 4 weeks to be received. It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain, your mortgage offer or any complications. If you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer, between 2 and 12 months. In such, a situation additional charges would apply. There are other circumstances listed below which can add to your fees and any delay. It is also difficult to provide an exact time without first, seeing the sales pack. We maybe able to be a little clearer at this stage.
At the outset you will be asked when you would like to complete, and we will always work towards your completion date providing it is reasonable.
Set out below are some of the key stages involved in different types of transactions. These will, of course, vary depending on the transaction and are intended as a guide only.
Purchase
- Reviewing the Draft contracts – We review and/or amend the initial legal contract to be sent across by the seller’s solicitor;
- Responding to enquiries – following the receipt of the draft contract, legal title and your property documents, we will raise any questions (also known as raising enquiries) with the seller’s solicitors which we consider appropriate;
- Investigating issues – for some enquiries that cannot be easily evidenced, we may need to complete further investigation to try and satisfy them. The challenge here is if there is limited or no information from your sellers and/or the solicitors who acted in their purchase of the property or the Land Registry. The type of issues which we look out for are, but not limited to, the following:
No planning permission – we will check this by reviewing the local authority searches.
No building control sign off – we will check this by reviewing the local authority searches to see if there was any planning permission or building control sign off.
Any right of way – we check this by reviewing the property deeds.
Gas boiler certificate – the seller should provide evidence that the boiler was installed and registered with Gas Safety and that the boiler has been annually maintained.
Property deeds – If the seller has no deeds and the land is unregistered then we need the seller’s solicitors to confirm that their client has the right to sell the property to you (in these cases an Epitome of Title may be required and an additional charge will be applied by us see below). The challenge here is if the seller does not hold the deeds to the property, you need to ensure no one else has a beneficial right to your title after you purchase it.
Restrictions on the title (restrictive covenants) – we will need to ensure that all restrictions are removed from the title by the seller’s solicitor. Restrictions include matrimonial home rights, creditor debt, mortgage interest, not being allowed to extend the property, or even seemingly mundane issues such as whether you can dry your clothes in the garden or if you are allowed pets in the property or – you may be surprised – even children.
Issues with the ownership of the property – we will need to confirm that the seller has the right to sell the property to you and is who they say they are (the obligation of knowing who the seller is will fall on the due diligence of the seller’s solicitors upon which we have to rely).
Negative property searches – we will obtain property searches to inform you of potential issues with the property and these include highlighting flood risk, contaminated land, planning permission granted or denied and drainage access points to the property. We may need to revert to you about which searches you will need when buying a home and we can ask a search company to carry out a search enquiry which should reveal whether you need further searches, such as those relating to underground, commons green, high speed 2, flood report, coal mining and limestone.
Vacant possession – We will need to ensure the property is sold with vacant possession. This means that no one is living in the property at the time you take ownership, unless otherwise agreed (for example a sitting tenant for a buy to let landlord – sometimes landlords take over the tenant from the previous owner).
Uncertain title – where the seller has not been forthcoming with information about the property.
Check the lease (if leasehold) – there are many points to check in the lease, however one of the key points is to understand how long you have left to run in years on your lease. A buyer may struggle if they are getting a mortgage to buy a property if the lease has fewer than 80 years left to run because mortgage lenders do not like lending on a short lease (a short lease has under 80 years still to run). You can ask us more about lease extensions (if applicable please note that an additional fee might be applicable, see below).
Mortgage restrictions – If you are getting a mortgage then we will need to satisfy the standard conditions provided in the Council for Mortgage Lender’s (CML) handbook along with any specific conditions such as confirmation of gifting or that the property has had a structural survey. It is important to get your mortgage offer to us as quickly as possible. (There will be an additional charge for any work done which will be dependant on the type of lender and their requirements).
- Exchange contracts – once the seller’s solicitors have satisfied our enquiries, we can agree with them to exchange contracts making you legally bound to buy the property;
- Day of completion – on the day of completion we should receive/already have received the money for the purchase from you and/or your lender and we will need to ask the seller’s solicitors to Undertake, which is to legally promise, to discharge the mortgage existing over the property (if applicable).
- Post completion – following completion, we will expect to receive the DS1/discharge documents from your seller’s lender via their solicitors (if applicable) and if the property is leasehold, we would expect that the seller’s solicitors retain sufficient funds from the proceeds of sale on completion to settle any liabilities for ground rent and service charges.
Sale
The work that we will undertake for you will include:
- Draft contracts – We draft the initial legal contract to be sent across to the buyer’s solicitor;
- Responding to enquiries – following the receipt of the draft contract, legal title and your property documents, we will respond to any questions (also known as raising enquiries) the buyer’s solicitor may have;
- Investigating issues – for some enquiries that cannot be easily evidenced, we may need to complete further investigation to try and satisfy them. The challenge here is if there is limited or no information from you and/or the solicitors who acted in the purchase of your property or the Land Registry;
- Exchange contracts – once the buyer’s solicitor has satisfied their enquiries, they agree with the seller to exchange contracts making the buyer legally bound to buy the property;
- Day of completion – on the day of completion we should receive the money for the sale, discharge the mortgage (if required), pay the estate agent (if any), deduct our fees, then send the net sale proceeds to you. We will need you urgently to confirm the account details in which you require the sale proceeds to be sent. This account will have to be in your name. if it is in joint names, we will require consent of the other account holder before we transfer funds. We are also likely to carry out an independent Anti Money Laundering check on this account, on you and official identification documents which you provide to us. If you do not consent to such checks you must inform us at the outset, but please note that in this case, we may have to cease acting for you.
- The work that we will undertake for you will include:
- Post completion – following completion, we will expect to receive the DS1/discharge documents from your lender (if applicable) and if the property is leasehold, we should settle your liabilities for ground rent and service charges.
Remortgage
- Obtaining client instructions and ID documents;
- Undertaking investigation on title to include obtaining property searches;
- Obtaining information in relation to the property from the client;
- Obtaining management information in relation to the property;
- Receiving lender’s instructions and mortgage offer and reviewing the same;
- Dealing with lender’s requirements;
- Reporting to the client on the terms of the mortgage documents;
- Reporting to lender and requesting the mortgage advance;
- Carrying out pre-completion searches;
- Registering the bank’s Mortgage at the Land Registry;
- Redeeming and discharging any existing mortgages registered against the property.
For further information, or to obtain a tailored quote, please email info@gdasolicitors.com
- The transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complications arise, such as (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.
- Where a client is buying/selling a leasehold property, it is the assignment of an existing lease and is not the grant of a new lease.
- All parties to the transaction are co-operative and there are no unreasonable delays from third parties providing documentation.
- No indemnity policies are required. Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity policies are required.
Other information
This information is provided for illustration purposes and to help clients understand how we charge for our services. Please do discuss your circumstances. If you instruct us you will be provided with a tailored quotation in our client care letter / terms of business which will set out our relationship. If you require any clarification contact us.
REMORTGAGE
Fees
-
Leasehold
Starting from £650
VAT £130
-
Leasehold
Starting from £850
VAT £170
-
Leasehold
Starting from £999
VAT £199.80
-
Leasehold
.1% of Loan Value
Bank Transfer Fee (per transfer) | £35 plus VAT £7 |
AML Check (per Search) | £15 plus VAT £3 |
| AMOUNT | VAT |
Searches including chancel insurance (indicative cost; amount varies per Local Authority) | £155.85 | £37.40 |
Land Registry Priority Searches | £3 | n/a |
Bankruptcy Search per person | £2 | n/a |
Land Registry Fee | £40 |
|
Notice Fees to Landlord (only chargeable on Leasehold properties) | £100 | £20 |
If the property is a leasehold sale there will be charge for obtaining a management pack from the Landlord
Our Approach
No matter what the need, our approach remains the same. We are known for our personal, approachable and professional style, whilst never losing sight of the time-critical nature behind all conveyancing transactions.
Our conveyancing solicitors understand how demanding the moving process can be and our team of experienced property lawyers will be able to support our client’s move. With offices in both North London and in the heart of Mayfair our dedicated teams are accessible and can be flexible in meeting the needs of our clients.
How We Work
From the moment a client makes contact with us, we will agree the method of contact that suits their needs to ensure that their interests are best served. From our initial conversation, we will give a clear idea of cost.
Our teams are proactive, talented and client-focused, and will do whatever it takes to complete house sale and purchase transactions as quickly as possible

Probate/ Letters of Administration
When someone dies leaving a Will, the Executors may need to obtain a Grant of Probate from the Probate Registry to enable them to administer the Will. If there is no will the deceased is deemed to have died intestate (without a Will) and a Grant of Letters of Administration will be required to facilitate the administration of the estate.
We recognise that this formal process comes at a difficult time in people’s lives and often when people are grieving.
We would like to help. Our team are very experienced, knowledgeable and sensitive. Being an Executor or an Administrator of an estate is an important role. There are certain obligations and duties on Executors and Administrators, and it is sensible to receive specialist advice to ensure that they are carried out correctly.
Whilst some estates are straightforward, some may be very complex, particularly those with tax liabilities. The role of dealing with the administration of an estate can be daunting as it often involves unfamiliar processes. That is why it is prudent to seek advice from professionals to ensure the estate is administered correctly and Inheritance Tax issues are dealt with, which is where our experienced team can be of assistance.
We can help with all aspects of estate administration and ensure that the interests of the estate are protected and client duties as an Executor or Administrator are discharged. We can do as little or as much as required. We deal with the complete administration of the estate for many clients, which they have said is a welcome relief for them at a difficult time. We can help with all aspects of estate administration and ensure that the interests of the estate are protected and client duties as an Executor or Administrator are discharged. We can do as little or as much as required. We can deal with the complete administration of the estate, which for many clients – is a welcome relief for them during a difficult time.
1 . A fixed 2% of the gross value of an estate up to £650k which is subsequently tiered as follows:
- The next £650k-£1.5m: 1% plus VAT
- The remaining amount above £1.5m: 0.5% plus VAT
2 . For those clients where option i) is not appropriate, either in terms of value and/or complexity or where, for example, the client only wants us to obtain the Grant of Probate, we will be able to offer the client the alternative of being charged on a time spent basis. This alternative will be subject to a minimum fee of £2,000 plus VAT, where we charge an hourly rate of between £250 -£375 plus VAT to allow for flexibility
As an example, our fees for a simple Probate with no tax issues would be approximately £2,000 plus VAT.
A complicated probate with tax issues or conflict between beneficiaries could be in excess of £3,000 plus VAT.
Fees are entirely dependent on the circumstances of the estate. When we have our initial meeting, we will be able to provide a guide of costs tailored to the circumstances of the administration of our client’s particular estate.
Please note – unlike many law firms, we only charge our clients a percentage of the estate if the matter is particularly complex or there is an ongoing dispute between the beneficiaries.
When Executor provides all the information (re: assets and liabilities – therefore we are not involved in the administration of the estate).
- Grant only application - (Non Taxable estate) - £1000 plus VAT
- Grant only application - (Taxable estate) - £2000 plus VAT
Full administration of the estate:
- 5 assets - £3000 - £4000 plus VAT
- 10 assets - £8000 - £9000 plus VAT
In addition to our fees and any Inheritance Tax due, there are some ‘disbursements’ that we may be required to pay on our client’s behalf to third parties during the administration of the estate, such as:
- Probate Court fee of £155 (subject to significant proposed change in April 2019)
- £0.50 for each office copy of the grant required (1 per asset usually)
- £3 plus VAT HM Land Registry official copy entry
- £36 bankruptcy search
- £5 plus VAT for electronic ID search
- HM Land Registry registration fees based on scales and the value and status of the property
- Other third-party costs will be advised as required, e.g. accountant’s fee for potential income tax return, statutory advertisement fee to advertise for unknown creditors, asset tracing fee
- There may be additional third-party costs for lost share certificates and share registrar and/or sale agent fees on transfer or sale of the shares
- S27 Advertisements in the London Gazette and a local newspaper from £150 -£300 depending on the local newspaper’s advertising costs.
- Stockbroker fees £25 - £150 depending on the number of shareholdings to be dealt with.
Lasting Powers of Attorney
A Lasting Power of Attorney enables someone trustworthy (the Attorney) to make decisions on the behalf of or about a client’s property, affairs and/or health and welfare.
In order to appoint a Lasting Power of Attorney, you must be over 18 years of age and have mental capacity. A common misperception is that a Lasting Power of Attorney can only be used if the person who made it (the Donor) were to lose mental capacity. This is not always the case and depends on how the document is drafted. There are many ways that a Lasting Power of Attorney can be structured, all of which have separate implications.
It is essential that you receive expert advice regarding the most beneficial way a Lasting Power of Attorney should be structured specifically for you and your circumstances. We provide this advice and can also act as a Certificate Provider where required, all of which are included in the fee.
A Lasting Power of Attorney must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. There is a separate administration fee payable directly to the Office of the Public Guardian which is presently £82 for each Lasting Power of Attorney. This fee can be reduced or exempted dependent on an individual’s personal circumstances.
Our Fees
Lasting Power of Attorney for Property and Finance £400 plus VAT
Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Care £400 plus VAT
Lasting Power of Attorney for Property and Finance + Health and Care £750 plus VAT
Lasting Power of Attorney for Property and Finance + Health and Care x 2 £1400 plus VAT
Court fee of £82 payable per application to the Office of Public Guardian
OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN (OPG)
The Office of the Public Guardian deals with the property, financial affairs and personal welfare of people who lack the mental capacity to take those decisions themselves.
We can assist you with all types of applications to the Court of Protection.
Deputyship
If a person lacks capacity to make a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) or to manage their affairs, then an application can be made to the Office of the Public Guardian for someone to be appointed to act on their behalf. As with an LPA there are two types of Deputies – 1. Personal Welfare and 2. Property and Financial Affairs. However unlike like an attorney acting under an LPA, a Deputy must submit an annual report to the Office of the Public Guardian explaining the decisions taken in the past year.
One-off Decisions
If an individual wishes to obtain authority to make a decision for a person who lacks capacity, you can apply to the Office of the Public Guardian for a one-off order. This could include requesting payment for family care, making a gift to reduce their inheritance tax liability, or authorising particular medical treatment.
Trustee Act Applications
If a property is jointly owned and one owner lacks capacity to participate in a sale and does not have an LPA, an application may need to be made for them to be replaced by a trustee for the property to be sold. This would not affect their beneficial entitlement.
Statutory Will
If a person does not have the mental capacity to make a Will and you do not consider that it is in their best interests for the estate to be distributed under their existing Will or the intestacy provisions, you can apply to the Office of the Public Guardian for a Statutory Will to be made on their behalf.
Our Fees
Application starting from £1000.00.
Wills
A Will is a very important document and needs to be drafted correctly. Our team provide many years of experience of assisting clients to prepare their Wills, protect their families and assets and plan for tax and other future liabilities. Every client is different and has unique circumstances, assets and potential tax liabilities.
We provide bespoke advice and a tailored fixed quote based on the information provided at our initial meeting. Our standard charges are set out below:
- Basic Single Will £199 plus VAT
- Basic Mirror Wills £350 plus VAT
- Complex Basic Will - (eg, where clients want to list 100 beneficiaries) £350 plus VAT
- Complex Mirror Wills £600 plus VAT
- Single Life Interest Trust Will £450 plus VAT
- Mirror Life Interest Trust Wills £800 plus VAT
- Potential additional costs Severance Notice £100 plus VAT
- Potential Disbursement £3 office copy entry
- Single Discretionary Trust Will £600 plus VAT
- Mirror Discretionary Trust Wills £1100 plus VAT
- Potential additional costs - Letter of Wishes £150 plus VAT
- Codicil (only if there is one alteration) £100 plus VAT
For further information, please contact our Private Client team on info@gdasolicitors.com
Please note that all quoted fees are subject to change
Motoring Offences
Gillen De Alwis’ expert traffic lawyers specialise in defending drivers’ conduct, providing the full range of motoring offence representation. The team can support our clients from the first notice from the police to Court proceedings.
Our solicitors have experience in defending cases where a driving license is a necessity for the client. Examples of this has been where a client depends on their license for their livelihood, either because they are professional drivers or drive during the course of their business.
Our solicitors also have experience in defending cases where a diving license is vital for domestic reasons such as transporting family members, including those who are unable to do so themselves through age or disability.
For further information or to instruct our team in relation to motoring offences, please email: info@gdasolicitors.com
Licensing Applications for Business Premises
When applying for a new premises licence or to alter an existing licence, the costs will vary based on the merits, location and history of behaviour at the premises. The licensing authority involved will also have different local policies, which can again lead to varying fees and scales. Therefore, any fee indication given would have to be based on initial research, but the following range can be applied:
- Simple application: approximately 3-4 hours at an hourly rate from £250 – £375, plus VAT
- Medium complexity: approximately 4-5 hours, at an hourly rate from £250 – £375, plus VAT
- High complexity: approximately 5-10 hours, an hourly rate from £250 – £375, plus VAT
he complexity of a matter will be decided on receiving the details of the matter, and it is worth noting that in some cases, the complexity of requirements enforced by a particular local authority may be of a high degree, despite the application itself appearing initially straight-forward.
Further, if the matter is required to be heard by a sub-committee, it should be noted that the hours required for this could be extensive and would be impacted on by the presence of objectors, including the responsible authorities, and whether they are represented or calling witnesses.
If this were to happen, preparation for a contested hearing may require between 3 and 15 hours, followed by a similar number of hours for advocacy, depending on the nature of the case.
Stages of the Process
- Taking the client’s instructions and advising as to how they can promote the licensing objectives within the application
- Advising on the type of plans that are required to be submitted with the application.
- Completing the application form for a new premises licence (including the operating schedule) in accordance with the instructions and submitting this to the local licensing authority alongside suitable plans provided by the client.
- Providing guidance on the fee levels payable to the licensing authority.
- Preparing copies of the premises licence application for disclosure to the responsible authorities and serving copies of the application on the responsible authorities.
- Drafting the notices advertising the premises licence application and submitting the notice to the local newspaper.
- Arranging with the client to display the notice(s) advertising the premises licence application and advising as to where and how this should be done in order to comply with the requirements of the Licensing Act 2003.
- Providing a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) consent form for signature by a personal licence holder proposed by the client.
- Checking the licence once granted and correcting any errors with the licensing authority.
The fee does not include
- Obtaining suitable plans
- Attending pre-consultation meetings with the Licensing Authority or Responsible Authorities, nor their fee for this meeting.
- Dealing with or advising the client in relation to queries or representations received from either the responsible authorities or other interested parties
- Advising on varying the licence
- Attendance and representation at a licensing sub-committee hearing of the responsible authority. If representations are received and attendance and representation at a licensing sub-committee is required, then we will provide a separate fee estimate for this work which will be charged at an hourly rate.
How long will my application take?
Matters usually take 6-8 weeks from receipt of full instructions from the client. This is on the basis of the application being relatively straightforward and the client being able to provide all the necessary documents promptly.
If the matter is more complex, for example, if there is substantial opposition from interested parties, or if there is a delay in receiving the documents required, it may take longer.
For a precise quote, please contact a member of our Licensing team on info@gdasolicitors.com
IMMIGRATION
The Team
The Immigration department at Gillen De Alwis is headed by Shehani De Alwis, Senior Solicitor and Co-founding Director. Ms De Alwis prides herself on the personal service she offers and is supported by other solicitors and paralegals within the department.
For further information please see our Team page.
The Gillen De Alwis Immigration department offer a professional service with very reasonable fees. Our agreed fees cover all the work until we receive a written decision for the stage of the application or appeal for which you have instructed us. Please be advised that having agreed to the fixed fee, if you withdraw your instructions, we will not issue any refunds. We deal with all aspects of Immigration law and the below is a guide to some of the key immigration applications and appeals:
- Applications for Settlements and British Citizenship
From £1,500.00 + VAT
- Applications on behalf of European Economic Area (EEA) nationals and their family members under the applicable EEA Regulations or Immigration Rules, including applications for permanent residence, residence cards, and registration certificates
From £1,500.00 plus VAT
- Applications under the Immigration Rules, including:
Tier 2: Applications as a skilled worker, intra-company transfers, Minister of Religion Visa, Sportsperson Visa
From £1,800.00 plus VAT
Tier 4: Student and work experience visas
From £1,500.00 plus VAT
Tier 1: Investor and Entrepreneurial visas
From £1,800 – £15,000 plus VAT
Visit visas (for tourism, or visiting friends / family)
From £1,250.00 plus VAT
Family visas: Spousal, Child, Parent visa
From £1,500.00 plus VAT
Dependent relative and family reunion applications
From £1,500.00 plus VAT
Ancestry visas
From £1,500.00 plus VAT
Other categories, such as applications on the basis of long residence
From £1,500.00 plus VAT
- We also provide services for the following types of applications:
Asylum Applications
Statelessness applications
Human rights / private life applications
Applications for Secretary of State immigration bail
Reconsideration and legacy requests
Judicial review, such as claims for unlawful detention
Immigration services to businesses (e.g. applications for certificates of sponsorship or confirmation of acceptance for studies).
Please contact us for an obligation free, but case specific, quote.
The above-quoted fee will include
- discussing your circumstances in detail and confirming whether this is the most appropriate application for you to make and what other options may be available to you
- giving you advice about the requirements of the Immigration Rules and whether you meet the criteria
- if you do not fulfil certain criteria, whether this can be overcome and how
- considering the supporting evidence you have provided
- where necessary, helping you obtain further evidence (such as medical records and bank statements), including taking statements of any witnesses
- preparing your application and submitting it on your behalf
- giving you advice about the outcome of the application and any further steps you need to take.
- Considering documents
- Two face-to-face appointments for taking your instructions and providing advice
- Preparing and submitting the relevant application
- Advising you on timelines and the outcome of the application
The quoted fee you will receive will be devised based on the case handler’s hourly rate and the amount of time we anticipate your matter to take, which would normally average at around 4 – 7 hours. The number of hours it will take depends on the circumstances in your case, such as:
- The amount of supporting evidence that we need to consider
- When the supporting evidence is provided – we expect documents to be provided within 28 days
- Number of meetings required
- Which language(s) you speak
- Whether you are applying with other dependents
The duration of the application process from the inception of instructions to receiving a decision from the Home Office is difficult to predict. The Home Office usually endeavours to provide a response within 6 months. However, we endeavour to provide our services in the most efficient manner possible, with your cooperation. The above estimate of 4-7 hours for an application is the prediction of the individual hours taken at different times at the different stages of the application, as mentioned with what the fee includes. Therefore, any delay to any of the individual stages may affect the overall duration of the application process. Read the current processing times.
Please note that any fee agreed will be based upon circumstances presented to us at the time. If the matter becomes more involved than initially anticipated, the agreed fee may be subject to change. If this does occur, we will notify you as soon as this is realised and will keep you updated as and when any potential changes materialise.
Please note that the fee quoted is also subject to you providing us with documents within28 days of the date of your written quotation. We may have to increase our fees if documents are provided for example after 3 months of our initial consultation depending on time spent.
DISBURSEMENTS
These are costs payable to a third party such as any Home Office fees. Disbursements can include Immigration Health Surcharges, Application fees, premium service fees, Court fees, Counsel fees expert fees and/or interpreter fees and Royal mail special delivery fee. Please note that this will depend on the weight of the application and if the application is forwarded by post to the Home Office and will not apply to online only applications.
The information above is provided for illustration purposes only and to help clients understand how we charge for our services. Please do discuss your circumstances. If you instruct us you will be provided with a detailed quotation in our client care letter / terms of business which will set out the terms and conditions of our relationship.