Price Transparency Guide
Due to the varying complexity and circumstances of individual legal matters, it is often difficult to provide exact prices for legal work. In order that we can discuss your legal matter with you, and thereby provide you with a more accurate idea of the fee, we would be obliged if you could telephone us.
What follows is a general idea as to typical costs (as far as we are able) rather than binding prices and the actual fees for the legal work involved may be higher or lower than those examples listed below.
Example 1 - Sale of a residential property
Our fees cover all of the work required to complete the sale of your current property including taking your instructions on the offer, issuing the qualified acceptance and dealing with all formal letters to conclude the contract on your behalf, obtaining your title deeds from you or your lender, dealing with the purchaser’s solicitors’ observations on title, ordering searches, having you sign all necessary documentation, arranging for settlement of the transaction, repaying all secured loans and registering deeds at Registers Of Scotland and paying sale proceeds to you, including all telephone calls, meetings and emails.
Fees and outlays
Estimated total: £1,115
Outlays are costs related to your sale which are payable to third parties, such as Registers of Scotland and Search Companies. We handle the payment of the outlays on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. These outlays may vary depending on the location of your property.
Stages of the process
The precise stages involved in the sale of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, below we have suggested some key stages:
Example 2 - Purchase of a residential property
Our fees cover all of the work required to complete the purchase of your new property including taking your instructions, submitting the offer, negotiating with the estate agents, examining the home report, examining the title deeds, dealing with the missives, raising all necessary observations regarding the title deeds with the seller’s solicitors, noting the terms of all searches, preparing all security documentation in respect of your mortgage and completing and submitting the Certificate of Title to your lender, arranging the execution of all documentation including standard security, LBTT declaration, arranging settlement of the transaction, submitting LBTT documentation to Revenue Scotland, preparing registration forms and submitting all relevant documentation to Registers of Scotland, and all work stand in that regard to include all telephone calls, postage, emails, meetings and incidental expenses.
Fees and outlays
Outlays are costs relating to your transaction which are payable to third parties such as Registers of Scotland and Revenue Scotland . We handle the payment of outlays on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Stages of the process
The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, below we have suggested some key stages:
Example 3 - Wills
Simple Wills
Single Will (for the estate of one person) £180 inclusive of VAT
Mirror Will (identical wills drafted for two persons) £300 inclusive of VAT
If you are married, in a civil partnership, or cohabiting, a Mirror Will may only be appropriate where neither you nor your partner has children from a separate relationship. Where this is the case, we will be happy to meet with you and discuss the options based on your circumstances.
Complex wills; for example, those with guardianship clauses or requiring specific and more detailed consideration and advice on legacies or limiting the inheritance of, or disinheriting, beneficiaries will be assessed on the level of complexity and will vary depending on the time spent in discussing these complex wills and the time spent in preparing the complex wills. Due to the varying complexity of such wills we are unable to provide you with and estimate of the cost without discussing the wills with you.
Our prices above include:
Our fixed price will not include:
Note: This fixed price will only cover the services mentioned. Your case may require additional work that is not included. We will discuss this with you at our first meeting. If additional costs arise due to matters related to your own personal circumstances, we will discuss this with you at the earliest opportunity and we will advise you of any increase in price that may arise.
Example 4 - Trust and Executry Work
Due to the nature and complexity of trust and executry work it is difficult to provide a typical fee for these matters. Fees are therefore based on our hourly rates and the fee charged will be assessed by the Auditor of Court or by an independent law accountant. The number of hours on your case will be determined by the complexity and unique circumstances of the matter. We can discuss the likely cost of your case with you at our initial meeting. The hourly rate does not include any outlays which may arise and which may be required. These vary depending on the nature of each case and we can discuss what these may be at our initial meeting.
Hourly rate
Depending on the nature and complexity of your legal matter it is not always possible to provide you with a fixed or typical fee. The fee for some types of legal work undertaken by us will therefore be determined by the time involved and the complexity of the matter. The fee for such matters will be based on our hourly rate of £318 inclusive of VAT (based on VAT rate of 20%).
We will discuss the likely cost of your case with you at our initial meeting. If additional costs arise due to unforeseen circumstances, we will discuss this with you at the earliest opportunity and we will advise you of any increase in cost that may arise. The hourly rate does not include any outlays that may be required. These are variable depending on the nature of the case. We will discuss what these may be at our initial meeting.