Legal Aid & Fees
We offer competitive privately charging rates; VAT is applied to all fees at 20%.
There are also some areas of law for which legal aid is not automatically available and is subject to an eligibility test, based on means (income and capital) and merits (specific to your case).
Below is an indication as to what legal aid is available for and what information we require to process your application for legal aid.
Family Proceedings
Automatic
- Care and Supervision Proceedings
- Injunctions, Non Molestation and Occupation Proceedings, Forced Marriage Protection Orders
- Child Abduction, Wardship, Securing the Return of an Abducted Child, Inherent Jurisdiction Orders
Not Automatic
- Children related proceedings, including child arrangements, prohibited steps and specific issue applications.
- Divorce and financial remedy, ancillary relief proceedings
Generally there is no legal aid available for these areas of family law, with the exception of one of the below points applying to you:
- You are a victim of domestic violence and/or abuse or
- In children cases, where your child has been the victim of abuse or is at risk of abuse
In order to process your application, specific evidence must be produced to support points 1 & 2.
Please contact us on 0121 704 3311 so we can discuss your eligibility. It is usual that for some areas of law, we will request evidence of your means in the form of bank statements.
Criminal Proceedings
There are certain offences for which legal aid can be available automatically. There are some offences and scenarios where the means and merits test will apply. If you do not qualify for legal aid, or it is not available, our criminal team offer highly competitive fixed fee options and competitive charging rates, including crown court matters.
Private Fees* and Fixed Costs can include:
· Initial Motoring Law/Road Traffic Consultation at the office or via Zoom/telephone for 45 mins: £180 plus VAT
· Attendance at first Hearing to deal with plea, venue, case management for Trial, sending to Crown Court and sentence on guilty plea concluded that day – £600 plus VAT
· Standard Special Reasons argument or Exceptional Hardship argument – £1200 plus VAT
· Magistrates’ Court Trial on summary only matter – £1500 plus VAT
· Magistrates’ Court Trial on either way matter – £1800 plus VAT
· Additional Hearings – £300 plus VAT
· Non-standard Special Reasons, Exceptional Hardship arguments and Trials charged between £180 to £220 per hour depending on seniority of the Solicitor with conduct of the case
· Crown Court Sentence or Appeal against Sentence from Magistrates’ Court – £500 plus VAT
· Crown Court Trial based on hourly rate for preparation, Counsels fee to be determined separately
If you cannot see your offence stated above or representation scenario, please contact us so we can discuss further. All other fees are to be agreed and timescales will depend on each individual matter.
*All legal fees exclude additional expenses such as expert reports, site visits, photocopying. All fees apply VAT at 20%.
*For those matters which fall outside of local courts, mileage will be charged at 45p per mile plus parking plus VAT. For matters at any other court within the West Midlands, an additional charge to cover travel of £100 per hearing.
If you have a family or criminal issue but are unsure as to whether you can apply for legal aid, then contact us on 0121 704 3311. We have a designated team who will talk you through the process and assess your eligibility.
Private Fees
Charles Strachan offer competitive privately charging rates. In some circumstances, fixed fee payments can be agreed. Charles Strachan Solicitors offer a reduced fixed fee initial appointment at which all costs and payment options can be provided, as well as legal advice in relation to your matter.
Please get in touch on 0121 704 3311 to discuss further.
Wills, Probate and Estate Administration
We offer competitive charging rates in relation to wills, lasting powers of attorney, contested probate matters and estate administration. In some circumstances, fixed fee payments can be agreed. All fees apply VAT at 20%.
Uncontested probate fees are:
Obtaining Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration (estate not liable for Inheritance Tax and completion of IHT 205 only required) £900 plus VAT
Administering Estate in the above circumstances:
For an estate it is always worth asking us for a quote or estimate based on your specific needs. For more complex estates/Wills/LPAs, we will provide a bespoke quote based on a time cost and value cost basis. The time costs will be at an hourly rate of £235 plus VAT. Most exempt estates take between 10 – 25 hours to administer over 3-12 month period (each case differs). The circumstances of the matter will determine the quote.
For an estate with multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end. If there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be lower.
If needed the fee we charge to register a Trust with HMCTS Trust Registration Service is £350 plus VAT.
Bank fees start from 50.00 inclusive of VAT per transfer.
In line with the Law Society recommendations we charge value costs of 0.5%+VAT of the main residence and 1%+VAT of gross cash assets. If we are acting as Executors then we charge 0.75%+VAT of the main residence and 1.5%+VAT of gross cash assets.
In addition to our fees, disbursements are fees payable to third parties, some of which need to be paid before a Grant of Probate application can be submitted. We will not know what those are until we have been through the case with you, but likely disbursements might include:
- Probate application fee of £303 for x3 sealed copy Grant of Probate (1 copy per asset is recommended, each costs £1.50 after the initial cost) – please note that this is subject to change to a sliding scale in the future https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/announcement-on-probate-fees
- Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per UK beneficiary). International bankruptcy searches cost more
- Approximately £260 for Statutory Advertisements (to post in The London Gazette and the Local Newspaper) – this protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
- If there are stocks & shares to be sold, the stockbrokers and/or Registrars will charge fees.
- If there is not a Will then further fees will need to be paid to organisations to undertake a national Will search (£114) and to verify or produce a family tree and further fees for Missing Beneficiaries Indemnity policy
- Assets searches or statutory credit reports can cost £200 or £2.00 if needed
For all other fees, please contact our Probate Team on 0121 704 3311 / Info@charlesstrachan.com who will be able to assist you further.