Price transparency

Since 6 December 2018, we have been required to provide a range of prices for certain services.

Pennine Kennedy Solicitors differentiates itself on providing an exceptional service in a cost-effective manner. 

The relevant rules require us to provide you with a range of prices and linked information.

Our hourly rates, upon which the various fee ranges quoted below are (in part, together with other value pricing factors) based, range, depending on who is involved on the matter from £250 to £500 plus VAT. These hourly rates only form a basis for our fees and are only for the particular types of work referred to below; they are not necessarily the hourly rates which apply to this firm’s other work streams.

The details are below.

Residential Property

Our Main Residential Services are:

  • Freehold Sales and Purchases
  • Buying and Selling Leasehold Properties
  • Re-Mortgages
  • Transfers of Property
  • Buying Property for Investment (Buy to Let Properties)
  • Non-Contentious Landlord and Tennant Issues
  • Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreements
  • Leasehold Enfranchisement Issues

Conveyancing

The following costs estimates are based on a sale or purchase of a residential freehold property in England or Wales and VAT will be charged at the rate applicable at the time of the transaction currently 20%:

Sale / Purchase Price

Up to £500,000

£500,001 – £1,000,000

£1,000,001- £1,500,000

£1,500,001 and above 

Legal Fees

Between £595 and £1,000 plus VAT

Between £795 and £1,400 plus VAT

Between £995 and £1,600 plus VAT

Subject to negotiation

If you are getting a mortgage on your purchase there is an additional charge for acting for the Lender of £100 plus VAT and where Stamp Duty is payable there is an additional charge of £50 plus VAT for dealing with HMRC requirements.

Additional legal costs will be incurred if the property is leasehold or a new build.

Below is an example of known disbursements.

Disbursements are additional to legal fees that have to be paid to other companies and our client will only pay what the relevant company charge. Some disbursements will vary depending on property price and location.

Known disbursements on the sale of a property

HM Land Registry Search fees:

·       Freehold £6 plus VAT

·       Leasehold £12 plus VAT

·       Fee for arranging a Bank Transfer To redeem a mortgage or to send net sale proceeds to you (if applicable) £35 plus VAT

 

 Known disbursements on the purchase of a property

  • Additional legal Costs for acting for your mortgage company (if applicable) – £100 plus VAT
  • Arranging Bank transfer to send purchase monies to sellers Solicitors £35 plus VAT
  • Bankruptcy search – £2 plus VAT (per purchaser)
  • Land Charges search – £3 plus VAT
  • Local Search Fees – £TBC depend on local council charges
  • Stamp Duty Land Tax – amount will depend on property value and whether you or your spouse own any other property. You can visit the HMRC website to find out the amount https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/calculate-stamp-duty-land-tax/#/intro to obtain the HM Land Registry registration fee – this will vary depending on the price of your property. You can visit the Land Registry website https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hm-land-registry-registration-services-fees for an indication as to the likely fee.

Other disbursements may become payable, such as mining searches or flood risk searches but these will not become apparent until the transaction starts. We will notify you of these once we are aware of them being required.

The above costs estimates are based on the following:

  • That it is a standard transaction and no unforeseen matters arise including for example (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
  • The transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complications arise
  • All parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation
  • That no indemnity policies are required. Additional disbursements will apply if indemnity policies are required
  • That there are no abortive transactions.

How long it will take from your offer being accepted until you can move in to your house will depend on a number of factors.

The average process takes between 8 – 14 weeks.

It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain and many aspects will be out of our control.

Key Stages of a standard purchase

  • We will take your instructions and give you initial advice
  • Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender’s if needed
  • Receive and advise on contract documents
  • Carry out searches
  • Obtain further planning documentation if required
  • Make any necessary enquiries of seller’s solicitor
  • Give you advice on all documents and information received
  • Go through the conditions of mortgage offer with you
  • Send final contract to you for signature
  • Agree completion date (date from which you own the property)
  • Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened
  • Arrange for all monies needed to be received from lender and you
  • Complete purchase
  • Deal with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax
  • Deal with application for registration at Land Registry
  • Key Stages of a standard Sale
  • We will take instructions and give you initial advice
  • Produce Contract Documents and send to purchaser’s solicitors
  • Reply to enquiries from purchaser’s solicitors
  • Give you advice on all documents and information received
  • Send final contact to you for signature
  • Agree a completion date
  • Exchange contracts and notify you of this
  • Complete the sale
  • Arrange for all monies to be paid to lender, Estate Agent etc if applicable
  • Deal with any requisitions raised during registration of the property

Sale or Purchase of a Leasehold Residential Property

If we are instructed to act in connection with your sale or purchase of a leasehold residential property, there will be additional disbursements to those listed above which include

Notice fees and fees for a Sale Pack from your freeholder and / or management company. These fees will become apparent during the course of the transaction and we will make you aware of them as soon as we are able.

You should also be aware that ground rent and service charge are likely to apply throughout your ownership of the leasehold property. We will confirm the ground rent and the anticipated service charge as soon as this we receive this information.

The key stages involved in the sale and purchase of a residential leasehold property vary according to the circumstances. However, they are mostly the same as with a freehold property with the exception of checking and reporting on the Lease and any sellers pack from the freeholder.

* Again, our fees and the time scale assume that:

  • This is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including for example (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
  • This is the assignment of an existing lease and is not the grant of a new lease
  • The transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complication arise
  • All parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation
  • No indemnity policies are required. Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity policies are required
  • There are no abortive transactions.

If you are buying a Leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take considerably longer, between three and six months and in this situation additional charges will apply.

Commercial Law

Our Main Commercial Law Services are:

  • The sale and purchase of business premises, or businesses as going concerns.
  • Landlord and tenant matters involving granting leases, renewing leases, rent reviews, property dilapidation disputes and possession proceedings.
  • Property development including site acquisition, building and sale.
  • Investment in single properties or property portfolios.
  • Gaming and liquor licensing matters.

Wills & Probate

We deal with:

  • Probate and Administration of Estates
  • Will Drafting
  • Personal Tax Advice
  • Court of Protection Matters
  • Lasting Powers of Attorney
  • Trusts and PET (Potential Exempt Transfer) and settlement advice to elderly Clients
  • Inheritance Tax Planning

All VAT will be charged at the rate applicable at the time of the transaction currently 20% 

We offer two types of service in connection with Probate matters.

  • A fixed fee service acting for the Executor which covers work up to the point of receiving the Grant of Probate and
  • A full application service, which covers all aspects of administering an estate.

Our fixed fee service covers the following:

  • Check the contents and validity of the Will
  • Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
  • Collecting in details as to all assets and liabilities and obtaining the relevant documentary evidence
  • Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms
  • Prepare a statement for signature by the Executor(s)
  • Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf and discharge Probate fees
  • Obtain the Probate and forward to you the same. You will then be responsible to pay all debts and liabilities and distribute any gifts and legacies in accordance with the terms of the Will, thereafter deal with the residue of the estate.

Our fixed legal costs in connection with the above service are:

For completion and submission of an IHT205 – £1,000 plus VAT

For completion and submission of an IHT400 and supplemental forms – £1,500 plus VAT

Known disbursements:

  • Office copy entry fee to determine title to a property (if any) £3 plus VAT (per residential property)
  • Please contact us for up-to-date information as to the Probate fee required.

The above fixed costs are based on the following presumption:

  • There is a valid Will
  • There is no dispute as to the validity of the Will or any other claim against the estate
  • There are no more than 5 bank or building society accounts or national savings & investments.
  • There are no shareholdings

We are also able to assist Executors, or if there is no Will, the administrators, in obtaining a grant and in administering the whole estate until finalisation. Costs will be based on actual time spent on the file and the following is only an estimate of costs.

Our work will likely consist of the following:

  • Check the contents and validity of the Will
  • Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
  • Collect in details as to all assets and liabilities and obtain the relevant documentary evidence
  • Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms and schedules
  • Prepare a statement for signature by the Executor(s)
  • Where applicable submit papers to HMRC and discharge initial inheritance tax liability
  • Submit the application to the Probate Court on your behalf and discharge the probate fees
  • Receive the Grant of Probate and register the same with various companies.
  • Contact named Beneficiaries and advise them as to our involvement and their interest under the Will
  • Complete and submit closing forms for relevant banks and building society companies effecting encashment of all other assets and sale or transfer of shareholdings.
  • Receive funds on behalf of the estate
  • Discharge all debts and liabilities
  • Pay any gifts and specific legacies
  • Prepare detailed estate accounts for perusal and approval by the Executors or Administrators
  • Ensure all matters are completed
  • Distribute the residuary estate in accordance with the terms of the Will

A typical estate takes around 9 – 12 months to complete. Our estimated charges are as follows:

For an administration requiring completion and submission of an IHT205 – estimated between £2,500 – £4,000 plus VAT

For an administration requiring completion and submission of an IHT400 and supplemental forms – estimated between £3,000 – £5,000 plus VAT

Please contact our Private Client team for a more detailed estimate of costs based on your circumstances. The above estimate is based on the following scenario:

  • There is a valid Will or the beneficiaries where there is no Will are clearly identified
  • There is no more than one property
  • There are no more than 5 bank or building society accounts or other investments
  • There are no shareholdings
  • There are no other accounts or holdings
  • There are up to 4 beneficiaries
  • There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
  • There are no claims made against the estate

Disbursements will also be payable and are in addition to legal costs. An example of likely disbursements are:

  • Probate application fee – please contact us for up-to-date information
  • Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 plus VAT per beneficiary)
  • Advertisement in The London Gazette to protect against unexpected claims from unknown creditors. The price will be given to us on application to the Paper
  • Advert in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims and again the paper will set the cost.

Potential additional costs:

  • If there is no will or the estate consists of more accounts or shareholdings there is likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with. We can give you a more accurate estimate once we have full details of the assets and liabilities
  • If any additional copies of the grant are required, they will cost 50p per copy (1 per asset usually).
  • Costs dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.

If we are the appointed Executors under a valid Will, the costs will likely be in the region as detailed above. We do not charge extra for acting as Executors in administering the estate.

Notarial Services

Notarial Functions include:

  • Notarising documents in connection with foreign sales, purchases, probate and litigation matters.
  • Authenticating and execution of documents.
  • Attesting the signature and execution of documents.
  • Authenticating the contents of documents.
  • Drawing up or noting protests of happenings to ships, crews and cargoes.
  • Taking evidence in England and Wales as a Commissioner for Oaths for foreign courts.
  • Verifying the making of translations from foreign languages to English and vice versa.

Unfair or wrongful dismissal claims

If you instruct us in a claim at the Employment Tribunal for unfair or wrongful dismissal, the likely costs (excluding VAT) range from £1000 – £10,000.00. 

The factors that tend to make a case more complex and therefore more expensive include:

  • there being a large number of witnesses;
  • the nature and extent of the disclosure process (involving each party searching for, listing and disclosing to the other party/parties every document that is relevant to the claim) entailing a large volume of documents and/or documents in multiple formats or from multiple sources (e.g. paper and computer records, telephone logs and emails);
  • it being necessary to respond to applications to amend claims;
  • making costs application;
  • making applications before the Employment Tribunal about how the litigation is being conducted such as an application for further and better particulars (where a claim form has provided insufficient detail of the allegations made) or for an unless order (an application for the other party’s claim or response to be struck out if it fails to comply with a specific order of the Tribunal);
  • complex preliminary issues, such as where the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties) or if a medical report is required;
  • the claim being an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. if the claimant is dismissed after blowing the whistle;
  • the claim including allegations of discrimination or being combined with other claims; and
  • the claim involving judicial mediation.

We will discuss with you whether or not you wish one of our team to attend the Tribunal Hearing in addition to the barrister we engage on your behalf. Typically we would expect a team member to attend.

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as a barrister’s fees. We will handle payment of the disbursements on your behalf and so these will appear on our invoice to you.

Fee rates for barristers or “counsel” are set by individual chambers. The level of fees for counsel will depend upon the experience of the barrister, the complexity of the case and how many days the Tribunal Hearing will last. We are not responsible for setting counsel fee rates and provide the following indicative range of the fee rate, for advocacy, by way of example only (excluding VAT charged at 20 per cent):

Instructing a junior barrister on a two day Hearing       

£1,000 to £5,000

Where a matter proceeds to a full trial, we will typically prepare the trial bundle of documents. The stationery costs are charged as a disbursement, which will depend on the volume of documentation involved in each case. Costs (excluding VAT)  typically range from £100 to £500+

Key stages

The ranges of fees set out above cover all work in relation to the following key stages of a straightforward unfair or wrongful dismissal claim:

  • taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on merits and the possible level of award against you if the claim succeeds (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change);
  • preparing the defense/claim;
  • reviewing and advising on the claim;
  • advising on and making relevant applications prior to the Tribunal Hearing such as an application for further and better particulars (where a claim form has provided insufficient detail of the allegations made) or for an unless order (where you apply for the other party’s claim or response to be struck out if it fails to comply with a specific order of the Tribunal);
  • considering a schedule of loss;
  • preparing for (but not attending) a Preliminary Hearing;
  • advising on the obligation to disclose to the other party all documents relevant to the claim;
  • exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents;
  • taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses;
  • preparing a bundle of documents;
  • reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements;
  • agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list; and
  • preparing for the Tribunal Hearing including instructing counsel.

The stages set out above are only an indication of the likely process. It may be that not all stages are required or relevant, in which case fees may fall at the lower end of the ranges given. It may be that you only require our advice in relation to some of the stages and you will otherwise handle the case personally. We can discuss this with you, as needed.

The range of fees set out above will not include:

  • entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached;
  • exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process, including drafting and negotiation of a settlement agreement, where settlement negotiations are successful;
  • advising on a subject access request (where a claimant requests disclosure of information under data protection laws);
  • attendance at the Employment Tribunal for any hearing (including preliminary hearings);
  • advising on any claim other than unfair dismissal and/or wrongful dismissal;
  • advising in respect of a claim brought in conjunction with a claim for unfair dismissal and/or wrongful dismissal but which is a separate claim (such as for discrimination); or
  • defending any related claims in the High Court for example in respect of uncapped wrongful dismissal claims or making applications in the High Court for example for injunctive relief.

Length of claim process

The period of time from taking initial instructions to final resolution of the matter will depend on the stage at which the claim is resolved.

The mandatory pre-claim conciliation period may last for up to a maximum of one month and two weeks. If settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation then the matter should be dealt with in that time frame.

If the claim proceeds to a Tribunal Hearing then the length of the process will depend upon the complexity of the claim, the availability of the relevant Tribunal to hear the claim and how many days the Tribunal Hearing is set for, as determined by the Tribunal. Typically a more straightforward case may take up to six months and a more complex case may take up to nine or 12 months.

These time periods are indicative only and depend on the Employment Tribunal in question. We will discuss the timescale of the process with you as the matter progresses.

Immigration

Our fees

Our fees for advising you and representing you on the most common UK immigration applications are likely to fall within the ranges (excluding VAT) set out below.

  • Tier 1 (Investor) £2,000 to £20,000
  • Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)                                                                                           £2,000 to £20,000
  • Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent)                                                                         £2,000 to £20,000
  • Tier 2 (General) and Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer) £1,000 to £5,000
  • Tier 4 (General) and Tier 4 (Child)                                                       £1,000 to £5,000
  • Tier 5 (Government Authorised Exchange)                                     £1,000 to £5,000
  • Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme)                                                       £1,000 to £5,000
  • UK Ancestry £1,000 to £5,000
  • Partner of a person present & settled in UK £1,000 to £5,000
  • Visitor £1,000 to £5,000
  • Overseas Domestic worker £1,000 to £5,000
  • EEA Family Permit                                                                                           £1,000 to £5,000
  • EU Residence Document                                                                         £1,000 to £5,000
  • Document Certifying Permanent Residence                                     £1,000 to £5,000
  • Indefinite leave to remain                                                                         £1,000 to £5,000
  • Naturalisation as a British citizen                                                       £1,000 to £5,000
  • Registration as a British citizen                                                       £1,000 to £5,000
  • UK Passport                                                                                                                  £1,000 to £5,000

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs we incur on your behalf such as:

  • Home Office application fees
  • priority processing fees;
  • counsel’s fees; and
  • third party fees, such as translation costs and overseas lawyers’ fees.

We estimate these at the outset and they will appear on our invoice to you.

Other applications

If the application you wish to submit is not set out above, please contact us and we will be pleased to provide a fee quote and scope of work for the relevant application.

Our policy is to charge (wherever possible) on a fixed fee basis. However, the fees quoted above are for assisting with straightforward applications.

Where a matter is complex (for example, if you have previously been refused a visa for the UK or another country or you have a criminal record) or involves providing a significant amount of strategic advice, we may charge on a time-spent basis, subject to an estimate.

Factors which can make an application more complex and involve our charging fees either at the higher end of the above stated ranges or which exceed them, include:

  • the time taken to assist with the matter;
  • the urgency of the matter;
  • the level of correspondence involved;
  • the amount and quality of supporting documentation;
  • the likely level of engagement with the Home Office; and
  • the need to engage and liaise with third parties.

Multiple applications

The fees quoted above are for assisting with single applications by a principal applicant. They do not include the costs of assisting with applications for dependent family members, even if submitted simultaneously.

If you would like assistance with submitting a number of applications, for example an application for indefinite leave to remain followed by an application to naturalise as a British citizen, or applications involving dependent family members, please contact us and we will be pleased to provide a fee quote and scope of work for the relevant applications.

Applications by corporates

The fees set out above only cover assisting with applications submitted by individuals. We are also specialists in assisting companies with submitting applications, such as:

  • representative of an overseas business applications;
  • Tier 2 sponsor license applications; and
  • reviewing and drafting policies to ensure companies comply with their Tier 2 sponsor license duties and responsibilities and the law in relation to the prevention of illegal working.

Scope

Please note that we will provide a scope of work tailored to your individual circumstances once we have been provided with full details of your situation. Set out below is our typical scope of work and stages for assisting with a UK immigration application.

  • Obtaining information in relation to your particular circumstances and advising on the UK immigration options available.
  • Providing detailed advice on the documentation required and the procedure for submitting the relevant application.
  • Providing advice on the timelines and likely outcome.
  • Meetings, where required.
  • Providing draft suggested wording for any documents required in support of the application.
  • Drafting the relevant application form.
  • Providing a covering letter in support of the application.
  • Preparing the bundle of documents which need to be submitted in support of the application.
  • Booking an appointment for submission of the application and/or submitting the application directly to the Home Office.
  • Answering any routine queries that the Home Office may have in relation to the application.
  • Once the application has been approved, reviewing the approval documentation, which may include a passport endorsement and/or a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) to ensure that it has been validly issued.
  • Providing advice on the next steps.

The above scope does not include assisting with challenging a refusal decision if the application is not approved. If you wish to challenge a decision to refuse your application, we would provide a separate fee quote for this work.

Application timings

On average, applications take approximately 4-6 weeks to prepare.

Typical Home Office processing times from the date of submission of a straightforward application are as follows:

  • Overseas

Between 1 and 15 working days to process applications for temporary immigration permission submitted overseas, depending on the complexity of the application and whether the application is submitted using one of the priority services.

Between 15 and 30 working days to process applications for settlement submitted overseas, depending on the complexity of the application and whether the application is submitted using one of the priority services.

  • In-country

Between 1 and 60 working days to process applications submitted in the UK, depending on the complexity of the application and whether the application is submitted using one of the priority services.

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