Find a probate solicitor for the estate

Probate is the legal authority to deal with someone’s estate after they die. The exact route depends on factors such as the will, how assets were owned and where the person was permanently based. A typical estate can involve:

• finding the will and identifying who may apply
• valuing property, accounts, debts and other assets
• dealing with any tax position and applying for the Grant
• collecting assets and distributing the estate

A probate solicitor can explain the legal route, prepare the application and advise on property, accounts, debts, tax and distribution. Some straightforward estates can be handled without one; whether professional help is sensible depends on the estate, and you remain free to decide.

It depends on the estate, the information available and the Probate Registry. After reviewing the details, the matched solicitor can explain the likely stages without promising a date before they understand the case.

Klaro does not show a headline legal fee before the estate has been reviewed. The matched solicitor can explain the proposed work and exclusions, then confirm their fixed fee in writing before you decide whether to proceed.

Two figures make up the bill: the court’s own fee, and the solicitor’s fee for the work.

The court fee is fixed and the same for everyone: £526 for estates over £5,000, and nothing at all below that.

The solicitor’s fee depends on the estate. Across the market, fixed-fee quotes typically fall in these bands:

What matters more is how the fee is calculated. Some firms, bank-owned probate services in particular, charge a percentage of the estate instead, commonly 1% to 4%. On a £500,000 estate, 3% is £15,000 for work a fixed-fee firm would often quote between £4,500 and £8,000.

Every firm on the Klaro panel quotes a fixed fee in writing before you commit. Answer a few questions about the estate and your matched solicitor will confirm the scope and the figure for your circumstances.