Probate services in London

When a loved one passes, the last thing you want to deal with is their financial affairs and in particular Probate.

It is always a sad time when a loved one passes away. At such a time, it doesn’t help that you have to think about arranging the funeral service and clearing up any outstanding financial affairs, which can be very stressful, in particularly, probate. Whether you’re new to this or have been through it before it isn’t easy and shouldn’t be done alone. In your time of need, Pitts & SeeUs Chartered Accountants are the super heroes that will help you with probate every step of the way.

Probate is the first step in the legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person resolving all claims and distributing the deceased’s assets under a Will. 

In the past, probate used to be something only a solicitor could do. In August 2014 however, accountants were also given the right to offer probate services. Allowing accountants to provide a probate service saves time as the lawyer will, in any case, have to get in contact with an accountant for financial information on the deceased at some point.

Probate through Pitts & SeeUs is likely cheaper than through a lawyer

Call Pitts & SeeUs probate team on 02076078512 and find out how we can help you.

By going directly to an accountant first, rather than the time honoured tradition of going to a lawyer, you are cutting out the middle man which saves time for you. Dealing with probate is a very numerical matter that requires the accounts for the deceased person. To get the account information of the deceased that is needed for the solicitor, they will have to go to an accountant or the accountant of the deceased. It also saves money as hiring a lawyer can cost considerably more than it would to go to an accountant. Unlike solicitors and banks that charge on a percentage of the assets, accountants usually just charge on a time basis.

PITTS & SEEUS WILL HOLD YOUR HAND THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT AND SENSITIVE TIME

Pitts & SeeUs have managed the financial affairs of many individuals and families over the years, some have become personal friends. As such we understand that dealing with probate is a sensitive issue and it’s being done at a very were sensitive time in your life. Our accountants have excellent client services and are very understanding. We will help you assemble all the information regarding the assets and liabilities of the deceased loved one. Additionally, we will assist you in the preparation of any personal tax returns that are required up to the date of death and the tax returns that are required to pay any Inheritance Tax that may be required before the grant of Probate can be issued.

Pitts & SeeUs accountants will organise everything so that any liabilities and expenses of the estate are paid before distributing the assets. We will also ensure that the assets are distributed to those that are legally entitled to them (this is normally dealt with by the deceased’s will). 

Pitts & SeeUs works on a clear fee structure agreed in advance, unlike solicitors and banks that traditionally charge on a percentage of the assets we charge on a time basis. Our fee structure is as follows:

Our fees are computed on the basis of time spent on your affairs by the principals and our staff where necessary, and on the levels of skill and responsibility involved. Disbursements represent travel, accommodation and other expenses incurred in dealing with your affairs. Our fees for this matter will be calculated as follows:

• Fixed Fee: £1,500 for obtaining the Grant of Probate and basic administration.

• Hourly Rate: [£Y per hour] for additional work (e.g., complex tax issues, disputes).

. Our current charges are based on the following rates which are reviewed each year.

a) The present hourly charge for

• The Principal is £350.00-£450.00

b) The hourly time is divided into 10 units of 6 minutes each and each unit is chargeable as per hourly rate.

• Telephone call is chargeable as £40.00 (per unit)

• Short letters is chargeable at £40.00

PROBATE COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS

In the unlikely event that we cannot meet our liabilities to you, you may be able to seek a

grant from ICAEW’s Probate Compensation Scheme. Generally, applications for a grant

must be made to ICAEW within 12 months of the time you became aware, or reasonably

ought to have become aware, of the loss. Further information about the scheme and the

circumstances in which grants may be made is available on ICAEW’s website:

icaew.com/probate

Complaints

If you like to talk to us about how we can improve our service to you, or if you are unhappy

with the service you are receiving, please let us know by contacting Mr Anil Seechurn( head

of legal practice). We will consider carefully any complaint that you may make about our

probate or estate administration work as soon as we receive it and will do all we can to

resolve the issue. We will acknowledge your letter within business days of its receipt and

endeavour to deal with it within 8 weeks. Any compliant should be submitted to us by letter.

If we do not deal with it within this timescale or you are unhappy with our response you

may of course take the matter up with our professional body the Institute of Chartered

Accountants in England and Wales and the Legal Ombudsman. Complaints to the Legal

Ombudsman should be made within six years of the act or omission or three years of you

becoming of the issue and either case within six months of our response to your complaint

to us. The contact details for the Legal Ombudsman are:

Legal Ombudsman, Po Box 6806, Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ

Email: enquires@legalombudsman.org.uk or telephone 0300 555 0333

Our professional indemnity insurer is QBE Insurance (Europe) Ltd, Plantation Place,30 FenchurchStreet, London, EC3M 3BD. The territorial coverage is worldwide excluding professional business carried out from an office in the United States of America or Canada and excludes any action for a claim brought in any court in the United States or Canada.

For more advice on probate or for extra information on how Pitts & SeeUs probate service can help, give us a call today at 020 76078512 or email us at anils@capitts.co.uk.