Our Pricing

We understand how difficult and emotional it is to deal with the paperwork after losing a loved one and that probate laws can be confusing and bewildering.

We have a really friendly team of highly experienced probate specialists that can help guide you through the probate process. The amount of work involved can depend on multiple factors including the size of the estate so we have created a handy calculator to give you an indication of what our fees might be.

Find out more about our probate services by contacting us today.

The following illustrates our approach to handling claims of unfair and wrongful dismissal in the Employment Tribunal where such claims are not connected with issues such as discrimination, whistleblowing, or asserting a statutory right.

Typical legal costs

Not all the costs mentioned below will necessarily be incurred if it is possible to settle your case and a large number of cases do settle without making it to a Tribunal Hearing.

In our experience, the cost of advising and representing an employee in a straightforward claim addressing only wrongful dismissal, up to the point immediately before a Tribunal Hearing commences, will be in a range from £5,400 to £8,700 (excluding VAT).

In our experience, the cost of advising and representing an employee, in a straightforward claim addressing only unfair dismissal, up to the point immediately before a Tribunal Hearing commences, will be in a range from £8,650 to £11,900 (excluding VAT).

These typical costs are based on hourly rates of £180 to £300 per hour (excluding VAT).

Our fees could be higher than stated above if the case is a complex one. Factors that could make a case complex and increase costs include, but are not limited to:

• Claiming against an unrepresented employer
• Consideration of a complex element of law
• Dealing with an extensive amount of documentation
• Drafting statements for and/or dealing with a large number of witnesses
• A need to make amendments to a claim or to provide further information about the claim
• A need to seek further information about a defence to a claim
• A need to address preliminary issues
• A need to make or defend a costs application
• Defending a claim for automatic unfair dismissal in connection with a transfer of an undertaking

In such circumstances, we will keep you fully up to date on fees and revise our estimates, as the case progresses.

On average, each day for attending a Tribunal Hearing will cost between £1,650 and £2,500 per day (excluding VAT).

Generally, you should expect a typical Tribunal Hearing to take one to three days, depending on the complexity of your case though very complex cases can be longer.

Key stages

The fee structure set out above covers all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim and applies to work after the pre-claim conciliation period has been concluded:

• Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on the merits of your claim (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change)
• Preparing and submitting the claim form
• Preparing a schedule of loss which indicates the value of your claim
• Reviewing the response to the claim from your employer
• Exchanging documents with the employer and agreeing the contents for the bundle of documents to be used at the Tribunal Hearing
• Interviews for witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses
• Reviewing and advising on the employer’s witness statements
• Agreeing a list of issues
• Preparation for a Tribunal Hearing
• Instructing a barrister, if they are to be engaged
• Advising on and exploring and negotiating settlement throughout the process

This does not include the cost of preparing the bundle of documents to be used at the Tribunal Hearing as this is usually a task given to the employer. Neither does it include applying for a Tribunal Hearing of more than one day in length, the preparation of a chronology, skeleton arguments or a list of the key people who feature in the case.

Timeframe

The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your claim depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved and how soon the Employment Tribunal can schedule a Tribunal Hearing. Currently, the Employment Tribunal can schedule a Tribunal Hearing for a date between six to nine months from when a claim is submitted.

The initial date for listing will be provided once your claim has been acknowledged as received by the Employment Tribunal. This initial date will usually assume that the Tribunal Hearing will only take one day. If the Tribunal Hearing will take more than one day then the timeframe is likely to increase.

Issues relating to the handling of all claims

Alternatives

You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can be arranged according to your individual needs with the costs tailored accordingly.

Expenses

These will be referred to as disbursements and are the costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties.

There are currently no fees payable in the Employment Tribunal but costs for such things as travel expenses and fees for expert witnesses may be incurred. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process and will inform you if VAT is payable or not.

Normally we will present your case at a Tribunal Hearing but in very complex cases it may be that, after consulting with you, a barrister (also known as counsel) is engaged to do this. Counsel fees will be regarded as a disbursement with the costs of counsel dependent on the complexity of the case.

If you run a business then it is likely that at some point you are going to have to chase an unpaid invoice or two. When that doesn’t work then our debt recovery team are on hand to help.

To make things as transparent as possible we have broken down the process and our fees at each stage but before we can help you need to be sure that your claim:

• Is a business debt
• Relates to an unpaid invoice
• Is undisputed as far as you are aware

If it is a tick against these three then our prices will be as listed below. If there is another way that we can help, e.g by pursuing a personal debt, we would be happy to discuss that with you.

Stage 1

Before Court – £300 + vat

• Review of your papers, eg invoice and contract
• Undertake relevant searches against the debtor to establish if risk of insolvency
• Undertake Land Registry search against debtor’s property where address known
• Send a letter before action to debtor
• Report to you as regards issues arising and advise you if issuing a Statutory Demand would be appropriate (this is outside of the fees quoted here)
• Either make payment to you on receipt or, if the debt remains unpaid, request whether you wish to proceed to Stage 2

Stage 2

Court proceedings £450 + vat

• Draft and issue your claim
• Where no Acknowledgment of Service and/or Defence apply to the court to enter judgment in default and report to you
• Report to you when Judgment received
• Upon receipt of judgment write to the judgment debtor for payment
• If the judgment debt remains unpaid after 14 days you may wish to proceed to Stage 3 and we will provide you with initial advice on which method of enforcement may be the most appropriate, or if it is not cost-effective to pursue.

Stage 3

Enforcement

Fees vary depending on enforcement method

• Instruct a High Court Enforcement Officer or a County Court Bailiff – £300 + vat
• Obtain a Charging Order – £450 + vat
• Attachment of Earnings Order – £300 + vat
• Third Party Debt Order – £450 – vat
• Order to Obtain Information from Judgment Debtor – £450 + vat

Please note that, in addition to our fees, there will be fees payable to the Court for issuing proceedings or applying for enforcement if matters go that far. The fees depend on the value of the claim you are making and can range from £25 to £450 for an online claim or several thousand pounds for high value claims issued in the Court.

The majority of the disbursements will be court fees.

There may be some disbursements and fees to third parties for example, search fees, process server fees, agent’s fees to attend court that will need to be taken into account.

If the matter becomes defended at any stage, the case is adjourned or there are negotiations then you will be charged at the hourly rate for the most appropriate legal advisor. It is obviously difficult to give an indication of our fees for these eventualities.

It is important that we point out the following to you before you go any further:

• You should already have asked for your debt to be paid before instructing us
• You cannot recover all of your solicitor’s costs from your debtor therefore it may not be a cost-effective scheme for you
• We cannot guarantee payment of your debt even if you obtain a judgment in your favour
• We will always consider if interest can be claimed and add to this to your claim
• We can secure lower court fees than if you issued proceedings by post as we are registered with Money Claims Online

Who would deal with my claim?

Your matter will be dealt with by any one of our team of solicitors including Paul Rooke, Lee Hills, and Marika Monaghan whose normal hourly rates are £250, £290 and £290 respectively plus VAT.

If you would like to discuss your particular needs then please call our debt recovery team on 0800 84 94 101 (it’s free) or complete our enquiry form.

The following illustrates our approach to defending claims of unfair and wrongful dismissal in the Employment Tribunal where such claims are not connected with issues such as discrimination, whistleblowing or asserting a statutory right.

Typical legal costs

Not all the costs mentioned below will necessarily be incurred if it is possible to settle your case and a large number of cases do settle without making it to a Tribunal Hearing.

In our experience, the cost of advising and representing an employer in defending a straightforward claim addressing only wrongful dismissal, up to the point immediately before a Tribunal Hearing commences, will be in a range from £5,400 to £9,800 (excluding VAT).

In our experience, the cost of advising and representing an employer, in defending a straightforward claim addressing only unfair dismissal, up to the point immediately before a Tribunal Hearing commences, will be in a range from £8,650 to £13,000 (excluding VAT).

These typical costs are based on hourly rates of £180 to £300 per hour (excluding VAT).

Our fees could be higher than stated above if the case is a complex one. Factors that could make a case complex and increase costs include, but are not limited to:

• Defending a claim by an unrepresented employee
• Consideration of a complex element of law
• Dealing with an extensive amount of documentation
• Drafting statements for and/or dealing with a large number of witnesses
• A need to seek further information about a claim
• A need to make amendments to a response to a claim
• A need to address preliminary issues
• A need to make or defend a costs application
• Defending a claim for automatic unfair dismissal in connection with a transfer of an undertaking

In such circumstances, we will keep you fully up to date on fees and revise our estimates, as the case progresses.

On average, each day for attending a Tribunal Hearing will cost be between £1,650 and £2,500 per day (excluding VAT).

Generally, you should expect a typical Tribunal Hearing to take one to three days, depending on the complexity of your case. Some complex cases can be longer.

Issues relating to the handling of all claims

Alternatives

You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can be arranged according to your individual needs with the costs tailored accordingly.

Expenses

These will be referred to as disbursements and are the costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties.

There are currently no fees payable in the Employment Tribunal but costs for such things as travel expenses and fees for expert witnesses may be incurred. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process and will inform you if VAT is payable or not.

Normally we will present your case at a Tribunal Hearing but in very complex cases it may be that, after consulting with you, a barrister (also known as counsel) is engaged to do this. Counsel fees will be regarded as a disbursement with the costs of counsel dependent on the complexity of the case.

Mayo Wynne Baxter understands that being a landlord is not always easy. If disputes arise between you and your tenant or you simply need to regain possession of your property due to a change in circumstances, you need to be certain of the cost.

Based at our offices across Sussex, our team of experienced and specialist legal advisers provides effective, practical and timely advice to landlords and agents regardless of the number of properties owned or managed, from a single property to large portfolios. We have built up an excellent reputation for achieving results and believe that our proactive and cost-effective approach is key to protecting your interests.

To achieve that aim, we are pleased to offer a fixed fee scheme to recover possession of residential properties let under Assured Shorthold Tenancies where there are rent arrears or where the tenant is not at fault.

The scheme includes all work and court fees as detailed below, from service of the appropriate Notice Seeking Possession to eviction if necessary. Additional work required which is not included in the scheme will be charged at the standard hourly rate of the legal adviser assisting.

All costs are exclusive of non-standard disbursements and VAT which will be added at the appropriate current rate.

Acceptance of Instructions and review of tenancy documentation – £315

Acceptance into the fixed fee scheme is conditional on you providing copies of all relevant paperwork at the time of instruction:

• The Tenancy Agreement (plus extensions and/or renewals)
• Deposit protection documentation including Prescribed Information given to the tenant
• The Energy Performance Certificate, Gas Safety Record and Government ‘How to Rent’ Guide given to the tenant
• Confirmation that smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are installed and were checked at the beginning of the tenancy
• An accurate and up-to-date Rent Statement (if rent arrears are being claimed)
• All correspondence or demands sent to the tenant regarding rent arrears and/or requests for possession of the property
• Confirmation of Right to Rent Checks
• Upon accepting your instructions, we will consider all documents,
• Highlight any issues, serve the appropriate Notice Seeking
• Possession, and notify you of any response from the tenant.

Issue of Proceedings

On expiry of the Notice, we will seek your instructions to issue possession proceedings. At this point a Court fee of £391† is payable before we can proceed. If the claim is issued but does not proceed for any reason, the Court fee cannot be reclaimed. We will prepare and submit the proceedings to the Court via the Accelerated or Standard Procedure:

Accelerated Procedure £525

This procedure can only be used for straightforward possession of your property on a ‘no fault’ basis following service of a Section 21 Notice and providing all legislative requirements have been met. The tenant will have 14 days after service of the proceedings to file a defence, failing which a 14-day Order for Possession and fixed costs can be requested. The proceedings will be reviewed by a Judge and if the Section 21 Notice is compliant and the correct paperwork is in place, an Order for Possession is likely to be made without the need for a hearing. If the Judge is unsure on any issue or the tenant has raised a valid defence, the Judge may decide to list a hearing to narrow the issues.

Standard Procedure £800

This procedure must be used if you are seeking an Order that the tenant pay rent arrears or if the Accelerated Procedure cannot be used.

The Standard Procedure will be applicable under the fixed fee for possession only when a Section 21 Notice has been validly served on the tenant and money judgment in respect of rent arrears is required as part of the same proceedings, or where a Section 8 Notice has been served on the tenant under Grounds 8, 10, and / or 11 of the Housing Act 1988.

The Court will list a hearing date and allow the tenant 14 days after service of the proceedings to file a defence. We will notify you when the Court confirms the proceedings have been issued and served on the tenant, together with the date by which the tenant may file a defence.

Obtaining Order for Possession

In the absence of a defence being filed by the tenant, we will seek your further instructions to request an Order for Possession and fixed costs (Accelerated Procedure) or to prepare and submit the necessary evidence for the hearing (Standard Procedure).

Accelerated Procedure £250

We will request a 14-day Order for Possession and fixed costs to be paid by the Tenant and forward a copy of the Order to you when received from the Court. We will also serve the Order on the tenant, requesting they vacate the property and pay your costs as ordered, failing which enforcement action will be taken.

Standard Procedure £1,260

Approximately 14 days before the hearing we will prepare the evidence required by the Court, including:

• a witness statement on your behalf (sent to you for approval and signature);

• all relevant exhibits, e.g. Land Registry documents, an up to date

Rent Statement (if applicable), etc.

Once approved and signed, your evidence will be filed at Court and a copy served on the tenant no later than 2 clear days before the hearing**

A copy of the tenant’s evidence will be sent to you if filed at Court and served upon us. We will instruct an advocate to attend the hearing on your behalf to seek a 14-day Order for Possession to include an Order that the tenant pays rent arrears claimed to the date vacant possession is given, plus your fixed costs (unless alternatively instructed).

Please note that the fees of any advocate instructed are included in the term “disbursements” and are not included within the fixed fee scheme.

Following the hearing, we will advise you of the outcome, or if the matter has been adjourned following a defence being filed at Court, or upon new issues having been raised. If the matter is adjourned and further Directions are provided by the Judge, which must be complied with, no further work will be covered by the fixed fee scheme and time will be charged on a time spent basis at the relevant Legal Advisor’s hourly rate. If you intend to seek possession under any of the Grounds for Possession pursuant to Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 (other than Grounds 8, 10, and 11 for rent arrears) our fixed fee will not be applicable, and our hourly rates will apply. More information can be provided following a review of your documentation and an estimate for the work provided.

Enforcement Action £250

If the tenant does not leave the property as ordered, we will arrange eviction by a County Court Bailiff. A Court fee of £143 is payable before we can proceed. Upon the Warrant of Possession being issued, we will advise you of the eviction date. You and/or your agent should attend with the Court Bailiff together with a locksmith (you will be responsible for the locksmith’s cost).

Timescales

The processing of the claim can take around 16 weeks from the date of receipt of the claim papers by the Court. Once the claim has been issued, it usually takes between 8 to 10 weeks for a Possession Order to be obtained under the Accelerated Procedure, but the overall timescale is dependent on the particular Court.

The Standard Procedure will take longer due to the requirements for witness evidence and attendance at a hearing. The Court’s workload governs the time period and applications are dealt with in order of receipt. Unfortunately, we are unable to control the Court’s timescale or persuade the Court to work quicker.