Employment claims
Our pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal
Simple case: £500-£10,000 (excluding VAT)
Medium complexity case: £10,000-£30,000 (excluding VAT)
High complexity case: >£30,000 (excluding VAT)
Factors that could make a case more complex:
- If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim;
- Defending claims that are brought by litigants in person;
- Making or defending a costs application;
- Complex preliminary issues ;
- The number of witnesses and documents;
- If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. if you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer; and
- Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal.
There will be an additional charge for attending a Tribunal Hearing. Generally, we would allow 1-2 days depending on the complexity of your case.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Counsel’s fees depend on seniority and level of experience of the advocate and could range between £1000-£7000 plus VAT per day for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).
Key stages
The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:
- Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change)
- Entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached;
- Preparing claim or response
- Reviewing and advising on claim or response from other party
- Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process
- preparing or considering a schedule of loss
- Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing
- Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents
- Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses
- preparing bundle of documents
- Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements
- agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list
- Preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including instructions to Counsel
The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.
How long will my matter take?
The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take 2-12 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 3-5 months. This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.
The individuals who may carry out the work include:
| Name: | Position: | Hourly Rate excluding VAT (£): | Date qualified as a solicitor or other status: |
| Graham Young | Member Partner | £375 | 01/11/85 |
| Rebecca Gowing | Partner | £350 | 01/04/11 |
| Senior Solicitor | £325 | 05/01/04 | |
| Solicitor | £250 | 03/06/19 | |
| Paralegal/Trainee Solicitor | £195 | n/a | |
References to “VAT” is to Value Added Tax at the standard rate which is currently 20%. Disbursements may also be subject to VAT.
For further information on any member of our team please visit our Team page.
Debt Recovery
These costs apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice(s) which is not disputed but not admitted and enforcement action is not needed. Following obtaining a default judgment if the other party disputes your claim at any point, or the case is complex, or has significant documentation, we will discuss any further work required and provide you with revised advice about costs if necessary, which could be on a fixed fee (e.g. if a one off letter is required), or an hourly rate if more extensive work is needed.
| Claim Amount | Legal Fee (excluding VAT) |
| £0-£10,000 | £500-£2500 |
| £10,001-£100,000 | £500->£5000 |
If a claim is issued, you will need to pay a court fee in addition to our legal fees. Details of the applicable fee can be found here. You may have to pay more fees later on if, for example, there’s a court hearing or you need to get a judgment enforced.
Anyone wishing to proceed with a claim should note that:
- The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor;
- Interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding, with a higher cost;
- The costs quoted above are not for matters where enforcement action, such as the bailiff, is needed to collect your debt; and
- The costs quoted above do not include additional disbursements, such as obtaining advice from Counsel that may need to be obtained.
Our fee includes:
- Taking your instructions and reviewing documentation;
- Undertaking appropriate searches;
- Sending a letter before action;
- Receiving payment and sending onto you, or if the debt is not paid, drafting and issuing claim (if counsel not instructed);
- Where no Acknowledgment of Service or Defence is received, applying to the court to enter Judgment in default;
- When Judgment in default is received, write to the other side to request payment; and
- If payment is not received within 28 days, providing you with advice on next steps and likely costs.
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Matters usually take 2-4 weeks from receipt of instructions from you to receipt of payment from the other side, depending on whether or not it is necessary to issue a claim.
| Name: | Position: | Hourly Rate excluding VAT (£): | Date qualified as a solicitor or other status: |
| Graham Young | Member Partner | £375 | 01/11/85 |
| Rebecca Gowing | Partner | £350 | 01/04/11 |
| Senior Solicitor | £325 | 05/01/04 | |
| Solicitor | £250 | 03/06/19 | |
| Paralegal/Trainee Solicitor | £195 | n/a |
References to “VAT” is to Value Added Tax at the standard rate which is currently 20%. Disbursements may also be subject to VAT.
For further information on any member of our team please visit our Team page.
Probate
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- Probate application fee of £273
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- Copies of the Grant £1.50 per copy
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- Bankruptcy – only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)
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- Placing Statutory Notices of the administration of the estate: POA
| Name: | Position: | Hourly Rate excluding VAT (£): | Date qualified as a solicitor or other status: |
| Christopher Seddon | Senior solicitor and Head of Wealth Management | £350 | 15/11/80 |
| Edward Pennington | Senior Solicitor | £325 | 05/01/04 |
| Nikki Perryman | Solicitor | £250 | 03/06/19 |
Immigration
On average costs are between £200 and £8000. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated.
The exact number of hours it will take depends on the circumstances in your case. Such as:
- The amount of supporting evidence that we need to consider
- Which language(s) you speak
- Whether you are applying with other dependants
If you are able to provide sufficient evidence at our first meeting and clearly meet the applicable Immigration Rules, the cost is likely to be at the lower end of this range.
What services are included
The work will involve:
- Discussing your circumstances in detail and confirming whether this is the most appropriate application for you to make and what other options may be available to you;
- Giving you advice about the requirements of the Immigration Rules and whether you meet the criteria.
- If you do not fulfil certain criteria, whether this can be overcome and how.
- Considering the supporting evidence you have provided.
- Where necessary, helping you obtain further evidence (such as medical records and bank statements), including taking statements of any necessary witnesses;
- Preparing your application and submitting it on your behalf.
- Attendance at a Home Office interview: if the Home Office ask you to attend an interview, we will give you clear advice (and discuss the possibility of us attending with you) at the appropriate time.
- Giving you advice about the outcome of the application and any further steps you need to take.
The actual amount of time taken depends on the number of documents, whether they need to be translated, whether anything is missing and how long it will take to obtain the missing documents Disbursements (not included in costs set out above):
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as visa fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
- Interpreter’s fees.
- Independent expert reports.
- If there is an interview and we do attend with you, there will be additional disbursements in respect of our mileage/travel expenses.
The costs quoted here do not include:
- Any Home Office fees for making the application. You will pay this to the Home Office directly as part of the application process.
- Where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to any appeal.
How long will my application take?
We cannot guarantee how long the Home Office will take to process your application. Read the current processing times.
We will normally be able to submit this type of application within 2-3 weeks of you instructing us, but we will let you know at the earliest opportunity if it is likely to take longer than this.
Please note the anticipated number of hours and fees are an estimate based on the facts above. All applications are likely to vary and of course, we can give you a more accurate estimate once we have more information about your specific case.
The individuals who may carry out the work include:
| Name: | Position: | Hourly Rate excluding VAT (£): | Date qualified as a solicitor or other status: |
| Graham Young | Member Partner | £375 | 01/11/85 |
| Rebecca Gowing | Partner | £350 | 01/04/11 |
| Paralegal/Trainee Solicitor | £195 | n/a |
References to “VAT” is to Value Added Tax at the standard rate which is currently 20%. Disbursements may also be subject to VAT.
For further information on any member of our team please visit our Team page.
Freehold Residential Property Purchase
Our fees cover all of the work* required to complete the purchase of your new home, including registration of the property at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty) if the property is in England, or Land Transaction Tax (Land Tax) if the property you wish to buy is in Wales.
| Property Value | Approximate Legal Fees (exclusive of VAT) |
| £0-£749,999 | Minimum £1,750 |
| £750,000-£2,500,000 | Between £2,500 and £4,500 |
| £2,500,000 plus | Minimum 0.2% of purchase price |
*These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above depending on the complexity of the transaction. We can give you a more accurate figure once we have sight of your detailed particulars of the matter.
Conveyancer’s Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. Typical disbursements are as follows:
Search fee
We process local authority, environmental, planning, drainage & water and chancel searches for all property purchases. The fees vary for these depending on location but the total is often in the region of £300-500 inclusive of VAT.
Stamp Duty or Land Tax (on purchase)
This depends on the purchase price of your property. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC’s website or if the property is located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority’s website here.
HM Land Registry Fee
The HM Land Registry fee is based upon the value of the property. Further information can be found here on the Land Registry’s Fees List.
Electronic Money Transfer Fee
When the purchase monies are remitted to the seller’s solicitor, it is sent via a same day transfer service to the seller’s solicitor’s bank. For this service, the fee chargeable is £17 + VAT.
How long will my house purchase take?
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 6-8 weeks.
It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. As well as any complications that may arise.
Stages of the process
The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, the following are key steps that are likely to occur:
- Take your instructions and give you initial advice
- Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender’s solicitors 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 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
Factors which may increase cost:
Should you require an expedited exchange of contracts within 15 working days there would be an additional fee of £300.00 plus VAT to reflect the extra work involved in order to try and achieve this. If your matter requires a large amount of email or telephone correspondence we may also be required to increase our fees.
The following will also attract additional fees and estimate of which is given below:
- Rent Deposit Deed – £200 plus VAT.
- Licence to Assign – £250 plus VAT.
- Exclusivity Agreement – £500 plus VAT.
- Deed of Covenant – £350 plus VAT.
- Declaration of Trust – £350 plus VAT.
- Deed of Variation £350 plus VAT.
The individuals who may carry out this work include:
| Name: | Position: | Hourly Rate excluding VAT (£): | Date qualified as a solicitor or other status: |
| Tom Marshall | Member Partner | £375 | 15/11/06 |
| David Williams | Senior Solicitor and Head of Residential Property | £350 | 18/04/95 |
| Rebecca Gowing | Partner | £350 | 01/04/11 |
| Trainee Solicitor | £195 | Trainee Solicitor |
References to “VAT” is to Value Added Tax at the standard rate which is currently 20%. Disbursements may also be subject to VAT.
For further information on any member of our team please visit our Team page.
Freehold Residential Property Sale
Our fees cover all of the work* required to complete the Sale of your home.
| Property Value | Approximate Legal Fees (exclusive of VAT) |
| £0-£749,999 | Minimum £1,750 |
| £750,000-£2,500,000 | Between £2,500 and £4,500 |
| £2,500,000 plus | Minimum 0.2% of sale price plus VAT |
*These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above depending on the complexity of the transaction. We can give you a more accurate figure once we have sight of your detailed particulars of the matter.
Conveyancer’s Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. Typical disbursements involved with the sale of your property will include as an example, obtaining title deeds and official copies for the property this may cost in the region of £7-£30.
If you are selling through an estate agent, the agent will require a fee to be paid upon completion of the sale. This fee is usually a percentage of the sale price, although this may vary.
How long will my property sale take?
How long it will take from acceptance of an offer to competition depends on several factors. The average process takes between 6-8 weeks.
It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. As well as any complications that may arise.
Stages of the process
The precise stages involved in the sale of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, the following are key steps that are likely to occur:
- Take your instructions and give you initial advice.
- Completion of a fittings and contents form and property information form(s).
- Obtain title deeds and official copies of title, as well as details of any amount outstanding on any existing mortgage.
- Preparation of draft contract and supporting contractual documentation to send to Buyer’s solicitors.
- Answer of all pre-contract enquiries.
- Send final contract to you for signature.
- Agree completion date.
- Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened.
- Check the transfer deed and send to yourself for signature if applicable.
- Preparation of a completion/financial statement.
- Complete sale – to include payments of all fees and disbursements.
Factors which may increase cost:
Should you require an expedited exchange of contracts within 15 working days there would be an additional fee of £300.00 plus VAT to reflect the extra work involved in order to try and achieve this. If your matter requires a large amount of email or telephone correspondence we may also be required to increase our fees.
The following will also attract additional fees and estimate of which is given below:
- Rent Deposit Deed – £200 plus VAT.
- Licence to Assign – £250 plus VAT.
- Exclusivity Agreement – £500 plus VAT.
- Deed of Covenant – £350 plus VAT.
- Declaration of Trust – £350 plus VAT.
- Deed of Variation £350 plus VAT.
The individuals who may carry out this work include:
| Name: | Position: | Hourly Rate excluding VAT (£): | Date qualified as a solicitor or other status: |
| Tom Marshall | Member Partner | £375 | 15/11/06 |
| David Williams | Senior Solicitor and Head of Residential Property | £350 | 18/04/95 |
| Rebecca Gowing | Partner | £350 | 01/04/11 |
| Trainee Solicitor | £195 | Trainee Solicitor |
References to “VAT” is to Value Added Tax at the standard rate which is currently 20%. Disbursements may also be subject to VAT.
For further information on any member of our team please visit our Team page.
Leasehold Residential Property Purchase
Our fees cover all the work* required to complete the purchase of your new home, including registration of the property at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty) if the property is in England, or Land Transaction Tax (Land Tax) if the property is in Wales.
| Property Value | Approximate Legal Fees (exclusive of VAT) |
| £0-£749,999 | Minimum £2,000 |
| £750,000-£2,500,000 | Between £2,750 and £4,750 |
| £2,500,000 plus | Minimum 0.25% of sale price |
*These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above depending on the complexity of the transaction. We can give you a more accurate figure once we have detailed particulars of the matter.
Conveyancer’s Disbursements:
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. Typical disbursements are as follows:
Search fee
We process local authority, environmental, planning, drainage & water and chancel searches for all property purchases. The fees vary for these depending on location but the total is often in the region of £300-500 inclusive of VAT.
Stamp Duty or Land Tax (on purchase)
This depends on the purchase price of your property. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC’s website or if the property is located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority’s website here.
HM Land Registry Fee
The HM Land Registry fee is based upon the value of the property. Further information can be found here on the Land Registry’s Fees List.
Electronic Money Transfer Fee
When the purchase monies are remitted to the seller’s solicitor, it is sent via a same day transfer service to the seller’s solicitor’s bank. For this service, the fee chargeable is £17 + VAT.
Anticipated Disbursements:
Notice of Transfer Fee
This fee, if chargeable, is set out in the lease
Notice of Charge Fee (if the property is to be mortgaged)
This fee is set out in the lease.
Certificate of Compliance fee
To be confirmed upon receipt of the lease.
You should also be aware that ground rent and service charge are likely to apply throughout your ownership of the property. We will confirm the ground rent and the anticipated service charge as soon as this we receive this information.
How long will my house purchase take?
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 6-8 weeks.
It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. As well as any complications that may arise.
Stages of the process
The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, the following are key steps that are likely to occur:
- Take your instructions and give you initial advice
- Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender’s solicitors 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 conditions of mortgage offer
- Send final contract to you for signature
- Draft Transfer
- Advise you on joint ownership
- Obtain pre-completion searches
- 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
Factors which may increase cost:
Should you require an expedited exchange of contracts within 15 working days there would be an additional fee of £300.00 plus VAT to reflect the extra work involved in order to try and achieve this. If your matter requires a large amount of email or telephone correspondence we may also be required to increase our fees.
The following will also attract additional fees and estimate of which is given below:
- Rent Deposit Deed – £200 plus VAT.
- Licence to Assign – £250 plus VAT.
- Exclusivity Agreement – £500 plus VAT.
- Deed of Covenant – £350 plus VAT.
- Declaration of Trust – £350 plus VAT.
- Deed of Variation £350 plus VAT.
The individuals who may carry out this work include:
| Name: | Position: | Hourly Rate excluding VAT (£): | Date qualified as a solicitor or other status: |
| Tom Marshall | Member Partner | £375 | 15/11/06 |
| David Williams | Senior solicitor and Head of Residential Property | £350 | 18/04/95 |
| Rebecca Gowing | Partner | £350 | 01/04/11 |
| Trainee Solicitor | £195 | Trainee Solicitor |
References to “VAT” is to Value Added Tax at the standard rate which is currently 20%. Disbursements may also be subject to VAT.
For further information on any member of our team please visit our Team page.
Leasehold Residential Property Sale
Our fees cover all of the work* required to complete the Sale of your home.
| Property Value | Approximate Legal Fees (exclusive of VAT) |
| £0-£749,999 | Minimum £2,000 |
| £750,000-£2,500,000 | Between £2,750 and £4,750 |
| £2,500,000 plus | Minimum 0.25% of sale price |
*These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above depending on the complexity of the transaction. We can give you a more accurate figure once we have sight of your detailed particulars of the matter.
Conveyancer’s Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. Typical disbursements involved with the sale of your property will include as an example, obtaining title deeds and official copies for the property this may cost in the region of £7-£30.
If you are selling through an estate agent, the agent will require a fee to be paid on completion of the sale. The fee is usually a percentage of the sale price although this may vary
It is also likely that a management pack will need be obtained from the Landlord or management company. This may cost between £200-£400.
(If applicable there may be additional disbursements and associated costs payable to the Landlords solicitors in relation to a licence to assign)
How long will my property sale take?
How long it will take from acceptance of an offer to competition depends on several factors. The average process takes between 6-8 weeks.
It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. As well as any complications that may arise.
Stages of the process
The precise stages involved in the sale of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, the following are key steps that are likely to occur:
- Take your instructions and give you initial advice.
- Completion of a fittings and contents form and property information form(s).
- Obtain title deeds and official copies of title, as well as details of any amount outstanding on any existing mortgage (which may include an early redemption fee).
- Preparation of draft contract and supporting contractual documentation to send to Buyer’s solicitors.
- Answer of all pre-contract enquiries.
- Send final contract to you for signature.
- Agree completion date.
- Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened.
- Check the transfer deed and send to yourself for signature if applicable.
- Preparation of completion/financial statement.
- Complete sale – to include payment of all fees and disbursements.
Factors which may increase cost:
Should you require an expedited exchange of contracts within 15 working days there would be an additional fee of £300.00 plus VAT to reflect the extra work involved in order to try and achieve this. If your matter requires a large amount of email or telephone correspondence we may also be required to increase our fees.
The following will also attract additional fees and estimate of which is given below:
- Rent Deposit Deed – £200 plus VAT.
- Licence to Assign – £250 plus VAT.
- Exclusivity Agreement – £500 plus VAT.
- Deed of Covenant – £350 plus VAT.
- Declaration of Trust – £350 plus VAT.
- Deed of Variation £350 plus VAT.
The individuals who may carry out this work include:
| Name: | Position: | Hourly Rate excluding VAT (£): | Date qualified as a solicitor or other status: |
| Tom Marshall | Member Partner | £375 | 15/11/06 |
| David Williams | Senior Solicitor and Head of Residential Property | £350 | 18/04/95 |
| Rebecca Gowing | Partner | £350 | 01/04/11 |
| Trainee Solicitor | £195 | Trainee Solicitor |
References to “VAT” is to Value Added Tax at the standard rate which is currently 20%. Disbursements may also be subject to VAT.
For further information on any member of our team please visit our Team page.
