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FEES
The current standard rate of VAT is 20%. This applies to all our professional fees below.
LITIGATION
Where we are unable to offer you a fixed price for the work you wish us to carry out, we will tell you the hourly rate of everyone likely to work on your behalf and share a transparent estimate of the likely overall cost at the outset of the matter. Our hourly charges vary between different levels of our staff on the basis of their qualifications and experience.
It is only possible to give an estimate of our charges once we have spoken with you and understood the precise nature and scope of work you would like Silvine Law to carry out on your behalf, however for illustration purposes the basic hourly rates which apply to most types of work we undertake on the basis of charging by time are outlined below. Please note, however, we reserve the right to revise these rates to fairly reflect the complexity, value or urgency of the matter in hand, and our resources to accept your instructions, but any upward revision will be brought to your attention immediately, prior to accepting your instructions.
Our fees are based on the amount of time we spend on a case. Our charges are as follows:
| Partners, Solicitors and Litigation Executives (or equivalent) with over eight years’ experience | £350 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Solicitors, Litigation Executives and Legal Executives (or equivalent) with over four years’ experience | £250 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Solicitors, Litigation Executives and Legal Executives (or equivalent) with less than four years’ experience | £200 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Trainee solicitors, Paralegals and any other individuals | £150 plus VAT (per hour) |
These rates apply to all work we undertake for businesses, including debt collection and defending employment tribunal claims, and to some work we undertake for individuals including probate and employment tribunal claims. We will estimate the likely total cost of your matter once you have provided us with enough information to ascertain how many hours we are likely to spend on it, and we will keep our estimate under regular review to ensure the most cost-effective solution for your needs.
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONVEYANCING PRICING INFORMATION
| Our Legal Fees plus VAT on all fees | ||||
| Residential Purchase Price | Freehold | Leasehold | Reporting to a panelled lender | Reporting to separate lender solicitors |
| Up to £249,999.00 | £1,650.00 | £1,750.00 | £450.00 | £600.00 |
| £250,000.00 – £499,999.00 | £1,950.00 | £2,050.00 | £450.00 | £750.00 |
| £500,000.00 – £749,000.00 | £2,250.00 | £2,350.00 | £500.00 | £800.00 |
| £750,000.00 – £999,999.00 | £2,500.00 | £2,650.00 | £500.00 | £900.00 |
| Above £1,000,000.00 | 0.5% of Purchase Price | 0.5% of Purchase Price | £600.00 | £1,000.00 |
| Additional Legal Fees plus VAT | |
| Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) Form Fee | £150.00 |
| AP1 Form Fee | £150.00 |
| International Source of Funds Checks Fee | £750.00 |
| New Builds Fee | £1,250.00 |
| International Anti-Money Laundering Check Fee | £80.00 |
| UK Resident Anti-Money Laundering Check Fee | £50.00 |
| Gifted Deposit Declaration | £170.00 |
| Occupier’s Consent | £60.00 |
| Service Charge Retention – Post Completion | £150.00 |
| Discharging Additional Charge (Per Charge) | £250.00 |
| Drafting and Lodging Deed of Covenant | £275.00 |
| Obtaining Indemnity Insurance | £70.00 |
| Transfer of Share Certificate | £90.00 |
| Unregistered Land | £350.00 |
| Accelerated Completion (less than five working days) | £700.00 |
| Dealing with Third Party Lenders | £650.00 |
| Lawyer Checker Fee | £20.00 |
| Telegraphic Transfer Fees (Per Transaction) | £50.00 |
| Disbursements | |
| Searches (Estimated) | £600 |
| Onboarding ID Check Fee (eCOS) | £14.40 |
| Company Search | £20.00 |
| Bankruptcy Search (per name) | £8.80 |
| HMLR Official Copies | £8.80 |
| OS Priority Search | £8.80 |
| SDLT e-Filing Fee | £8.00 |
| AP1 e-Filing Fee | £8.00 |
| Unilateral Notice | £20.00 |
| DocuSign Fee | £2.40 |
| Additional Transactions plus VAT | |
| Remortgage of Residential Property | £900.00 |
| Remortgage of Commercial Property | £1,100.00 |
| Transfer of the equity in a property with no mortgage | £900.00 |
| Transfer of the equity in a property with an existing mortgage | £1,100.00 |
| Transfer of the equity in a property with a re-mortgage | £1,100.00 |
| Auction Purchase | £2,000.00 |
| Our Legal Fees plus VAT on all fees | ||
| Residential Sale Price | Freehold | Leasehold |
| Up to £249,999.00 | £1,650.00 | £1,750.00 |
| £250,000.00 – £499,999.00 | £1,950.00 | £2,050.00 |
| £500,000.00 – £749,000.00 | £2,250.00 | £2,350.00 |
| £750,000.00 – £999,999.00 | £2,500.00 | £2,650.00 |
| Above £1,000,000.00 | 0.5% of Sale Price | 0.5% of Sale Price |
| Additional Legal Fees plus VAT | |
| Redemption of Charge | £250.00 |
| International Anti-Money Laundering Check Fee | £80.00 |
| UK Resident Anti-Money Laundering Check Fee | £50.00 |
| Service Charge Retention – Post Completion | £150.00 |
| Discharging Additional Charge (Per Charge) | £250.00 |
| Transfer of Share Certificate | £90.00 |
| Unregistered Land | £350.00 |
| Accelerated Completion (less than five working days) | £700.00 |
| Dealing with Third Party Lenders | £650.00 |
| Lawyer Checker Fee | £20.00 |
| Telegraphic Transfer Fees (Per Transaction) | £50.00 |
| Disbursements | |
| Onboarding ID Check Fee (eCOS) | £14.40 |
| Bankruptcy Search (per name) | £8.80 |
| HMLR Official Copies | £8.80 |
| Leasehold management Pack (Estimated) | £500.00 |
| DocuSign Fee | £2.40 |
| Our Legal Fees plus VAT on all fees | |
| Commercial Purchase/Sale Price | Freehold |
| Up to £249,999.00 | £2,000 |
| £250,000.00 – £499,999.00 | £2,350 |
| £500,000.00 – £749,000.00 | £3,000 |
| £750,000.00 – £999,999.00 | £4,250 |
| Above £1,000,000.00 | 0.5% of Purchase Price |
| Additional Commercial Transactions plus VAT | |
| New Lease | £2,000.00 |
| Assignment of Lease | £1,800.00 |
| Licence to Assign | £1,750.00 |
| Rent Deposit Deed | £1,000.00 |
| Deed of Variation | £1,000.00 |
| Lease Report | £800.00 |
| Deed of Surrender | £1,500.00 |
IMMIGRATION
What costs could I be looking at?
Legal services in relation to sponsor licences
| Transaction Name | Fees Estimate | Description |
| Sponsor Licence Application | £4,000 – £5,000 | Application for a new sponsor licence for an organisation. Our specific fee depends on the type of sponsor licence application. |
| Compliance Check (Basic) | £500 | This check is limited to providing advice on the Sponsor Licence user portal, and information appears on the Licence Summary. |
| Compliance Check (Comprehensive) | £2,000 – £3,000 | This service may be required for organisations that would like us to check if they comply with the duties imposed on them under their Sponsor Licence. It includes checking duties towards employees and all documents related to the sponsor licence, employees, and organisation policies. |
| Additional UCoS Allocation Application | £1,000 | This service is required if the organisation would like to issue a CoS to a worker who is looking to make an application within the UK. |
| Annual UCoS Allocation Renewal Application | £1,000 | This service is required for renewing the existing UCoS allocation of the organisation. |
| Additional DCoS Application | £300 or £1,000 | If a worker will be employed from abroad, an additional DCoS application will be required. We charge £300 for simple applications. If the Home Office requests additional information, we will need to charge further £700 to assist. |
| Adding/Replacing/Changing Authorising Officer/Key Contact/Level 1 User | £300 | If the Authorising Officer or key Contact or Level 1 User needs to be appointed, replaced or changed, we will recommend this service. |
| Adding a Representative | £300 | We recommend adding a member of our firm as the representative of the organisations we act for. |
| Adding/Removing/Changing a New Branch | £500 | If the organisation needs to add a new branch to its sponsor licence, this service will be required. This fee is required for each new branch |
| Amending Organisation Details | £500 | Each change that is required to be made under the “Amend your organisation details” will be charged this fee. |
| Requesting any other changes to the Sponsor Licence Details | £500 | Applicable to each change |
| Updating Worker Details and Status | £300 | Applicable to each change in the workers’ circumstances |
| Priority Application | £500 | We charge an additional fee for each application if the application is urgent. |
Worker and Temporary Worker Visa Categories
(including Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Charity Worker, Creative Worker, Religious Worker, Seasonal Worker, International Sportsperson, Minister of Religion)
| Visa Type | Fees Estimate | Description |
| First Time Visa Application | £2,500 | This fee is applicable to all worker visa applications that are made inside and outside the UK, and for applicants who switch from another type of visa in the UK. |
| Change of Employer Application | £2,250 | If the applicant changes employers, they need to update their visa each time. |
| Visa Extension with the Same Employer Application | £1,750 | This is applicable to workers who extend their visa with the same employer. |
| Dependant Adult and Dependant Child First Time Applications (each) | £1,500 or £1,250 | This fee is applicable to all dependant visa applications that are made inside and outside the UK, and for the dependants of the applicants who switch from another type of visa in the UK. We charge less if the applications are made at the same time as the main applicant. |
| Dependant Adult and Dependant Child Visa Extension Applications (each) | £1,250 or £1,000 | We charge less if the applications are made at the same time as the main applicant. |
| Priority Application | £500 | We charge an additional fee for each application if the application is urgent. |
Other Specialist Work Worker Visa Categories
(including Global Talent, Innovator Founder, Scale-up Worker)
| Visa Type | Fees Estimate | Description |
| First Time Visa Application | £4,000 | This fee is applicable to all worker visa applications that are made inside and outside the UK, and for applicants who switch from another type of visa in the UK. |
| Visa Extension | £2,500 | This is applicable to workers who extend their visa under the same route. |
| Dependant Adult and Dependant Child First Time Applications (each) | £2,000 or £1,500 | This fee is applicable to all dependant visa applications that are made inside and outside the UK, and for the dependants of the applicants who switch from another type of visa in the UK. We charge less if the applications are made at the same time as the main applicant. |
| Dependant Adult and Dependant Child Visa Extension Applications (each) | £1,500 or £1,250 | We charge less if the applications are made at the same time as the main applicant. |
| Priority Application | £500 | We charge an additional fee for each application if the application is urgent. |
Family Visa Categories
(including Partner/Spouse, Parent, Child, Family Member of a person with a Visa and Adult Dependant Relative)
These visa applications are required for those who want to join or remain with family members in the UK.
| Visa Type | Fees Estimate | Description |
| First Time Visa Application | £3,000 | This fee is applicable to all worker visa applications that are made inside and outside the UK, and for applicants who switch from another type of visa in the UK. |
| Visa Extension Application | £1,750 | This fee is applicable to clients who extend their visa. |
| Dependant Adult and Dependant Child First Time Applications (each) | £2,000 or £1,750 | This fee is applicable to all dependant visa applications that are made inside and outside the UK, and for the dependants of the applicants who switch from another type of visa in the UK. We charge less if the applications are made at the same time as the main applicant. |
| Dependant Adult and Dependant Child Visa Extension Applications (each) | £1,250 or £1,000 | We charge less if the applications are made at the same time as the main applicant. |
| Priority Application | £500 | We charge an additional fee for each application if the application is urgent. |
Other Visa Categories
(including Student, Graduate, Child Student, Parent of a Child Student, Short-Term Study, Marriage Visitor, Standard Visitor, Transit)
| Visa Type | Fees Estimate | Description |
| First Time Visa Application | £1,500 | This fee is applicable to all worker visa applications that are made inside and outside the UK, and for applicants who switch from another type of visa in the UK. |
| Visa Extension Application | £1,000 | This fee is applicable to clients who extend their visa. |
| Dependant Adult and Dependant Child First Time Applications (each) | £1,250 or £1,000 | This fee is applicable to all dependant visa applications that are made inside and outside the UK, and for the dependants of the applicants who switch from another type of visa in the UK. We charge less if the applications are made at the same time as the main applicant. |
| Dependant Adult and Dependant Child Visa Extension Applications (each) | £1,000 or £750 | We charge less if the applications are made at the same time as the main applicant. |
| Priority Application | £500 | We charge an additional fee for each application if the application is urgent. |
Permanent Residence and Citizenship Categories
(These fees are applicable to each family member)
| Visa Type | Fees Estimate | Description |
| Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) | £2,000 – £3,000 | In order to determine the applicable fee, we need to identify your qualifying visa route and residence in the UK. |
| British National (Overseas) | £1,750 | For eligible Hong Kong residents. |
| UK Ancestry Visa | £1,750 | For Commonwealth citizens with a UK-born grandparent. |
| EU Settlement Scheme | £1,750 | Applicable to both Pre-Settled Status and Settled Status applications. |
| British Citizenship | £2,000 – £3,000 | In order to determine the applicable fee, we need to identify your qualifying visa route and residence in the UK. |
| Priority Application | £500 | We charge an additional fee for each application if the application is urgent. |
The fees above do not include VAT. VAT (at 20%) may be applicable depending on your circumstances and residency status. We will inform you of this at the time of your instructions.
What would this include, and are there any hourly rates applicable?
Fixed fees are charged and agreed upon before any work is carried out and will be set depending on the complexities/merits of each individual case. In the event that work is started and not completed, an hourly rate of the fee earner involved will be charged.
Our hourly rates are below:
| Partners, Solicitors and Litigation Executives (or equivalent) with over eight years’ experience | £350 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Solicitors, Litigation Executives and Legal Executives (or equivalent) with over four years’ experience | £250 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Solicitors, Litigation Executives and Legal Executives (or equivalent) with less than four years’ experience | £200 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Trainee solicitors, Paralegals and any other individuals | £150 plus VAT (per hour) |
Who would carry out the work, and what level of experience and qualifications do they have?
Your matter will be handled by a qualified solicitor who may receive assistance from paralegals within our department. The profiles of our team members may be accessed through the links on this page.
What sort of disbursements would I need to pay for, and what would the likely cost of these be, and do they include VAT?
All legal fees attract VAT. Some clients based outside the UK may not be required to pay VAT, and we will explain this before taking instructions.
Disbursements do not incur VAT. Typical disbursements are government application fees for the visa/sponsor license; Immigration Health Surcharge fees, and any additional visa services that may be required, which vary depending on where the applicants are applying from and what visa they are applying for (priority service fee, walk-in service fee, etc.). Before any work is carried out, a full list of the likely disbursements on an individual matter will be sent to you in our Client Care Letter.
What services are included in the price and likely timescales for key stages?
For all applications, our services include advice on all documentation required for submission, representation by way of a covering letter detailing the legal reasons why the application is valid, assistance with completing application forms, and providing advice should there be any need for an interview/site visit during the visa process.
We cannot guarantee the success of the application in circumstances where a site visit/interview is conducted, as this is out of our control. Our service ends once a valid application is submitted and does not include any possible Administrative Review or Judicial Review that may be required in certain circumstances. Timescales depend on the individual application and the workload of the Home Office caseworkers.
On average, 90% of applications for British Citizenship and permanent residence are dealt with within 6 months.
For visa applications from outside of the UK, 90% of applications are dealt with within 8 weeks, with the exception of settlement applications to join family in the UK, which take up to 12 weeks for 90% of applications.
PROBATE
What costs could I be looking at?
Probate
| Probate Value | Our Professional Fees plus VAT (at 20%) |
| Small Estates under £5,000 | £950 |
| Estates under the Nil Rate Band (£325,000) | £2,750 |
| Estates over the Nil Rate Band | 3% of the value of the Gross Estate calculated at our hourly rate or agreed fee. |
Wills
| Wills | Our Professional Fees plus VAT (at 20%) |
| Simple Wills | £300 |
| Lasting Power of Attorneys (LPAs) – each | £1,000 |
| Deed of Trust (if part of a Transaction) | £500 |
| Deed of Trust (if standalone) | Our hourly rate applies. |
If the matter progresses beyond our retainer, our hourly rates below will apply.
Our hourly rates are below:
| Partners, Solicitors and Litigation Executives (or equivalent) with over eight years’ experience | £350 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Solicitors, Litigation Executives and Legal Executives (or equivalent) with over four years’ experience | £250 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Solicitors, Litigation Executives and Legal Executives (or equivalent) with less than four years’ experience | £200 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Trainee solicitors, Paralegals and any other individuals | £150 plus VAT (per hour) |
Disbursements (no VAT)
Disbursements that are typically incurred include the following:
| Disbursements | Fee |
| Probate Application Fee | £273 |
| Grant of Probate (per copy) | £1.50 |
| Swearing of the Oath (per executor) | £5.00 |
| Post in The London Gazette (to protect against unexpected claims) | £73.80 |
| Post in a Local Newspaper (to protect against unexpected claims) | £150.00 (estimated) |
Potential additional costs
If there is no will or the estate consists of any shareholdings there is likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with.
Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included. Our fees for this can be found under our conveyancing fees.
What does the process involve?
As part of our fixed fee, we will:
How long will it take?
On applying for the grant, collecting and distributing the assets, we anticipate this will take between 10 – 30 hours work at our hourly rate listed above. Total costs are thus estimated at £4,000 – £12,000 (plus VAT at 20%).
On average, estates are dealt with within 3 – 9 months depending on the complexity. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 3 – 6 months. Asset collection then follows, which can take up to a year. Once this has been done, distribution of assets can normally take between another 3 – 6 months.
We can help you through this difficult process by obtaining the Grant of Probate. Should you wish to instruct us on distribution of assets please let us know.
DEBT RECOVERY
These costs will apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice which is not disputed, and enforcement action is not needed.
Court Fee:
| Debt Value | Disbursement: Court Fee (no VAT) |
| Up to £5,000 | Scale from £35 – £205 |
| £5,000.01 – £10,000 | £455 |
| £10,000.01 – £200,000 | 5% of the claim |
| More than £200,000 | £10,000 |
If the other party disputes your claim at any point, we will need to discuss what further work is required and provide you with revised costs if necessary. Our hourly rate applies for all files. Please see our hourly rates below. Please note our fees are not inclusive of Counsel fees, which may be an additional cost for you.
Our hourly rates:
| Partners, Solicitors and Litigation Executives (or equivalent) with over eight years’ experience | £350 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Solicitors, Litigation Executives and Legal Executives (or equivalent) with over four years’ experience | £250 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Solicitors, Litigation Executives and Legal Executives (or equivalent) with less than four years’ experience | £200 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Trainee solicitors, Paralegals and any other individuals | £150 plus VAT (per hour) |
On average, this type of work takes between 10–50 hours to complete. This means that on average, costs are between £1,500 – £17,500 (plus VAT at 20%), depending on the solicitor and staff dealing with your case. A clear breakdown will always be given on our client care letter to you.
Should you wish to proceed with a claim, please note the following:
Our fee includes:
Matters usually take 4–6 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.
If a claim is issued this can take 4 – 8 months depending on the date of the hearing. This is on the basis that the other side pays promptly on receipt of Judgement in default. If enforcement action is needed, the matter will take longer to resolve.
EMPLOYMENT WORK
Our pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal:
| Type of Case | Our Professional Fees (plus VAT at 20%) |
| Simple Case | £2,000 – £5,000 |
| Medium Complexity Case | £5,001 – £7,500 |
| High Complexity Case | £7,501 – £25,000 |
We charge based on an hourly rate which will vary depending on the member of staff dealing with your matter. The seniority of the members of staff dealing with your case will depend on its complexity. We will discuss this with you when you instruct us.
Our hourly rates:
| Partners, Solicitors and Litigation Executives (or equivalent) with over eight years’ experience | £350 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Solicitors, Litigation Executives and Legal Executives (or equivalent) with over four years’ experience | £250 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Solicitors, Litigation Executives and Legal Executives (or equivalent) with less than four years’ experience | £200 plus VAT (per hour) |
| Trainee solicitors, Paralegals and any other individuals | £150 plus VAT (per hour) |
What factors will affect my 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 vary, but are estimated between £750 – £1,500 per day excluding VAT, charged at 20% for attending a Tribunal Hearing. Their fees will depend on the experience of the advocate.
What are the key stages of the process?
The fees set out above cover all the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:
The stages set out above are an indication and if some of the 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 depending 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 8 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 24 weeks.
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.
Employment Fixed Fees – disbursements are added onto fees below where relevant
| Service | Fees plus VAT at 20% |
| Advisory Services: Review | £500 (estimated) |
| Advisory Services: Drafting | £2,000 |
| Employment Contract Review | £250 |
| Employment Contract Drafting | £500 |
| Drafting and negotiating compromise agreements | £750 |
| Advice on prospects of success and any ACAS conciliation representation | £500 |
| Drafting and submitting claim | £500 |
| Interviewing witnesses, preparing hearing bundle | £1,000 |
| Representations at Preliminary Hearing | £750 |
| Representation at Substantive Hearing | £1,200 |
| Fixed fee estimate of running a Tribunal claim in full, from lodging claim to full merit hearing: | |
| • 1 day hearing – running the entire case | £7,500 |
| • 2-day hearing – running the entire case | £10,000 |
| • 3-day hearing – running the entire case | £15,000 |
*Estimate includes cost of representation at a merit hearing only. Remedy hearing involves an additional £750 plus VAT per day.
Silvine Law is a trading name of Silvine Solicitors Limited. Registered in England and Wales (Company No. 10659454).
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