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Milburns Solicitors Limited

Milburns Solicitors is the trading name of Milburns Solicitors Limited a company incorporated and registered in England and Wales with company number 8759066 whose registered office is at 21-23 Oxford Street, Workington, Cumbria CA14 2AL.   Our VAT number is 256 6811 40.

  

The Legal Ombudsman

We want to give you the best possible service.  However, if at any point you become unhappy with the service we have provided to you or you have concerns about your bill then you should inform us immediately so that we can do our best to resolve the problem for you.
We have a procedure in place which details how we handle complaints which is available from our Business Manager, Louise Storr, at our Workington Office.  We have eight weeks to consider your complaint. If we are unable to help you, then you can have the complaint independently looked at by the Legal Ombudsman.
The Legal Ombudsman can investigate complaints up to six years from the date of the problem happening or within three years of when you found out about the problem. If you wish to refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman this must be done within six months of our final response to your complaint. If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman their contact details are as follows:

Visit www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Call 0300 555 0333 between 8.30am to 5.30pm.
Calls to 03 numbers will cost no more than calls to national geographic numbers (starting 01or 02) from both mobiles and landlines.
Calls are recorded and may be used for training and monitoring purposes.
For minicom call 0300 555 1777
Email enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6806,
Wolverhampton,
WV1 9WJ

Do not send original documents to the Legal Ombudsman. They will scan any documents you send to them to make computer copies and then destroy the originals.

 

 

• SRA Code of Conduct - Milburns Solicitors follow the SRA Code of Conduct - please follow this link to read the full Code of Conduct.  Please visit the SRA website at www.sra.org.uk for further information on reporting an individual or firm in relation to a conduct matter. 
•  Professional Indemnity Insurance - we have Professional Indemnity Insurance cover with a AAA rated insurance company to a value of £6 million per claim.
•  GDPR and Privacy Notice - please view our news article from 20 July 2018 for further information. 
  

 

 

Our Prices

 

Purchase of residential property

Our fees cover all work (*) required to complete the purchase of a residential property including dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty)

Every conveyancing transaction is unique.  Our prices depend on the value of the property based on the following table:-

Up to £70,000                     £595 plus                     £119 vat            total £714

Up to £80,000                     £615 plus                     £123 vat            total £738

Up to £90,000                     £640 plus                     £128 vat            total £768

Up to £100,000                  £670 plus                      £134 vat            total £804

Up to £110,000                  £700 plus                      £140 vat            total £840

Up to £120,000                  £730 plus                      £146 vat            total £876

Up to £130,000                  £760 plus                      £152 vat            total £912

Up to £140,000                  £790 plus                      £158 vat            total £948

Up to £170,000                  £825 plus                      £165 vat            total £990

Up to £200,000                  £850 plus                      £170 vat            total £1020

Up to £250,000                  £935 plus                      £187 vat            total £1122

Up to £300,000                  £1,075 plus                   £215 vat            total £1290

Up to £350,000                  £1,220 plus                   £244 vat            total £1464

Up to £400,000                 £1,390 plus                   £278 vat             total £1668

Up to £500,000                  £1,500 plus                  £300 vat             total £1800

£500,000 and above        0.3% of the value of the property plus vat

Milburns charge an electronic money transfer fee of £20 plus £4 VAT for the cost of sending the purchase monies to the sellers solicitors on completion.

There may be extra charges depending on the precise circumstances of the property such as:-

•              if the property is Leasehold there will be an extra £750 plus £150 vat (with a minimum fee for our legal fees of £1,500 plus £300 vat)

•              purchase of a new build property there will be an extra £750 plus £150 vat (with a minimum fee for our legal fees of £1,500 plus £300 vat)

•              purchase of property with the assistance of a Help-to-Buy Equity Loan £200 plus £40 vat

•              Help-to-Buy ISA £50 plus £10  vat (for each ISA)

•              Leasehold solar panels at the property an extra £1000 plus £200 vat 

•              Septic Tank an extra £750 plus £150 vat

•              if more than one person is purchasing a property a Declaration of Trust may be required at a cost of approximately £150 plus £30  vat

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties such as Land Registry fees.  We handle the payment of disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Typical disbursements will include:-

•              Land Registry fees

The registration fee charged by the Land Registry will depend on a number of factors such as whether or not the property you are buying is already registered at the Land Registry the purchase price and whether or not the transaction is a purchase of the whole of an existing Land Registry title or part of a Land Registry title.  Information regarding the fees payable to the Land Registry are available on their website http://landregistry.data.gov.uk/fees-calculator.html 

There will also be a number of land registry searches which usually  cost in the region of £10 plus £2 vat

•              Searches 

The precise searches to be carried out depend on the location of the property.  The usual searches are a:

local search – approximately £68.35 inclusive of vat  

coal mining search (if in a coal mining area) – the cost of this search is typically £39.30 inclusive of vat

a water and drainage search – the cost of this search is  typically £37.20 inclusive of vat

We usually use a third party provider to provide us with Regulated searches rather than applying to the organisation direct.

•              Stamp Duty

This depends on the purchase price of your property and a number of other factors such as whether or not this will be a second property or holiday home.  This sum can be calculated using HMRC’s website - https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/calculate-stamp-duty-land-tax/#/intro 

•              Administrative Fees

We often use an intermediary to streamline the preparation of the Land Registry application and the Stamp Duty paperwork. The cost is £4.80 (inclusive of vat) of the Land Registry application and £4.80 (inclusive of vat) for the Stamp Duty application. We pass these costs to our client.

 

If the property you are buying is Leasehold, there are likely to be further disbursements as follows:-

•              notice of transfer fee – this fee (if chargeable) is often set out in the Lease.  Often the fee is between £20 and £100 plus vat.
•              notice of charge fee (if the property is to be mortgaged) – this fee is often set out in the Lease.  Often the fee is between £20 and £100 plus vat

•              These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above.   We can give you an accurate figure once we have received appropriate information from the sellers solicitor.

•              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 anticipated Service Charge when we receive this information.

How long it will take from your offer being accepted until you own the house will depend on a number of factors.  The average process takes between 6 – 12 weeks.  It can be quicker or slower depending on the parties in the chain.  For example if you are a First Time Buyer with a mortgage in principal and there is no chain it could take 6 weeks.  However if you are buying a Leasehold property that requires an extension or alteration of the Lease, this can take significantly longer often between 6 – 12 months.  In such a situation additional charges would apply.

Typical stages in the transaction are as follows:-

•              Taking your instructions and giving you initial advice

•              Checking finances are in place to fund the purchase

•              Receiving and advising you on contract documents

•              Carrying out searches

•              Obtaining further documentation if required

•              Making any necessary enquiries of the sellers solicitors

•              Giving you advice on documents and information received

•              Taking you through the conditions of your mortgage offer

•              Obtaining your signature on the legal documentation

•              Agreeing a completion date (being the date from which you will own the property)

•              Exchanging contracts and notifying you when this has happened

•              Arranging for all monies needed to be received from the Lender and yourself

•              Completing the purchase

•              Dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty

•              Dealing with registration at the Land Registry

All our conveyancing work is carried out by a team of experienced conveyancers most of whom are Solicitors and Legal Executives who are many years qualified.  Details of our Legal Advisers can be found here.

*Our fee assumes that:-

a)            This is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including for example (but not limited to) a defect in title which requires remedying prior to completion or the preparation of additional documents ancillary to the main transaction

b)            The transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complications arise

c)            All parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation

d)            No indemnity policies are required.  Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity policies are required

Sale of residential property

 

Our fees cover all work (*) required to complete the sale of a residential property.

Every conveyancing transaction is unique.  Our prices depend on the value of the property based on the following table:-

Up to £70,000                     £595 plus                     £119 vat            total £714

Up to £80,000                     £615 plus                     £123 vat            total £738

Up to £90,000                     £640 plus                     £128 vat            total £768

Up to £100,000                  £670 plus                      £134 vat            total £804

Up to £110,000                  £700 plus                      £140 vat            total £840

Up to £120,000                  £730 plus                      £146 vat            total £876

Up to £130,000                  £760 plus                      £152 vat            total £912

Up to £140,000                  £790 plus                      £158 vat            total £948

Up to £170,000                  £825 plus                      £165 vat            total £990

Up to £200,000                  £850 plus                      £170 vat            total £1020

Up to £250,000                  £935 plus                      £187 vat            total £1122

Up to £300,000                  £1,075 plus                   £215 vat            total £1290

Up to £350,000                  £1,220 plus                   £244 vat            total £1464

Up to £400,000                 £1,390 plus                   £278 vat             total £1668

Up to £500,000                  £1,500 plus                  £300 vat             total £1800

£500,000 and above        0.3% of the value of the property plus vat

 

 

Milburns charge an electronic money transfer fee of £20 plus £4 VAT for the cost of sending monies to the mortgage company to pay off a mortgage on completion

There may be extra charges depending on the precise circumstances of the property such as:-

•              if the property is Leasehold there will be an extra £750 plus £150 vat (with a minimum fee for our legal fees of £1,500 plus £300 vat)

•              sale of a property subject to a Help-to-Buy Equity Loan £200 plus £40 vat

•              Leasehold solar panels at the property an extra £1000 plus £200 vat

•              Septic Tank £750 plus £150 vat

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties such as Land Registry fees.  We handle the payment of disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Typical disbursements will include Land Registry fees to obtain up to date title information.  This cost is typically £6 to £20 plus vat depending on the precise circumstances 

How long it will take from an offer being accepted until completion of the sale will depend on a number of factors.  The average process takes between 6 – 12 weeks.  It can be quicker or slower depending on the parties in the chain.  For example if you are selling to a First Time Buyer with a mortgage in principal and there is no chain it could take 6 weeks.  However if there are many parties in the chain it can take substantially longer

 

Typical stages in the transaction are as follows:-

•Taking your instructions 

•Preparing and submitting Contract to the buyers Solicitors 

•Obtaining further documentation if required

•Answering enquiries of the buyers solicitors

•Obtaining your signature on the legal documentation

•Agreeing a completion date 

•Exchanging contracts and notifying you when this has happened

•Completing the sale

•Paying off any mortgage on the property 

•Accounting to you for the net proceeds of sale

All our conveyancing work is carried out by a team of experienced conveyancers most of whom are Solicitors and Legal Executives who are many years qualified.  Details of our Legal Advisers can be found on our website.

*Our fee assumes that:-

a)            This is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including for example (but not limited to) a defect in title which requires remedying prior to completion or the preparation of additional documents ancillary to the main transaction

b)            The transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complications arise

c)            All parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation

d)            No indemnity policies are required.  Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity policies are required

Dealing with the administration of an estate – applying for Grant, collecting in and distributing the assets

Milburns charge fees based on two factors.  Firstly an hourly charging rate depending on the legal adviser carrying out the transaction.  Details of hourly charging rates are set out below.

Directors, Consultants and Solicitors who have been qualified for 8 years or more          £240

Solicitors and Legal Executives who have been qualified for 4 years or more                     £195

Other Solicitors, Legal Executives and Fee Earners of equivalent experience.                    £160

Trainee Solicitors and other Fee Earners of equivalent experience.                                       £122

In addition we charge a fee depending on the value of the estate:-

•0.5% of the value of property and 1% of the value of other assets.  A reducing scale of charges will apply where the value of the estate exceeds the following band limits £1,000,000, £4,000,000, £8,000,000 and £12,000,000

 

Milburns charges will be subject to vat of 20%

 

The number of hours of the legal adviser’s time it takes to administer an estate varies hugely depending on the size and the composition of the estate.  Everyone’s estate is different.  If the estate is small and simple Milburns legal fees could be in the region of £2,000 up to £6,000 plus VAT.  However if the estate is large and complex then legal fees could be in the region of £15,000 to £30,000 plus VAT.  Factors which make the estate complex and the administration more costly are typically:

•There are questions as to the validity of the Will.

•There are multiple properties.

•There are multiple financial institutions involved.

•There are multiple beneficiaries.

•There are disputes between the beneficiaries as to the division of the estate.

•Inheritance Tax is payable.

 •There are claims against the estate.

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.

Likely disbursements in relation to the administration of an estate are as follows:-

•Probate application court fee £273

• Bankruptcy search against the deceased £3.30 inclusive of vat

•Bankruptcy only Land Charges Department searches £3.30 inclusive of vat per beneficiary

•Approximately £95  post in the London Gazette – protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors

•Approximately £150 post in a local newspaper – protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors

 

Potential additional costs –

 If there is no Will or the estate consists of any shareholdings (stocks and bonds) there are likely to be additional costs which could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with.  We can give you a more accurate estimate once we have more information.

If any additional copies of the Grant are required they will cost £1.50 each (usually 1 copy is required for each asset)

Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included

 

 How long will this take?

 On average estates are dealt with within 6 – 12 months.  However if the estate is large and/or complex administration can take much longer.

As part of the fee we will:-

•Provide you with a dedicated and experienced Probate advisor to work on your matter.  Most of our legal advisors are Solicitors or Legal Executives many years qualified

•Identify the legally appointed Executors or Administrators and beneficiaries

•Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require

•Obtain relevant documents required to make the application

•Complete the Probate application and relevant HMRC forms

•Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf

•Obtain the Probate

•Collect and distribute all assets in the estate

•Prepare Estate Accounts

Obtaining Grant of Probate

If we are required to only obtain the Grant of Probate from information supplied to us by you and we are not dealing with any other aspect of the estate administration then the breakdown of costs is likely to be as follows:-

Milburns Solicitors legal fees - £600 

VAT thereon - £120

 

• The above estimate is on the basis that Probate can be obtained with only an IHT205 being required or no inheritance tax account is required.  If it is necessary to use an IHT400 rather than a IHT205, Milburns legal fees will be in the region of £1,000 plus £200 vat.  If an IHT217 is required then there will be further Milburns legal fees in the region of £300 plus £60 vat. 

 

Disbursements:-

Probate Court fee - £273 (plus £1.50 per copy)

Bankruptcy search against the deceased - £3.30 inclusive of vat

 

Referral Fees

We do not pay referral fees.