Our Fees
WHY WE NEED YOUR INFORMATION
This notice explains when and why we collect personal information about you; how we use it, the conditions under which we may disclose it to others and how we keep it secure.
For clients of this firm, you should read this notice alongside our general terms and conditions which provide further information on confidentiality, data privacy etc.
Data is collected, processed and stored by Woodlands Solicitors; and we are what is known as the ‘data controller’ of the personal information you provide to us.
Woodlands Solicitors is a limited liability partnership, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 827210.
The exact information we will request from you will depend on what you have asked us to do or what we are contracted to do for you.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
There are two types of personal data (personal information) that you may provide to us
PERSONAL DATA
It is the general information that you supply about yourself – such as your name, address, gender, date of birth, contact details, financial information, etc
SENSITIVE PERSONAL DATA
It is, by its nature, more sensitive information and may include your racial or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, political opinions, health data, trade union membership, philosophical views, biometric and genetic data.
WHERE DO WE GET YOUR INFORMATION FROM
You may volunteer the information about yourself.
You may provide information relating to someone else – if you have the authority to do so.
Information may be passed to us by third parties in order that we can undertake your legal work on your behalf. Typically these organisations can be:
- Banks or building societies
- Panel providers who allocate legal work to law firms
- Organisations that have referred work to us
- Medical or financial institutions – who provide your personal records / information
WHERE WILL BE USING YOUR INFORMATION
- Verifying your identity
- Verifying source of funds
- Communicating with you
- To establish funding of your matter or transaction
- Obtaining insurance policies on your behalf
- Processing your legal transaction including:
- Providing you with advice; carrying out litigation on your behalf; attending hearings on your behalf; preparing documents or to complete transactions
- Keeping financial records of your transactions and the transactions we make on your behalf
- Seeking advice from third parties; such as legal and non-legal experts
- Responding to any complaint or allegation of negligence against us
WHO HAS ACCESS TO IT
However there may be circumstances, in carrying out your legal work, where we may need to disclose some information to third parties; for example:
- HM Land Registry to register a property
- HM Revenue & Customs; e.g. for Stamp Duty Liability
- Court or Tribunal
- Solicitors acting on the other side
- Asking an independent Barrister or Counsel for advice; or to represent you
- Non legal experts to obtain advice or assistance
- Translation Agencies
- Contracted Suppliers
- External auditors or our Regulator the SRA
- Bank or Building Society; or other financial institutions
- Insurance Companies
- Providers of identity verification
- Any disclosure required by law or regulation; such as the prevention of financial crime and terrorism
- If there is an emergency and we think you or others are at risk
In the event any of your information is shared with the aforementioned third parties, we ensure that they comply, strictly and confidentially, with our instructions and they do not use your personal information for their own purposes unless you have explicitly consented to them doing so.
There may be some uses of personal data that may require your specific consent. If this is the case we will contact you separately to ask for your consent which you are free to withdraw at any time.
HOW DO WE PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL DATA
We recognise that your information is valuable and we take all reasonable measures to protect it whilst it is in our care.
We have exceptional standards of technology and operational security in order to protect personally identifiable data from loss, misuse, alteration or destruction. Similarly, we adopt a high threshold when it comes to confidentiality obligations and both internal and external parties have agreed to protect confidentiality of all information; to ensure all personal data is handled and processed in line with our stringent confidentiality and data protection policies.
We use computer safeguards such as firewalls and data encryption and annual penetration testing; and we enforce, where possible, physical access controls to our building and files to keep data safe.
TRANSACTION AND COSTS INFORMATION: PROPERTY WORK
The funding options we can consider are:
Fixed Fee
Most transactions are dealt with on a Fixed Fee basis. We will provide you with a quote at the outset of a transaction based on the information available to us at the time we provide the quote. Our charge will not be relevant to the time we spend on the matter albeit an estimate of the likely time we spend on a matter will be used as the basis for setting the fee.
Additional fees may apply during the transaction as further information becomes available and you will be advised of these as required. For example, it may be necessary to purchase an indemnity
insurance policy and this may not be known at the time you instruct us.
Private Retainer You will pay us for our charges based on an hourly rate set in our retainer. We will provide you with an estimate of fees from time to time but our charges will be based on the amount of
time we spend on your matter. Our standard hourly rates are dependent on the qualification and experience of the fee earner dealing with the matter.
GRADE OF FEE EARNER HOURLY RATE
Grade A Any Solicitor or Legal Executive with over 8 years PQE. Grade A will include any Director £255 per hour plus VAT
Grade B Any Solicitor or Legal Executive with more than 4 year’s PQE but less than 8 year’s PQE. Any other fee earner with more than 4 years experience. £218 per hour plus VAT
Grade C Any Solicitor or Legal Executive with less than 4 years PQE. Any other fee earner with more than 1 year but less than 4 years experience. Trainee Solicitors shall be regarded as Grade C if they
have more than 2 years experience prior to commencement of the training contract. £177 per hour plus VAT
Grade D Any Trainee Solicitor or other fee earner with less than 1 year’s experience. £126 per hour plus VAT
An estimate of our charges on a Private Retainer are detailed below.
HOW THE LEGAL PROCESS WORKS
Repayment/Taking out of Mortgages/Secured Debts on Sale of Properties
If your property is mortgaged or there are debts secured against it, these must be repaid before completion of any sale or, in the alternative, must be repaid out of the proceeds of sale. We will be required to give an undertaking to that effect on your behalf. You are deemed hereby to authorise us to give such undertaking and repay all mortgages and debts secured against the property out of the proceeds.’
We are under a duty to obtain information from you as to the source of the balance of any purchase monies required from you. If any balance required from you is not being provided by yourselves (e.g. maybe you are receiving a ‘gift’ from your parents, additional borrowing), you must let us have full details immediately.
Registration of Property Transfers on Sale
We are required as solicitors to register both your purchase and mortgage with the Land Registry, as soon as any mortgage advance has been paid over to the seller, irrespective of whether or not you have paid our disbursements in respect of Land Registry charges and any Stamp Duty payable. These will ordinarily be noted on our bill, payable prior to completion of your purchase. We reserve the right not to pay over the mortgage advance to your buyer on the completion date, where our bill has not been settled, including Land Registry fees and stamp duty.
Where you are not intending to occupy the property, kindly inform us. You would be advised to register an address for service with the Land Registry, to avoid the possibility of title registration fraud. You may register up to three addresses, where you can be contacted in event that someone attempts to sell or charge the property.
Stamp Duty/Customs & Revenue on Purchases of Property
Buyers of property are now required to complete a Customs & revenue land transaction return form and the following information must be supplied by you, the buyer, and we require the following information immediately.
- Your National Insurance Number
- A daytime telephone number.
Our legal costs in connection with completing this form on your behalf will be £50 plus vat in the sum of £8.75 (total £58.75) and this fee will be payable by you before exchange of contracts.
If you are purchasing a property over £125,000 there will be Stamp Duty payable upon completion. The rates vary depending upon the purchase price of the property. (For example, the Stamp Duty payable on a property between £125,001 and £250,000 will be 2% of the purchase price).
However, you may be purchasing a property in an area where there are Stamp Duty exemptions, up to a purchase price of £150,000. You must bear in mind that the Stamp Duty is still payable to ourselves prior to completion as we have to apply to Customs & Revenue for the Stamp Duty exemption after completion. If the Inland Revenue confirm that the property you have purchased is exempt from the payment of Stamp Duty, the Duty will be returned to you immediately after we have been notified by Customs & Revenue of the exemption.
Searches & Environmental Reports on Purchase
Where you are purchasing property, we shall require fees for the Local, Mining and Drainage searches at the outset of the transaction.
A Local Search is a questionnaire submitted to the Local Authority to establish whether there are any existing matters or future proposals by the Council which may affect the value of the property or its future saleability. Please note that a Search will not reveal any proposals by a private individual or nearby land or property which may be, for example, the subject of a planning application for development. If, therefore, you are purchasing a property that again, for example, enjoys an open outlook over surrounding or adjoining land then please let me know if you would like the Local Search to include that land or property. Please note that an additional fee over and above the Council’s normal search fee will probably be payable.
A Mining Search is to establish whether there has been any mining activity within the vicinity of the property in the past as well as any current or proposed mining work. The Search will also reveal the existence of any disused/abandoned mineshafts within 20m of the boundaries of the property.
A Drainage Search will provide a water mains and public sewer location plan. It will also provide billing information.
Please note if you are obtaining a mortgage advance then it is a compulsory requirement of the lender that Local Searches, Mining Searches and Drainage Searches are effected. The searches will be forwarded to your mortgage lender with the Title Deeds.
An Environmental Search may be necessary when purchasing certain types of residential properties or a plot of land with intended development. However, an interesting website to visit with regard to environmental issues is www.homecheck.co.uk. You will need the postcode of the property you are intending to purchase. The information given is not exhaustive, but will give a brief insight of environmental matters with regard to the property you are intending to purchase.
Please also note that depending upon the location of the property, it is possible that further searches will need to be carried out. I will try to anticipate the likelihood of such searches at the outset, and advise you of the fee required. Any such search fees which I have been required to pay on your behalf will be shown on our invoice. Some examples are a Landfill Enquiry Search at a cost of £19.97.
If you are a cash buyer, we would in strongly recommend that searches are carried out.
Financial Arrangements on Purchase
If you are taking any form of commercial finance by way of borrowing then we may receive instructions from your lender to act for them in connection with the legal documentation, and any other requirements that they may have. This will particularly be the case where there is any property involved either being mortgaged directly or by way of collateral security.
For projects involving capital raising through shares in a private limited company, there may be significant factors which need to be considered arising from the Companies Acts. Any such instructions will need to be separately considered by us. If we have already given you an estimate of our costs, it will be clear whether or not that estimate includes this work. Otherwise we will as soon as we can give you a separate estimate.
Building Insurance on Purchases
Building Insurance cover will need to commence from Exchange of Contract. Where the lender is responsible, they will normally arrange cover as soon as we notify them of intended Exchange of Contracts. However, it does no harm to notify them. In the event that you (or your broker) arrange cover, the Lender may require us to inspect the policy of cover before we exchange contracts and release funds.
The details which are required should include the date of the policy, amount of cover, (which should be for at least the amount recommended in the lender’s valuation report), policy number, the amount of any excess (which differs from lender to lender) and confirmation that the cover is index linked. The confirmation should also state that the policy is in the joint names of yourself and the lender.
Please note that upon exchange of Contracts the property will be at your risk, and you should therefore ensure that insurance cover is in immediately place. This is particularly important if you are arranging your own buildings insurance cover rather than via a lender if you are obtaining a mortgage advance. In those circumstances it is usually the case that the lender effects insurance cover once a mortgage offer has been made, or automatically upon exchange of Contracts, whichever is the later.
In addition, the following risks must be covered: fire, lightning, aircraft, explosion, earthquake, storm, flood, escape of water or oil, riot, malicious damage, theft or attempted theft, falling trees and branches and aerials, subsidence, heave, landslip, collision, accidental breakage of glass and sanitary ware, accidental damage to underground services, insurance against public liability to anyone else.
Property Surveys on Purchase
If you are purchasing a property for cash, we strongly recommend that you have the property thoroughly inspected by an independent Chartered Surveyor.
If, however, you are purchasing a property with the aid of a mortgage advance, you may feel that it is sufficient to rely solely upon inspection of the property by the lender’s valuer. Please note, however, that the lender’s inspection is often limited, and is, in reality, merely a valuation which may not identify any defects which exist in the property. The lender will probably provide a copy of the valuation report to you, but will stress that, notwithstanding the fact that you have paid for the inspection, you should not rely upon it as confirmation that the property is free from defect and is for the lenders purposes only. Furthermore, if defects in the property are not identified, it is unlikely that you will have any legal remedies against the lender’s valuer. Most lenders provide the facility of a more detailed inspection at additional cost. You may wish to make enquiries about this.
Please note that if you are buying a property we do not normally make a physical inspection and generally rely on information received from the seller’s solicitors and yourself. It is vital therefore that you give me as much information as possible about the property, for example whether the house has been converted, extended or altered. Some examples are a loft conversion, removal of walls or the construction of outbuildings. With regard to any building regulations approval, we may not be able to obtain the necessary copies. If this is the case, we shall inform you in order that you can endeavour to obtain copies yourself. We shall also inform your lender. In addition, it is very important that you tell us about anything that the seller has told you about the state and condition of the property or indeed any other matters where information needs to be verified by me in writing from the seller’s solicitors. This is important, because Contracts for the purchase of property usually contain a condition which states that you accept that you are buying the property based on your own inspections and surveys and not based upon any representation/guarantee from the seller or the seller’s agents about the state and condition of the property, other than representations/guarantees confirmed in writing by the seller’s solicitors.
Exchange of Contracts/ Completion on Property Contracts
If the purchase of your property is involved in a “chain” of transactions, it will be necessary for us to give certain undertakings to other Solicitors involved in the chain to effect exchange of Contracts. By signing these Terms, you are giving me express authority to effect exchange of Contracts when I am ready to do so. If you would like further explanation regarding this point please do not hesitate to contact me.
Once contracts are exchanged you are committed to buy this property and the seller is committed to sell this property to you. A completion date will be inserted in the contract and this completion date will have been discussed with you prior to exchange of contracts.
If you or your seller fails to complete on the contractual completion date, this will cause you serious problems. We (as solicitors acting on your behalf) will be served with a Notice to Complete. We must then complete your purchase within 10 working days of the date of the Notice to Complete (excluding the date upon which the notice is given).
On receipt of the Notice to Complete,
- If you have not paid a deposit upon exchange of contracts you must pay the full ten per cent deposit of the purchase price.
- If you paid a deposit of less than ten per cent, you must immediately pay a further deposit equal to the balance of that ten per cent.
If you fail to complete in accordance with the Notice to Complete, the seller may rescind the contract and you will forfeit any deposit and the seller can keep the deposit. The seller will also be entitled to re-sell the property and any fixtures and fittings referred to in the contract, and simultaneously can claim damages from you.
Methods of ownership on purchases
If you are proposing to purchase a property jointly then you should consider the method of joint ownership that you would prefer, Briefly, there are two methods that can be adopted, the first of which is known as a ‘joint tenancy’. This is the most common arrangement, adopted by married or other couples where in the event of the death of either owner, the share of the deceased automatically passes to the survivor, notwithstanding the fact that either owner may have made a Will leaving their share in a property to someone other than their co-owner.
The other method of joint ownership is known as a ‘tenancy in common’ where the share of a deceased co-owner would not automatically pass to the survivor, but would pass to whoever had been nominated by the deceased in a Will or, in the absence of a Will, to the next of kin of the deceased. This method of ownership is usually adopted by business partners and people who wish to leave their share in a property to someone other than a co-owner, ie: children from a current or former marriage or other close relatives. It is vital to remember that if this method is adopted, each co-owner should make a Will, failing which their share could pass to their co-owner if that person is the next of kin of the deceased. Please also remember that if this method is adopted and the co-owners propose to marry, marriage will invalidate a Will unless it is clearly stated that it is in contemplation of a marriage, with the result that the share of the deceased will then pass to their husband/wife as next of kin.
Life/ Endowment Policies on Purchases of Property
Some Lenders require cover to be in place as a condition of lending. Please check with your lender whether or not this is the case, in which event we will require full details of the policy, which will need to be in force prior to Exchange of Contracts.
If any mortgage offer that you receive is on the basis of payments of interest only, ie: endowment, you should ensure that the life cover is effected immediately Contracts have been exchanged. The life cover should be for an amount equivalent to the amount of the mortgage advance (unless the loan is part endowment only) and the policy should mature no later than the end of the mortgage term.
If alternatively the mortgage offer is on the basis of payments of capital and interest, ie: normal repayment, then whilst this method will ensure full repayment of the loan at the end of the mortgage term, wel strongly recommend that you arrange a suitable life policy to enable the mortgage to be repaid in the event of your death during the mortgage term. Again, cover should be effected immediately Contracts have been exchanged. The terms of the life cover should be the same as the term of the mortgage and the life cover should, of course be at least equivalent of the amount of the mortgage advance.
Capital Gains Tax on Sales/Purchases of Property
If the property that you are acquiring will not be the only one that you will own or it will not be used as your main residence, then there will be capital gains tax implications. I am not qualified to advise you on this topic, and I strongly recommend, therefore, that you immediately take advice from a qualified accountant.
Insurance Guarantees on Purchases
Depending on the lender and the amount of any mortgage advance in relation to the purchase price/valuation, your mortgage offer may require you to pay a premium (usually a single one-off payment) to enable the lender to obtain an ‘insurance guarantee’ from an insurance company. This may alternatively be described in your mortgage offer as, for example, a ‘higher percentage loan fee’. The guarantee is to cover the lender for any shortfall required to repay its lending, should the property be repossessed and sold by the lender in the future and the net sale proceeds fail to generate sufficient money to completely repay the amount owing to the lender. I am required to bring to your attention, however, the fact that the insurers are entitled to pursue you for repayment of any sums paid out by them, even though you may have paid the premium.
PURCHASE OF FREEHOLD AND LEASEHOLD PROPERTY – COSTS
The fees below only relate to residential conveyancing transactions. Additional fees or alternative fee structures where the transaction involves a commercial property, mixed use property or HMO.
As most transactions are dealt with on a fixed fee basis we have set out our fixed fees below. We have listed common disbursements at the end of this page
Our fees cover all of the work required to complete the purchase of your new home, including dealing with registration 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.
Estimate of Fees
The fees below only relate to residential conveyancing transactions. Additional fees or alternative fee structures where the transaction involves a commercial property, mixed use property or HMO.
As most transactions are dealt with on a fixed fee basis we have set out our fixed fees below. Our fees are based on the value of the transaction. The fees below exclude VAT and Disbursements, such
as Searches, Stamp Duty and Land Registry fees. We have listed common disbursements at the end of this page
Residential Purchase Matter
Residential Purchase Matters
| PURCHASE PRICE | BASIC LEGAL FEE (EXC VAT) |
|---|---|
| 0 – £100,000 | £850.00 |
| £100,000.01 – 150,000 | £850.00 |
| £150,000.01 – 200,000 | £950.00 |
| £200,000.01 – 250,000 | £950.00 |
| £250,000.01 – 350,000 | £1000.00 |
| £350,000.01 – 500,000 | £1050.00 |
| £500,000.01 – 600,000 | £1350.00 |
| £600,000.01 – 750,000 | £1350.00 |
| £750,000.01 – 900,000 | £2100.00 |
| £900,000.01 – 1,000,000 | £2100.00 |
| £1,000,000+ | £2100.00 |
How long will my house purchase take?
How long it will take from your offer being accepted until you can move into your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 6 -12 weeks but every case is different and some could be considerably longer.
It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. For example, if you are a first-time buyer purchasing a new build property with a mortgage in principle, it could take 10 weeks. However, if you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer, between 3 – 6 months. In such a situation, additional charges would apply.
Stages of the process
The key stages of the process include:
- 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 documents if required;
- make any necessary enquiries if seller’s solicitors;
- 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.
Additional Fees for Leasehold
| Notice of Transfer fee – this fee if chargeable is set out in the Lease. Often the fee is between | £36 – £120.00 |
| Notice of Charge fee (if the property is to be mortgaged) – this fee is set out in the Lease. Often the fee is between | £36.00 – £120.00 |
| Deed of Covenant fee – this fee is provided by the management company for the property and can be difficult to estimate. Often it is between | £120.00 – £240.00 |
| Certificate of Compliance fee – to be confirmed upon receipt of the lease, as can range between | £120 – £240.00 |
*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 sight of your specific documents.
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 we receive this information.
Additional Fees
Where your purchase involves any of the following features, then the additional fees below will apply:
| ADDITIONAL MATTER | BASIC LEGAL FEE (EXC VAT) |
|---|---|
| Mortgage Fee | £150 |
| Leasehold Fee | £250 |
| Buying in a Limited Company | £100 |
| Help to Buy / Help to Buy ISA | £100 |
| Shared Ownership | £100 |
| New Build | £100 |
| Unregistered land | £100 |
| Complete the Stamp Duty Land Tax form | £50 |
Residential Sale Matters
| PURCHASE PRICE | BASIC LEGAL FEE (EXC VAT) |
|---|---|
| 0 – £100,000 | £750 |
| £100,000.01 – 150,000 | £750 |
| £150,000.01 – 200,000 | £850 |
| £200,000.01 – 250,000 | £850 |
| £250,000.01 – 350,000 | £900 |
| £350,000.01 – 500,000 | £950 |
| £500,000.01 – 600,000 | £950 |
| £750,000.01 – 900,000 | £2000 |
| £900,000.01 – 1,000,000 | £2000 |
| £1,000,000+ | £2000 |
Additional Fees
Disbursements are fees which we must pay out whilst acting for you. These are fees paid to third parties in respect of services relating to your transaction. Not all of the disbursements below will apply to your transaction and some of the amounts
may vary on individual matters but the figures are given by way of example.
| ADDITIONAL MATTER | BASIC LEGAL FEE (EXC VAT) |
|---|---|
| AML (Money Laundering) Per Person | £50 |
| TT Fee | £30 |
| Office Copy Entries | £3 |
| Search Package | £100 |
| Shared Ownership | £165 |
| Stamp Duty | Individual to a transaction |
| Indemnity Insurance | As required per transaction |
TRANSACTION AND COSTS INFORMATION: PROPERTY WORK
The funding options we can consider are:
Fixed Fee
Most transactions are dealt with on a Fixed Fee basis. We will provide you with a quote at the outset of a transaction based on the information available to us at the time we provide the quote. Our charge will not be relevant to the time we spend on the matter albeit an estimate of the likely time we spend on a matter will be used as the basis for setting the fee.
Additional fees may apply during the transaction as further information becomes available and you will be advised of these as required. For example, it may be necessary to purchase an indemnity
insurance policy and this may not be known at the time you instruct us.
Private Retainer You will pay us for our charges based on an hourly rate set in our retainer. We will provide you with an estimate of fees from time to time but our charges will be based on the amount of
time we spend on your matter. Our standard hourly rates are dependent on the qualification and experience of the fee earner dealing with the matter.
GRADE OF FEE EARNER HOURLY RATE
Grade A Any Solicitor or Legal Executive with over 8 years PQE. Grade A will include any Director £255 per hour plus VAT
Grade B Any Solicitor or Legal Executive with more than 4 year’s PQE but less than 8 year’s PQE. Any other fee earner with more than 4 years experience. £218 per hour plus VAT
Grade C Any Solicitor or Legal Executive with less than 4 years PQE. Any other fee earner with more than 1 year but less than 4 years experience. Trainee Solicitors shall be regarded as Grade C if they
have more than 2 years experience prior to commencement of the training contract. £177 per hour plus VAT
Grade D Any Trainee Solicitor or other fee earner with less than 1 year’s experience. £126 per hour plus VAT
An estimate of our charges on a Private Retainer are detailed below.
Estimate of Fees
The fees below only relate to residential conveyancing transactions. Additional fees or alternative fee structures where the transaction involves a commercial property, mixed use property or HMO.
As most transactions are dealt with on a fixed fee basis we have set out our fixed fees below. Our fees are based on the value of the transaction. The fees below exclude VAT and Disbursements, such
as Searches, Stamp Duty and Land Registry fees. We have listed common disbursements at the end of this page
Residential Purchase Matter
Residential Purchase Matters
| PURCHASE PRICE | BASIC LEGAL FEE (EXC VAT) |
|---|---|
| 0 – £100,000 | £850.00 |
| £100,000.01 – 150,000 | £850.00 |
| £150,000.01 – 200,000 | £950.00 |
| £200,000.01 – 250,000 | £950.00 |
| £250,000.01 – 350,000 | £1000.00 |
| £350,000.01 – 500,000 | £1050.00 |
| £500,000.01 – 600,000 | £1350.00 |
| £600,000.01 – 750,000 | £1350.00 |
| £750,000.01 – 900,000 | £2100.00 |
| £900,000.01 – 1,000,000 | £2100.00 |
| £1,000,000+ | £2100.00 |
Additional Fees
Where your purchase involves any of the following features, then the additional fees below will apply:
| ADDITIONAL MATTER | BASIC LEGAL FEE (EXC VAT) |
|---|---|
| Mortgage Fee | £150 |
| Leasehold Fee | £250 |
| Buying in a Limited Company | £100 |
| Help to Buy / Help to Buy ISA | £100 |
| Shared Ownership | £100 |
| New Build | £100 |
| Unregistered land | £100 |
| Complete the Stamp Duty Land Tax form | £50 |
Residential Sale Matters
| PURCHASE PRICE | BASIC LEGAL FEE (EXC VAT) |
|---|---|
| 0 – £100,000 | £750 |
| £100,000.01 – 150,000 | £750 |
| £150,000.01 – 200,000 | £850 |
| £200,000.01 – 250,000 | £850 |
| £250,000.01 – 350,000 | £900 |
| £350,000.01 – 500,000 | £950 |
| £500,000.01 – 600,000 | £950 |
| £750,000.01 – 900,000 | £2000 |
| £900,000.01 – 1,000,000 | £2000 |
| £1,000,000+ | £2000 |
Additional Fees
Where your purchase involves any of the following features, then the additional fees below will apply:
| ADDITIONAL MATTER | BASIC LEGAL FEE (EXC VAT) |
|---|---|
| Mortgage Fee | £150 |
| Leasehold Fee | £200 |
| Buying in a Limited Company | £100 |
| Help to Buy / Help to Buy ISA | £100 |
| Shared Ownership | £100 |
| Unregistered Land | £100 |
Additional Fees
Disbursements are fees which we must pay out whilst acting for you. These are fees paid to third parties in respect of services relating to your transaction. Not all of the disbursements below will apply to your transaction and some of the amounts
may vary on individual matters but the figures are given by way of example.
| ADDITIONAL MATTER | BASIC LEGAL FEE (EXC VAT) |
|---|---|
| AML (Money Laundering) Per Person | £50 |
| TT Fee | £30 |
| Office Copy Entries | £3 |
| Search Package | £100 |
| Shared Ownership | £165 |
| Stamp Duty | Individual to a transaction |
| Indemnity Insurance | As required per transaction |
FIXED FEES FOR IMMIGRATION
IMMIGRATION FEES
| TYPE OF APPLICATION | FIXED FEES |
|---|---|
| 1. Naturalisation or Registration as a British Citizen (Adult) | |
| a. Naturalisation or Registration as a British Citizen non-complex case (Adult) | £750 |
| b. Naturalisation or Registration as a British Citizen complex case (Adult) | £1500 |
| 2. Registration of a Child as a British Citizen in the UK | £750 |
| 3. Registration of a Child as a British Citizen from abroad/Application for first British Passport from the UK or abroad | |
| a. Registration of a Child as a British Citizen from abroad | £1500 |
| b. Application for a first British Passport from the UK or from abroad (Adult or Child- complex) | £1500 – £3000 |
| 4. Pre-Settled status or Settled status under EU Settlement Scheme (per applicant) | |
| a. Pre-Settled/settled status (not complex) | £500 |
| b. Pre-Settled/settled status (complex) | £1000 |
| c. Surinder Singh Application, Pre-Settled Status/Settled Status | £1200 |
| 5. Application for a family permit for a spouse or dependant relatives, under the EU Settlement Scheme | £1000 |
| 6. Applications under the Immigration Rules, including: | |
| a. Visit visa for tourism, medical, family | £600 |
| b. Visit visa (complex) | £800 |
| c. Visa as domestic servant | £1500 – £2500 |
| 7. Applications under the Immigration Rules Appendix FM: Family members | |
| a. Leave to Enter or Remain with a partner (non-complex) | £950 |
| b Leave to Enter or Remain with a partner (complex) | £1500 |
| c. Settlement with a Partner | £1200 |
| d. Settlement as a Victim of Domestic Violence (Non-Complex) | £1250 |
| e. Settlement as a Victim of Domestic Violence (Complex) | £2000 |
| f. Settlement application for a child (indefinite leave to enter) | £1000 |
| g. Leave to Enter or Remain as a Parent of a Child in the UK | £1200 |
| h. Adult Dependent Relative | £1500 |
| i. De Facto Adoption entry clearance (not complex) | £1500 |
| j. De Facto Adoption entry clearance (complex) | £2000 |
| 8. Applications under the Tier Points-Based System | £2000 |
| a. Sponsorship licence | £2000 |
| b. Skilled Worker (Leave to enter or remain/ settlement for Main Applica | £1000 |
| Student | |
| Student visa – entry clearance application as a Tier 4 (General) Student | £750 |
| Application for Extension of Tier 4 (General) Visa | £750 |
| Parent of child in school (General) Visa | £1200 |
| Post Study Work Scheme | £950 |
| Tier 5 | £750 |
| a. Tier 5 – Religious worker/Youth Mobility Scheme | £2000 |
| Dependants of The Tier Points Based System | |
| a. Application made with the main applicant | £1000 per applicant |
| b. Application made independently of the main applicant | £2500 per applicant |
| 9. Replacement of your visa with BRP/lost BRP | £250 |
| 10. Applications for Hong Kong British National | £750 |
| a. British National (Overseas) visa applications | £2500 |
| Student visa – entry clearance application as a Tier 4 (General) Student | £750 |
For Applications
1. In person or Zoom consultations as frequently as necessary for the preparation of the application
2. Advice on documents needed in support of the application
3. Advising on any issues raised by the documents, and taking a proactive approach in obtaining evidence
4. Taking statements from yourself and your witnesses
5. Drafting instructions to experts, perusal of expert reports, discussing the reports with yourself
6. Drafting legal representations in support of the application
7. Assistance in completing and submitting application forms and booking biometric appointments
8. Preparing application bundles and uploading the documents
9. Emails and phone contact to keep you up to date regarding the application
10. Liaising with third parties including the Home Office, medical professionals, accountants etc.
For Appeal Cases
1. Taking your instructions and lodging the appeal on your behalf
2. Instructing a highly experienced Barrister and attending a conference with you and your Barrister4. Perusal of the Home Office bundle
5. Taking witness statements from you and your witnesses
6. Instructing experts, perusal of expert reports and discussing the reports with yourself
7. Preparing the appeal bundle and submitting this to the Tribunal and Home Office
8. Liaising with the Tribunal and the Home Office on your behalf
9. Attending the hearing with you
Our fees do not include VAT (where applicable)
1. Home Office or third party providers fees
2. Interpreting or translation fees
3. Independent expert reports when required
4. Barrister’s fees where required
If you do wish to become our client, the majority of our cases are undertaken on a fixed fee basis, and the costs will vary according to the complexity of the case. On some occasions, it might be more appropriate for us to charge on an hourly basis. All disbursements are in addition to the fixed fee, and we charge 4% of our fees for postage, packaging, telecommunication charges, copying charges, stationary, and sundries. If you are subject to VAT, this will be added to the costs.
Further information about our charges, in accordance with the regulations issued by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
We do not include information about some categories of work e.g., asylum, deportation and appeal preparation. This is because these vary widely according to the circumstances of the case and the SRA has indicated they do not need to be published. We would, of course, always be happy to provide you with a quote following an initial consultation.
Our fees do not include VAT (where applicable)
1. Home Office or third-party providers fees
2. Interpreting or translation fees
3. Independent expert reports when required
4. Barrister’s fees where required
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as visa fees, interpreters, translations, country expert reports, medical reports, and of course the Home Office fee and the NHS surcharge (as applicable). We will let you know as soon as possible whether any third-party input, such as expert reports, are necessary. We will pay the third-party provider and issue you with a
disbursement invoice.
We endeavour to obtain competitive rates for all third-party work undertaken, and we will always ensure you approve any third-party quotation ahead of committing to the service.
You are not liable for VAT if you do not have permission to live in the UK, if you are a visitor, or if you are making an application from abroad for an entry clearance. Subsequently, our prices sometimes include VAT
and sometimes do not, depending on your personal circumstances, and the nature of the application. We will confirm to you whether VAT (at a rate of 20%) is payable when we have been instructed.
GRADE OF FEE EARNER HOURLY RATE
Grade A Any Solicitor or Legal Executive with over 8 years PQE. Grade A will include any Director £255 per hour plus VAT
Grade B Any Solicitor or Legal Executive with more than 4 year’s PQE but less than 8 year’s PQE. Any other fee earner with more than 4 years experience. £218 per hour plus VAT
Grade C Any Solicitor or Legal Executive with less than 4 years PQE. Any other fee earner with more than 1 year but less than 4 years experience. Trainee Solicitors shall be regarded as Grade C if they
have more than 2 years experience prior to commencement of the training contract. £177 per hour plus VAT
Grade D Any Trainee Solicitor or other fee earner with less than 1 year’s experience. £126 per hour plus VAT
HOW LONG WILL WE KEEP IT FOR
Your personal information will be retained, usually in computer or manual files, only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which the information was collected; or as required by law; or as long as is set out in any relevant contract you may hold with us. For example:
- As long as necessary to carry out your legal work
- For a minimum of 6 years from the conclusion or closure of your legal work; in case you, or we, need to re-open your case for the purpose of defending complaints or claims against us
Under GDPR, you are entitled to access your personal data (otherwise known as a ‘right to access’). If you wish to make a request, please do so in writing addressed to our Data Protection Officer Mr Akbar Sarwar; or contact the person dealing with your matter.
A request for access to your personal data means you are entitled to a copy of the data we hold on you – such as your name, address, contact details, date of birth, information regarding your health etc.- but it does not mean you are entitled to the documents that contain this data.
Under certain circumstances, in addition to the entitlement to ‘access your data’, you have the following rights:
- The right to be informed
Which is fulfilled by way of this privacy notice and our transparent explanation as to how we use your personal data - The right to rectification
You are entitled to have personal data rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete - The right to erasure / ‘right to be forgotten’
You have the right to request the deletion or removal of your personal data where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing. This right only applies in the following specific circumstances:
- Where the personal data is no longer necessary in regards to the purpose for which it was originally collected
- Where consent is relied upon as the lawful basis for holding your data and you withdraw your consent
- Where you object to the processing and there is no overriding legitimate interest for continuing the processing
- The personal data was unlawfully processed
- Where you object to the processing for direct marketing purposes
- The right to object
You have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests; and direct marketing. This right only applies in the following circumstances:
- An objection to stop processing personal data for direct marketing purposes is absolute – there are no exemptions or grounds to refuse – we must stop processing in this context
- You must have an objection on grounds relating to your particular situation
- We must stop processing your personal data unless:
- We can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights and freedoms
- The processing is for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims.
- The right to restrict processing
You have the right to request the restriction or suppression of your data. When processing is restricted, we can store the data but not use it. This right only applies in the following circumstances:
- Where you contest the accuracy of the personal data – we should restrict the processing until we have verified the accuracy of that data
- Where you object to the processing (where it was necessary for the performance of a public interest or purpose of legitimate interests), and we are considering whether our organisation’s legitimate grounds override your right
- Where processing is unlawful and you request restriction
- If we no longer need the personal data but you require the data to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim
Marketing data
We may contact you for the purpose of direct marketing. This means that we may use your personal data that we have collected in accordance with this privacy policy to contact you about our products or services, events etc. which we feel may interest you. The direct marketing communications may be provided to you by social media channels, email or post. We will never send marketing communications via SMS or call you without your specific consent; nor do we ever pass on or sell your details to a third party.
How we collect personal data
The following are examples, although not exhaustive, of how we collect your personal information:
- Submitting an online enquiry
- Following/liking/subscribing to our social media channels
- Ask us a question or submit any queries or concerns you have via email or on social media channels
- When you leave a review about us on Trustpilot.com or Google Reviews
How we may use your details
The following are examples, although not exhaustive, of how we may use your personal information for our legitimate business interests:
- fraud prevention
- direct marketing
- network and information systems security
- data /analytics /enhancing, modifying or improving our services
- identifying usage trends
- determining the effectiveness of promotional campaigns and advertising.
We may use your personal information for legitimate interests such as direct marketing or under reasonable expectation to provide you with information you would expect to receive or that would benefit and enhance our relationship. This information will help us review and improve our products, services and offers.
We may also partner with selected third-party vendors to allow tracking technologies and re-marketing services through the use of first and third party cookies to analyse and track users’ use of our services, determine the popularity of certain content and better understand online activity. This enables us to provide a more relevant and personalised service to you in order to ensure you only receive information you require.
Your rights
You have the right to object to this processing. Should you wish to do so please email info@woodlands-solicitors.com.
Any questions regarding this notice and our privacy practices should be sent by email to info@woodlands-solicitors.com
TRANSACTION AND COSTS INFORMATION: IMMIGRATION
HOW THE PROCESS WORKS
It is a criminal offence for an unqualified person to ‘give immigration advice or give immigration services’ in the course of a business whether or not for profit (Immigration and Asylum Act (IAA) 1999 s84). A ‘qualified person’ is a practicing solicitor, barrister, legal executive or someone regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner.
The process of seeking asylum can seem unduly bewildering.
The Right to seek Asylum.
You must apply for asylum if you want to stay in the UK as a refugee. To be eligible you must have left your country, be unable to go back because you fear persecution on the grounds of:
- your race;
- your religion;
- your nationality;
- your political opinion;
- anything else that puts you at risk because of the social, cultural, religious or political situation in your country, for example, your gender, gender identity or sexual orientation
You must have failed to get protection from authorities in your own country. If you are stateless, your own country is the country you usually live in.
You should apply when you arrive in the UK or as soon as you think it would be unsafe for you to return to your own country. Your application is more likely to be denied if you wait. You’ll usually get a decision on your application within 6 months.
Your claim might not be considered if you are from an EU country, have a connection with another country you can claim asylum in, for example if you’ve claimed asylum in an EU country before arriving in the UK.
Screening
After applying you’ll have a meeting with an immigration officer (known as a ‘screening’) and then an asylum interview with a caseworker. You can get up to 2 years in prison or have to leave the UK if you give false information on your application. You’ll be told after your screening what you must do while you’re waiting for your asylum decision, for example report to a caseworker regularly (known as ‘reporting meetings’). You must tell the authorities if your situation changes. You register your asylum claim at the ‘screening’.
You’ll have your screening at the UK border if you claim asylum as soon as you arrive. You must tell a Border Force officer that you want to claim asylum. You can also be screened once you’re in the UK if you become eligible for asylum. You are entitled to the assistance of an interpreter.
You can include your partner and your children under 18 as ‘dependants’ in your application if they’re with you in the UK. Your children under 18 and your partner can also make their own applications at the same time, but they won’t be treated as your dependants.
You won’t usually be allowed to work while your asylum claim is being considered.
You’ll need documents for yourself and your dependent’s (partner and children under 18) for your asylum screening.
Documents you should bring (if you have them) including:
- passports and travel documents;
- police registration certificates;
- identification documents, for example identity cards, birth and marriage certificates or school records;
- anything else you think will help your application
If you’re already in the UK, you and your dependents must bring documents that prove your UK address (depending on whether you’re living in your own accommodation or staying with someone else).
Where you are living in your own accommodation, this could be:
- bank statement;
- housing benefit book;
- council tax notice;
- tenancy agreement;
- household bill
Where you are staying with someone else:
- a recent letter (less than 3 months old) from the person you’re staying with to confirm you have their permission to stay; and
- documents showing the full name and address of the person you’re staying with, like a council tax notice, tenancy agreement or household bill.
ARC and Asylum Interview
After your screening your case will be given to a caseworker. You’ll be sent an asylum registration card (ARC) to your UK address, unless you’ve been detained. If the Home Office can’t send you an ARC immediately, they’ll send you an appointment letter telling you what to do next. The ARC shows you’ve applied for asylum. You can use it to: show who you are, whether you have permission to work, get health or education services or benefits. You must take your ARC with you when you go to your reporting meetings.
You’ll have an asylum interview with your caseworker. They’ll make a decision about your application. They’ll also explain the asylum process and tell you what to do while you wait for an asylum decision, such as go to regular reporting meetings. You may be detained if you don’t go to your reporting meetings. Tell your caseworker if you have any special needs, for example if you have a disability or need medication.
Your asylum interview will take place soon after your screening. Your application will usually be rejected if you don’t go to your asylum interview. You’ll get a letter telling you when and where to attend and if any of your dependents also need to be interviewed.
You can choose to send a written statement to support your claim ahead of the interview. This must be written in English and sent to your caseworker (noting your Home Office reference number).
Your solicitor can help you draft the statement, and accompany you to your asylum interview.
You’ll usually be interviewed, without family members. An interpreter will be provided, should you need one. The information you provide will be treated in confidence and will not be disclosed to the authorities in your own country, should explain:
- how you were persecuted in your country;
- why you’re afraid to go back to your country.
You may be asked questions about difficult topics but it’s important that you explain what has happened to you and your family.
Bring all the evidence you have of your persecution. You may be asked to send further evidence to your caseworker after the interview, if they think it might help your application. You should also bring your birth certificate, passport and medical records if you have them. Your caseworker will make notes in a document called an ‘interview record’. You’ll get a copy of this at the end of the interview.
Detention During the Asylum Process
You may be detained at an immigration removal Centre while you wait for a decision on your application, and either be:
- released if you get permission to stay in the UK;
- held until you’re removed from the UK if you don’t get permission to stay; or
- detained and removed if it’s decided that another country is responsible for offering you asylum.
You may be able to appeal against the decision.
You won’t usually be detained if you’re a child, elderly, a family with children, pregnant, accepted as being a victim of trafficking, able to provide independent evidence of torture, suffering from a mental or physical condition that can’t be managed, or presents a risk to others, in an immigration removal centre.
Your solicitor can appeal the grounds of your detention.
The Asylum Decision
Your application will usually be decided within 6 months, unless the matter is complicated, or your supporting documents need to be verified, your personal circumstances need to be checked, for example because you have a criminal conviction, or you’re currently being prosecuted.
The Process will result in either:
Permission to stay as a refugee: You and your dependents may be given permission to stay in the UK for 5 years. This is known as ‘leave to remain’. After 5 years, you can apply to settle in the UK.
Permission to stay for humanitarian reasons: if you don’t qualify for asylum. This means you need to stay in the UK for your protection. You and your dependents may be given permission to stay in the UK for 5 years. This is known as ‘leave to enter’ or ‘leave to remain’. After 5 years, you can apply to settle in the UK.
Permission to stay for other reasons: You may get permission to stay for other reasons if you don’t qualify for permission to stay as a refugee or for humanitarian reasons. How long you can stay will depend on your situation. You may be able to apply to extend your stay or settle in the UK towards the end of your stay.
No reason to stay: You’ll be asked to leave the UK if you don’t qualify for asylum and your caseworker decides there’s no other reason for you to stay. You may be able to appeal against the decision. You’ll have to leave if you don’t appeal in the time allowed, or if your appeal is unsuccessful. Should you leave by yourself, you may get help with returning home. Where you are forced to leave, then you may be detained without warning at an immigration removal centre and then removed from the UK.
Public Funding and Asylum
In England & Wales, legal aid is only available for asylum claims, but is no longer available in for legal advice or representation in non-asylum immigration matters, save and except for certain cases where there has been domestic violence; involving the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC); and applications made by victims of trafficking. You can also apply for exceptional legal aid funding if you believe your human rights would be breached if you do not have legal aid.
If your immigration case is not an asylum claim, you generally cannot get legal aid advice or representation, for example, for:
- family migration cases, including family reunification applications under the Refugee Convention;
- advice about student visas;
- advice about visitor visas;
- challenging a deportation, if your case does not have an asylum or Article 3 (of the European Convention on Human Rights) element;
- Article 8 cases – the right to family and private life.
Even if legal aid is available, the amount of time your solicitor can spend on your case is limited. Legal aid funding doesn’t cover for example attending your asylum interview if you are an adult.
Legal aid is not automatic, you must pass both the “merits test” and the “means test”:
- The merits test will assess the strengths and weaknesses of your asylum claim. At the application stage of an asylum claim, the merits test is easy to pass. A merits test will only fail if the asylum application is “clearly hopeless” or would be “an abuse of process”. It is very unusual for an asylum application to fail a merits test. After the refusal of an asylum claim, the merits test is harder to pass. The appeal must have a 50% chance of success for legal aid to be granted. If your lawyer does not think that your appeal has a 50% chance of succeeding, they will refuse to represent you for free. Your lawyer must give their reasons for this to you in writing, and you will have the right to have their decision reviewed.
- The means test will look at your financial circumstances. If you are receiving section 95 or section 4 support (also known as Asylum Support), you will automatically pass the means test. You will need to provide your lawyer with a letter from the Home Office confirming receipt of asylum support. The letter must be less than 6 months old. Many people seeking asylum are provided with a type of support called “section 98” while they wait for a decision on their application for section 95 support. If you receive section 98 support, or if you don’t receive any support from the Home Office, your lawyer will need to conduct a detailed assessment of your financial circumstances before agreeing to represent you under legal aid. This will involve reviewing recent bank statements (if you have a bank account) and requesting letters from friends or charities who may be supporting you financially. If your only income is your section 98 support and you have no savings or assets (items of value), you will pass the means test.
For all of the above stated reasons, some clients who are technically eligible for the limited financial assistance, which is available, having been informed of the facts, prefer to instruct a solicitor on a privately funded basis, either through their own funds or by means of third-party funding to receive the detailed attention their application warrants.
Private Funding of Asylum and Immigration
We provide all clients with an agreed fixed fee quotation before we take on their application, payable upon instruction which means we are 100% obligated to complete all of the work agreed for the same price however long the process takes. This gives our you total clarity from the outset, can rest assured that the fees quoted are the total legal fees payable.
Our clients are all individuals with different circumstances, goals and preferences. For this reason, we treat them as such, only issue binding quotations once we have carried out a needs assessment. This process involves a quick phone call with a member of our assessments team to establish what you need, what can be done, the best way forward and state any associated costs (Disbursements) anticipated.
Once we issue you with a quotation, you can decide if you wish to accept it. If you choose not to, all best for the future. If you accept our quotation, your dedicated assessment officer will take an instruction from you and set up a client file and legal consultation.
Although our fees are tailored to your individual circumstances, goals and requirements, we have, in pursuit of absolute clarity, produced a companion guide below which sets out our general fees for immigration matters. Please note however that this serves as general guidance only, does not constitute any offer of service or quotation.
We set out costs information for services to individuals in relation to the preparation and submission of Immigration applications under the following categories:
Asylum Applications:
- Investor and Innovators; £5,000 – £30,000;
- British Citizenship; £1,500 – £5,000;
- EUSS registration; £750 – £3,500
- Skilled workers; £1,500 – £5,000;
- Settlement; £2,500 – £5,000;
Our standard services cover end to end support during the application process, from initial instructions through to submission of the application to the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), include:-
- Discussing individual circumstances in detail and assessing eligibility and the appropriate application to make with the options available;
- Taking instructions and giving advice about the relevant requirements relevant to their application under the Immigration Rules and criteria to be met;
- Providing a detailed strategy, relevant time frames, details of supporting documents required to support the application process;
- Considering the supporting documentation provided and where necessary, helping to obtain further evidence;
- Preparing the application and submitting it on the individual’s behalf, including booking appointment to submit biometrics;
- Providing advice and instructions in respect of submitting applications;
- Liaising with the UK Visas and Immigration relevant third parties, including arranging expedited treatment for applications, if applicable;
- Giving advice about the outcome of the application and any further steps which need to be taken; and
- Verifying that the decision letter and visa/BRP have been issued correctly;
These fees are subject to VAT. Our professional fees may vary considerably between applications, depending on various factors, including the type of visa, the number of dependent family members and the complexity of the application. Our legal fees will always reflect the estimate given unless new or unforeseen factors arise. If this happens, we will provide a revised estimate of our legal fees.
We will also charge for disbursements that we pay on behalf of the individuals, these include (but not limited to):
- Home Office / Government Fees; and
- Third party fees, such as translation
Government fees vary depending on the type of application and duration of visa, and appointment costs for applications will vary depending on where and how the application will be submitted and whether a priority service will be used. Our team estimate these costs at the outset before proceeding with any instructions and they also appear on our invoices. Government’s fees do not attract VAT however third party costs such as translations and courier costs do.
We will progress work efficiently and cost-effectively and discuss relevant timeframes, progress and deadlines. On average, a typical application process usually take between 2 to 6 weeks to prepare for submission. Where necessary we will expedite preparation times to meet visa expiry dates. However timescales are dependent on a number of factors and are likely to vary for a number of reasons including (i) the application type, (ii) where they are applying from (outside or inside the UK) (iii) individual circumstances of each application, (iv) visa expiry dates and (v) availability of information and documentation. We will give more accurate estimate of timings and costs once we have more information about a specific case. We cannot guarantee how long the Home Office, UKVI will take to process applications. Current government visa processing times can be found here.
Where appropriate we prefer to agree to a fixed fee or fixed fees for matter but where this is not possible or not preferred we charge based on the following hourly rates to which VAT is added. For Legal Directors based on experience from £280 to £350 all the way to Paralegals from £150 to £190 and for Trainee Solicitors £110 to £130.
Fees Guidance
We recognise, circumstances may change and in the interests of transparency, detail below our illustrative fee guide on fixed fee and hourly billing basis. In cases of withdrawn instructions, dependent on your billing model, you may be liable to pay the full fees agreed.
Adult Dependent Relatives: (£2,000 + VAT) +/- £200 (VAT range: £400 -£440) Service: Our fees for making an entry clearance application will include consultations, taking detailed instructions, considering documents and advising on timelines, drafting statements, providing a tailored made list of documents specific to your case to support the application, assessing each document to ensure maximum chance of success, making the application, booking an appointment at the visa centre, full preparation of the application pack with detailed legal representations. The cost quoted does not include where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to any appeal.
Entry Clearance Application (applying from abroad): (£1,400 + VAT*) +/- £200 (VAT range: £280 -£320) including Tier 4 students, Tier 5 temporary workers, Ancestry visas (If you are a Commonwealth citizen, have a grandparent who was born in the UK and are able and planning to work in the UK) Service: Our fees for making an entry clearance application will include consultations, taking detailed instructions, considering documents and advising on timelines, drafting statements, providing a tailored made list of documents specific to your case to support the application, assessing each document to ensure maximum chance of success, making the application, booking an appointment at the visa centre, full preparation of the application pack with detailed legal representations. The cost quoted does not include where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to any appeal.
In Country Student Tier 4: (£1,000 +VAT*) +/- £300 Service: Our fees for making an in country application will include consultations, taking detailed instructions, considering documents and advising on timelines, drafting statements, providing a tailored made list of documents specific to your case to support the application, assessing each document to ensure maximum chance of success, making the application by post or on line where applicable, full preparation of the application pack with detailed legal representations. The cost quoted does not include where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to any appeal.
Entry Clearance – Visit Visa for tourism or visiting friends/family: (£1,000 + VAT*) +/- £250 (VAT range: £200 -£260)
Service: Our fees for making an entry clearance application will include consultations, taking detailed instructions, considering documents and advising on timelines, drafting statements, providing a tailored made list of documents specific to your case to support the application, assessing each document to ensure maximum chance of success, making the application, booking an appointment at the visa centre, full preparation of the application pack with detailed legal representations. The cost quoted does not include where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to any appeal.
In Country Further Leave to Remain Applications: (£1,000 + VAT*) +/- £200 (VAT range: £200 -£260)
These include, but are not limited to:
- Spousal
- Fiancée
- Proposed Civil Partner/
- Unmarried partner/
- Family life and Private life routes
Service: Our fees for making an in country application will include consultations, taking detailed instructions, considering documents and advising on timelines, drafting statements, providing a tailored made list of documents specific to your case to support the application, assessing each document to ensure maximum chance of success, making the application by post or on line where applicable, full preparation of the application pack with detailed legal representations. The cost quoted does not include where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to any appeal.
In Country Indefinite Leave to Remain/ Settlement Applications: (£1,200 + VAT*) +/- £200 (VAT range: £240 -£280)
These include:
- Spousal
- Fiancée
- Proposed Civil Partner
- Unmarried partner
- Ancestry
- Family life and Private life routes
Service: Our fees for making an in country application will include consultations, taking detailed instructions, considering documents and advising on timelines, drafting statements, providing a tailored made list of documents specific to your case to support the application, assessing each document to ensure maximum chance of success, making the application by post or on line where applicable, full preparation of the application pack with detailed legal representations. The cost quoted does not include where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to any appeal.
Long Residence Applications – In Country Long Residence 10 Years (continuous legal residence): (£1,500 + VAT*) +/- £400
(VAT range: £300 -£380)
In Country Long Residence 20 Year route: (£2,000 + VAT*) +/- £400 (VAT range: £400 -£440)
Service: Our fees for making an in country application will include consultations, taking detailed instructions, considering documents and advising on timelines, drafting statements, providing a tailored made list of documents specific to your case to support the application, assessing each document to ensure maximum chance of success, making the application by post or on line where applicable, full preparation of the application pack with detailed legal representations. The cost quoted does not include where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to any appeal.
Application from abroad for family members to join EU Citizens in the UK: (£1,200 + VAT*) +/- £200 (VAT range: £240 -£280)
Service: Our fees for making an entry clearance application will include consultations, taking detailed instructions, considering documents and advising on timelines, drafting statements, providing a tailored made list of documents specific to your case to support the application, assessing each document to ensure maximum chance of success, making the application, booking an appointment at the visa centre, full preparation of the application pack with detailed legal representations. The cost quoted does not include where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to any appeal.
Applications for Proof of Residence for EU Citizens and their family members
EEA Residence Cards for non EU national family members: (£1,000 + VAT*) +/- £200 (VAT range: £200 -£240)
EEA Registration Certificate for EU nationals: (£1,000 + VAT*) +/- £200 (VAT range: £200 -£240)
EEA Permanent Residence Card / Settled Status: (£1,300 + VAT*) +/- £200 (VAT range: £260 -£300)
Service: Our fees for making an in country application will include consultations, taking detailed instructions, considering documents and advising on timelines, drafting statements, providing a tailored made list of documents specific to your case to support the application, assessing each document to ensure maximum chance of success, making the application by post or on line where applicable, full preparation of the application pack with detailed legal representations. The cost quoted does not include where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to any appeal.
Applying for British Citizenship
Adults: (£900 + VAT*) +/- £200 (VAT range: £180 -£220)
Children under 18: (£800 + VAT*) +/- £200 (VAT range: £160 -£200)
Service: Our fees for making an in country application will include consultations, taking detailed instructions, considering documents and advising on timelines, drafting statements, providing a tailored made list of documents specific to your case to support the application, assessing each document to ensure maximum chance of success, making the application by post or on line where applicable, full preparation of the application pack with detailed legal representations. The cost quoted does not include where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to your remedies as there is no right of appeal.
Appeals
Existing client (non asylum) (£1,800 + VAT*) +/- £500 (VAT range: £360 -£460)
New client (non asylum): (£2,000 + VAT*) +/- £500 (VAT range: £400 -£500)
Existing client (asylum): (£2,000 + VAT*) +/- £500 (VAT range: £400 -£500)
New client (asylum): £2,500 + VAT* +/- £500 (VAT range: £500 -£600)
Service: Our fees for lodging and representing an appeal before the First Tier Tribunal will include drafting grounds of appeal, lodging with the Tribunal, consultations, taking detailed instructions, considering documents and advising on timelines, drafting statements, providing a tailored made list of documents specific to your case to support the appeal, assessing each document to ensure maximum chance of success, preparing court bundles, liaise with the Tribunal, Home Office, a Barrister and any Experts. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the cost quoted does not include any advice and assistance in relation to any onward appeal.
Applying for family members to join a refugee in the UK (£1,000 + VAT*) +/- £200 (VAT range: £200 -£240)
Service: Our fees for making an entry clearance application will include consultations, taking detailed instructions, considering documents and advising on timelines, drafting statements, providing a tailored made list of documents specific to your case to support the application, assessing each document to ensure maximum chance of success, making the application, booking an appointment at the visa centre, full preparation of the application pack with detailed legal representations. The cost quoted does not include where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to any appeal.
* Please note:
- Not included in any of the above fees are:
- Barrister fees
- Expert report fees
- Cost of interpreters if required
- Translations
- Attending any Home Office interviews
- Home Office / Visa fees and any Premium Service supplements
- Immigration Health Surcharge
- Court fees
- Housing Reports for Immigration purposes
- DNA tests where appropriate
- Any other cost related to your matter that are payable to third parties
- A supplement of £300 + VAT may apply for each additional dependant / multiple applicants.
- We cannot guarantee how long the Home Office / Visa Centre will take to process your application. Please refer to the current processing time son the H
COSTS
We set out cost information for services to individuals in relation to the preparation and submission of Immigration applications excluding asylum applications under the following categories:
- Investor and Innovators; £5,000 – £30,000;
- British Citizenship; £1,500 – £5,000;
- EUSS registration; £750 – £3,500
- Skilled workers; £1,500 – £5,000;
- Settlement; £2,500 – £5,000;
Our standard scope of services covers end to end support during the application process, from initial instructions through to submission of the application to the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and include:-
- Discussing individual circumstances in detail and assessing eligibility and the appropriate application to make with the options available;
- Taking instructions from the individual and giving advice about the requirements of the Immigration Rules and criteria to be met;
- Providing a detailed strategy, relevant time frames, details of supporting documents required to support the application process;
- Considering the supporting documentation provided and where necessary, helping to obtain further evidence;
- Preparing the application and submitting it on the individual’s behalf, including booking appointment to submit biometrics;
- Providing advice and instructions in respect of submitting applications;
- Liaising with the UK Visas and Immigration relevant third parties, including arranging expedited treatment for applications, if applicable;
- Giving advice about the outcome of the application and any further steps which need to be taken; and
- Verifying that the decision letter and visa/BRP have been issued correctly;
These fees are subject to VAT. Our professional fees may vary considerably between applications, depending on various factors, including the type of visa, the number of dependent family members and the complexity of the application. Our legal fees will always reflect the estimate given unless new or unforeseen factors arise. If this happens, we will provide a revised estimate of our legal fees.
We will also charge for disbursements that we pay on behalf of the individuals, these include (but not limited to):
- Home Office / Government Fees; and
- Third party fees, such as translation
Government fees vary depending on the type of application and duration of visa, and appointment costs for applications will vary depending on where and how the application will be submitted and whether a priority service will be used. Our team estimate these costs at the outset before proceeding with any instructions and they also appear on our invoices. Government’s fees do not attract VAT however third party costs such as translations and courier costs do.
We will progress work efficiently and cost-effectively and discuss relevant timeframes, progress and deadlines. On average, a typical application process usually take between 2 to 6 weeks to prepare for submission. Where necessary we will expedite preparation times to meet visa expiry dates. However timescales are dependent on a number of factors and are likely to vary for a number of reasons including (i) the application type, (ii) where they are applying from (outside or inside the UK) (iii) individual circumstances of each application, (iv) visa expiry dates and (v) availability of information and documentation. We will give more accurate estimate of timings and costs once we have more information about a specific case. We cannot guarantee how long the Home Office, UKVI will take to process applications. Current government visa processing times can be found here.
Where appropriate we prefer to agree to a fixed fee or fixed fees for matter but where this is not possible or not preferred we charge based on the following hourly rates to which VAT is added. For Legal Directors based on experience from £280 to £350 all the way to Paralegals from £150 to £190 and for Trainee Solicitors £110 to £130.