Probate

Following regulatory changes in 2014, properly accredited accountancy firms are now permitted to act in cases of non-contentious probate. Through Sumer Probate Limited, we are licenced to provide probate services*.

Our longstanding expertise in taxation puts us in a good position to make this difficult process as painless as possible. As your trusted advisers, we can help you through this difficult time, working to minimise your tax liabilities and finalise estate accounts. We’re on hand to help you navigate your way through this stressful and unfamiliar time.

Our services support the entire probate process including:

• Assistance with your initial probate registry search
• Acting as executor or supporting the executors as appropriate
• Establishing the value of the estate
• Preparing the application for Grant of Probate
• Calling in assets and holding them securely before distribution to the beneficiaries
• Assistance with calculating and reporting tax liabilities to HMRC
• Providing advice in administering the estate in the most tax efficient way possible
• Preparation of final estate accounts

Our experience in advising on tax issues and our competitive fee structure, ensures you receive a quick and efficient service from an expert team.

Pricing transparency
The fees for our services are charged on the basis of the time spent at hourly rates for the individuals involved on your assignment (the cost is dependent on the seniority of the person carrying out the work).

We will provide you with an estimate of our fee for the work that we have agreed to undertake on your behalf, prior to work starting. Additional services will be charged at the relevant hourly rates and agreed in advance.

Invoices will be raised throughout the assignment unless otherwise agreed. We do not usually demand settlement of fees until after you have obtained probate and have access to funds in the estate.

Costs incurred on your behalf such as the probate application fee will be added to our charges but are not subject to VAT.

We do not charge fees based on the value of the estate.

Quality of Service
If you’d like to talk to us about how we could improve our service to you, or if you are unhappy with the service you are receiving, please let us know.

We will carefully consider any complaint you make about our probate or estate administration work as soon as we receive it and do all we can to resolve it. We will acknowledge your letter within five business days of its receipt and endeavour to deal with it within eight weeks. If we do not deal with your complaint in this time, or if you are unhappy with our response, you may of course take up the matter with the Legal Ombudsman.

To make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, you must—

1. a) refer the complaint to the Legal Ombudsman no later than:

• one year from the act/omission that forms the basis of your complaint; or
• one year from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint; and

1. b) make the referral to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of the date of our final written response to you.

For more information on our Probate service, please contact James on 01225 785520, send him an email or complete our Probate form.

* Sumer Probate is licensed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales to carry out the reserved legal activity of non-contentious probate in England and Wales. Details of our probate accreditation can be viewed at icaew.com/probate under reference number C011003341.