MetroLaw Solicitors Limited – Price List

Although we provide a far wider range of services than those below, we are required by our regulators, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), to publish our prices as follows:

(Prices shown below are our prices for standard, and not for overly complex, work in each of the areas, and, typically, cover all the work, and, so, there will, typically, not be any extra fees required

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

For Members of the Public

1) Residential Conveyancing (freehold sale or purchase, leasehold sale or purchase, mortgages and re-mortgages)

Our team has over 55 years of collective experience in delivering high quality work in all matters relating to residential conveyancing. The team has particular expertise in high value properties and multiple purchases.

We have 7 members of the team who may work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by Manesha Stella Fernando, Senior Solicitor, Director and Head of Conveyancing, who has over 8 years of experience in dealing with residential conveyancing.

We are required by the SRA rules to provide price information regarding the conveyance of residential property that is:

• Freehold sale or purchase
• Leasehold sale or purchase
• Mortgages or re-mortgages

However, we provide a much wider range of services to do with residential (and commercial) conveyancing. We are able to assist you if you are a first time investor or even a property investor, We can then give you independent advice in connection with surveys and valuations, mortgages, re-mortgages, deposits, transfers of equity (e.g. in divorce proceedings where the property is transferred from joint names into one of the parties’ name as part of the financial settlement), leasehold matters, estate agent and a number of other features about which you will need to know With vast experience of conveyancing, we offer a wide range of professional legal advice on buying and selling residential property. We also deal with re-mortgages, transfer of equity, plot sales, right to buy and buy to let.

Example: Stages of the process

The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, below are examples of key stages that we include in our fees quoted to clients:

• Take your instructions
• Receive monies on account
• Give you initial advice
• Check that finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender’s solicitors if needed
• Receive and advise on contract documents
• Carry out searches
• Obtain further planning documentation if required
• Make any necessary enquiries of seller’s 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 (Stamp Duty) if the property is in England, or Land Transaction Tax (Land Tax) if the property you wish to buy is in Wales
• Deal with the application for registration at the Land Registry

Factors that would typically increase the cost of our service are, for example, if the legal title is defective or part of the property is unregistered, if we discover building regulations or planning permission has not been obtained, and if crucial documents we have previously requested from you have not been provided

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

Stamp Duty or Land Tax (on purchase)

This depends on the purchase price of your property. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC’s website (https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/calculate-stamp-duty-land-tax/#/intro) or if the property is located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority’s website (https://beta.gov.wales/land-transaction-tax-calculator)

How long will my house purchase take?

How long it will take from your offer being accepted until you can move in to your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 4-12 weeks.

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 4-16 weeks. However, if you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer, between 2 and 6 months. In such a situation additional charges could apply.

2) Probate (uncontested cases with all assets in the UK)

Our team has over 48 years of collective experience in delivering high quality work in all matters relating to probate. The team has particular expertise in high value estates and multiple benefactors.

We have 6 members of the team who may work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by Anupam Sood, a Senior Solicitor, who has over 25 years of experience in dealing with probate matters

We are required by the SRA rules to provide price information regarding probate work in relation to uncontested cases where all the assets are in the UK. This includes both testate and intestate and taxable and non-taxable estates.

However, we provide a much wider range of services to do with probate but we do not provide services to do with associated tax returns.

** Please note that the disbursements can vary and are dependent on various other matters such as the Local Newspaper publishing the advertisement and the amount of copies obtained. In addition, please note that any property transfer fees and disbursements will be additional to those listed above and will be charged in accordance with our property fees and disbursements.

(https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hmrc-tools-and-calculators)

As part of our fixed fee we will:

• Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter
• Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries
• Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
• Obtain the relevant documents required to make the application
• Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms
• Draft a legal oath for you to swear
• Make the application to the Probate Registry on your behalf
• Obtain the Probate and securely send two copies to you
• Collect and distribute all assets in the estate

We will handle the full process for you.

The Small Estates quote is based on the following

• There is a valid will
• There is no more than one property
• There are no more than 5 bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are no more than 3 beneficiaries
• There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
• There is no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
• There are no claims made against the estate

The Medium Estates quote is based on the following

• There is a valid will
• There are no more than 2 properties
• There are no more than 7 bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are no more than 5 beneficiaries
• There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
• There is no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
• There are no claims made against the estate

The Large Estates quote is based on the following

• There is a valid will
• There are no more than 3 properties
• There are no more than 7 bank or building society accounts
• There are no more than 5 different shareholdings
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are no more than 5 beneficiaries
• There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
• There are no claims made 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.

Disbursements include:

Probate application fee of £155.00 plus 2 copies
£104.52 Post in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.

Potential additional costs

If there is no will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there are likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with. We can give you a more accurate quote once we have more information.
If any additional copies of the grant are required, they will cost £0.50 (1 per asset usually).
Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included

How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within the small estate band are dealt with within 8-10 months, medium estates are dealt with usually within 12-14 months and larger estates are dealt with within 14-18 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 4-6 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 8-10 weeks. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 2-3 weeks.

3) Motoring Offences (summary only motoring offences under Part I of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and s89 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984)

Our team has over 73 years of collective experience in delivering high quality work in all matters relating to motoring offences. The team has particular expertise in challenging the police and Crown Prosecution Service in evidence provision.

We have 7 members of the team who may work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by Timothy John Spooner, a Senior Solicitor and our Crime Supervisor, who has over 30 years experience in dealing with motoring offences.

We are required by the SRA to provide price information for assistance regarding summary only motoring offences under Part I of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and s89 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

Unless stated as a specific exclusion, the price displayed includes:

• Considering evidence
• Providing advice in relation to plea and likely sentence
• Where we cannot anticipate the likely sentence, advice on the options available to the court in relation to sentencing
• Where appropriate, advice on whether an exceptional hardship, or special reasons argument should be made
• Representation at a single hearing

The fee does not include:

• instruction of any expert witnesses
• taking statements from any witnesses
• advice and assistance in relation to a special reasons hearing
• advice or assistance in relation to any appeal

The key stages of your matter are based on the presumption that you have entered a guilty plea and have a date for your hearing.

• Meet with your solicitor to provide instructions on what happened
• We will consider initial disclosure, and any other evidence and provide advice
• Arranging to take any witness statements if necessary (this will have an additional cost, of £500 plus VAT per statement)
• We will explain the court procedure to you so you know what to expect on the day of your hearing, and the sentencing options available to the court
• We will conduct any further preparatory work, obtain further instructions from you if necessary and answer any follow up queries you have
• We cannot provide a timescale of when your hearing will take place, as this depends on the court listing for that day
• We will attend court on the day and meet with you before going before the court. We anticipate being at court for [e.g. half a day]
• We will discuss the outcome with you. (If advice is required on appeal, this will carry an additional cost).

4) Employment Tribunals (claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal)

Our team has over 48 years of collective experience in delivering high quality work in all matters relating to employment tribunals. The team has particular expertise in failure to follow proper procedure matters

We have six members of the team who may work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by Anupam Sood, a Senior Solicitor who has over 25 years of experience in dealing with employment tribunal matters

We are required by the SRA to provide price information for assistance regarding claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal at the Employment Tribunal.

Our pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal

Simple case: £3,000.00 – £4,500.00 (excluding VAT)

Medium complexity case: £6,000.00 – £9,000.00 (excluding VAT)

High complexity case: £12,000.00 – £18,000.00 (excluding VAT)

Factors that could make a case more complex:

• If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim
• Defending claims that are brought by litigants in person
• Making or defending a costs application
• Complex preliminary issues such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties)
• The number of witnesses and documents
  If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. if you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer
• Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal

There will be an additional charge for attending a Tribunal Hearing of £750.00 per day (excluding VAT). Generally, we would allow 1-2 days depending on the complexity of your case.

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

Counsel’s fees estimated between £750.00 to £1,200.00 per day excluding VAT (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation)

Key stages

The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:

• Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change)
• Entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached;
• Preparing claim or response
• Reviewing and advising on claim or response from other party
• Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process
• Preparing or considering a schedule of loss
• Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing
• Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents
• Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses
• Preparing bundle of documents
• Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements
• Agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list
• Preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including instructions to Counsel

 

The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.

How long will my matter take?

The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take 18-24 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 36 – 48 weeks. This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.

5) Immigration (excluding asylum)

Our team has over 79 years of collective experience in delivering high quality work in all matters relating to immigration. The team has particular expertise in complex, poorly evidenced, applications for leave to remain.

We have six members of the team who may work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by Anupam Sood, a Senior Solicitor, who has over 25 years of experience in dealing with immigration matters

We are required by the SRA rules to provide price information for the following:

• Applications for naturalisation or registration under the British Nationality Act 1981
• Applications on behalf of European Economic Area (EEA) nationals and their family members under the applicable EEA Regulations or Immigration Rules, including applications for permanent residence, residence cards, and registration certificates
• Applications under the Immigration Rules, including:
  • student and work experience visas
  • visit visas (for tourism, or visiting friends or family)
  • spouse and partners applications, including fiancé(e)s or proposed civil partners
  • applications for work, business or study under the Points-Based System
  • dependent relative and family reunion applications
  • ancestry visas
  • other categories, such as applications on the basis of long residence

However, we provide a much wider range of services to do with immigration such as, but not limited to, asylum applications, statelessness applications, human rights/private life applications, applications for Secretary of State immigration bail, reconsideration and legacy requests, judicial review, such as claims for unlawful detention, and immigration services to businesses (e.g. applications for certificates of sponsorship or confirmation of acceptance for studies), civil penalty notices, applying for a sponsorship licence, certificate of sponsorship, Tier 2, priority service, premium service, Tier 4 sponsorship licence, Tier 5 sponsorship licence, business visitors, investors and entrepreneurs, and landlords’ tenants immigration checks.

Latest Home Office fees may be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table/8-october-2018

(We will first look to signpost you to firms that may be able to manage your matter whilst drawing on public funds. We do not charge a fee to do this. You may instruct us either after having no joy with firms that may draw on public funds or you wish to use our services regardless).

Our quoted fee includes:

• Considering the supporting evidence you have provided
• Attending upon you
• Taking your instructions and providing advice including about the requirements of the Immigration Rules and whether you meet the criteria
• If you do not fulfil certain criteria, advising you whether this can be overcome and how
• Where necessary, helping you obtain further evidence (such as medical records and bank statements), including taking statements of any witnesses
• Discussing your circumstances in detail and confirming whether this is the most appropriate application for you to make and what other options may be available to you
• Preparing your application and submitting it on your behalf
• Advising you on timelines and the outcome of your application and any further steps you need to take

Our fees do not include for attending interviews with you or where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to any appeal. We will quote you separately for this work if you wish to instruct us for this.

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as visa fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. These may include, but are not limited:

• Home Office fees for making the application. You will pay this to the
• Home Office directly as part of the application process
• Immigration Health Surcharge fees
• Interpreters fees (usually not required)
• Independent expert reports e.g. medical experts. These are not required in many cases: we will let you know as soon as possible if we consider an expert report is necessary.
• If there is an interview and we do attend with you, there will be additional disbursements in respect of our mileage/travel expenses.

How long will my application take to be decided by the Home Office?

We cannot guarantee how long the Home Office will take to process your application. Read the current processing times on the Home Office website.

For Small Businesses

6) Debt Recovery (up to £100,00)

Our team has over 48 years of collective experience in delivering high quality work in all matters relating to debt recovery. The team has particular expertise in all aspects of private and commercial civil litigation.

We have six members of the team who may work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by Anupam Sood, a Senior Solicitor, who has over 25 years of experience in dealing with debt recovery matters

We are required by the SRA to provide price information for assistance regarding debt recovery up to £100,000.

Court Claims

These costs apply where your claim is in relation to an unpaid invoice which is not disputed and enforcement action is not needed. If the other party disputes your claim at any point, we will discuss any further work required and provide you with revised advice about costs if necessary, which could be on a fixed fee (e.g. if a one-off letter is required), or an hourly rate if more extensive work is needed.

Anyone wishing to proceed with a claim should note that:

• The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor.
• Interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher banding, with a higher cost.
• The costs quoted above are not for matters where enforcement action, such as the bailiff, is needed to collect your debt.

Our fee includes:

• Taking your instructions and reviewing documentation
• Undertaking appropriate searches
• Sending a letter before action
• Receiving payment and sending onto you, or if the debt is not paid, drafting and issuing claim
• Where no Acknowledgment of Service or Defence is received, applying to the court to enter Judgement in default
• When Judgement in default in received, write to the other side to request payment
• If payment is not received within the time specified, providing you with advice on next steps and likely costs

Matters usually take 10 – 18 weeks from receipt of instructions from you to receipt of payment from the other side, depending on whether or not it is necessary to issue a claim. This is on the basis that the other side pays promptly on receipt of Judgement in default. If enforcement action is needed, the matter will take longer to resolve.

7) Employment Tribunals (defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal)

We are required by the SRA to provide price information for assistance regarding defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal at the Employment Tribunal.

We do not, currently, offer this service.

8) Licensing Applications for business premises (new applications or varying existing licenses)

Our team has over 47 years of collective experience in delivering high quality work in all matters relating to licensing. The team has particular expertise in applications for premises licences and representations against revocation of premises licences.

We have 6 members of the team who may work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by Anupam Sood, a Senior Solicitor, who has over 25 years of experience in dealing with licensing matters

We are required by the SRA to provide price information to businesses in relation to applying for a new premises licence or to vary a premises licence to allow those premises to be used for one or more licensable activities. This means that the rules are limited to two types of applications – applications for a premises licence under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003 and applications to vary a premises licence under Section 34 of the Licensing Act 2003.

The rules are limited to two types of applications as follows:

As shown above under disbursements, additional costs are payable for submitting and advertising the application and these are calculated the licensing application fee is based on the rateable value of the property.. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-licensing-fee-levels)

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as the application fee. We will pay the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. These are:

• Application fee (payable to licensing authority) £TBC*
• Advertising fee £TBC*

*These fees vary depending on the individual premises and where it is located. The fees can on occasion be higher than the ranges given above. We will give you an accurate figure for each item as soon as we are able to do so.

The quoted fee includes:

• Taking your instructions and advising you as to how you can promote the licensing objectives within your application
• Advising you as the type of plans you are required to submit with your application.
• Completing the application form for a new premises licence (including the operating schedule) in accordance with your instructions and submitting this to the local licensing authority alongside suitable plans.
• You must provide suitable plans.
• Providing guidance on the fee levels payable to the licensing authority.
• Preparing copies of the premises licence application for disclosure to the responsible authorities and serving copies of the application on the responsible authorities.
• Drafting the notices advertising the premises licence application and submitting the notice to the local newspaper.
• Arranging with you for you to display the notice(s) advertising the premises licence application and advising as to where and how this should be done by you in order to comply with the requirements of the Licensing Act 2003.
• Providing a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) consent form for signature by a personal licence holder proposed by yourself.
• Checking the licence once granted and correcting any errors with the licensing authority

The fee does not include:

• obtaining suitable plans
• attending pre-consultation meetings with the Licensing Authority or Responsible Authorities, nor their fee for this meeting.
• dealing with or advising you in relation to queries or representations received from either the responsible authorities or other interested parties
• advising on varying the licence
• attendance and representation at a licensing sub-committee hearing of the responsible authority. If representations are received and attendance and representation at a licensing sub-committee is required then we will provide a separate fee estimate for this work which will be charged at an hourly rate

How long will my application take?

Matters usually take 12-16 weeks from receipt of full instructions from you. This is on the basis of the application being relatively straightforward and you being able to provide all the necessary documents promptly. If your matter is more complex, for example, if there is substantial opposition from interested parties, or if there is a delay in receiving the documents we need, it may take longer.

Although the above table shows our typical costs for each application, our normal range of costs for cases of different complexity is as follows:

• Simple application: £2,750 plus VAT (based on 10 hours at an hourly rate of £275 plus VAT)
• Medium complexity: £3,850 plus VAT (based on 14 hours at an hourly rate of £275 plus VAT)
• High complexity: £4,125 plus VAT (based on 15 hours at an hourly rate of £275 plus VAT)

Factors affecting complexity may include whether there is a cumulative impact policy in place, the type and size of the premises, or whether it is in a residential area.

Experience and Qualifications

(Please note all qualified team members have longer experience than just post-qualified experience)