Rip off Solictor charges for probate
I saw an article in the Guardian’s Jobs and Money section recently which stated that, in the UK, probate fees on a simple estate (they gave the example of family home and bank account) should be in the region of UK£400 (€560).
For years, in Ireland, we accepted very high legal fees on conveyancing (I was once quoted 2% of the house price, by my parents trusted family solicitor), but consumer pressure has forced the price of this service right down.
3% on a standard probate is just outrageous, especially considering the rise in house prices over the past ten years.
The moral of the story is shop around for the best fixed price. A percentage fee is a nonsense.
All solicitors are trained to the same high standard, and are covered by professional indemnity insurance, so don’t be fooled by the “you get what you pay for” standard argument.
Solicitors like Dermot Deane and the panel at ezhome.ie have shown that you can get quality conveyancing without paying extortionate fees.
The same thing applies to probate.