Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

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Good job Im luckylol

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With solicitors costing about 150-200 per hour, it looks like the firm was going to bill you for about 3-4 hours work plus disbursements.

So a reasonable quote, really. But it does show you how, if you can be bothered to try to do some of these things for yourself, just how much money you can save.

Of course, if whatever it is goes a bit awry, then you will always be able to fall back and use the professional later......

It's not the top man in the practice who does the work all the time, even though that's what the charge seems to indicate. Nevertheless, he/she will at least oversee/manage the underlings who do most of the nitty gritty work.

Comparing the high cost of the simple probate job, as it actually turned out to be, with a typical purchasing conveyance at, say 500-750, then it does seem a bit OTT to me. I'd be up for the DIY effort myself.

Hi mnamreh,

I agree as everything is relative. I would draw a line at operating on myself.
I cant even figure out a TV remote control, and my DIY is about the same standard as Micheal Crawfords in 'Some mothers do have em'.
It is always a degree of discussion as to what is a professional worth.
Take that surgeon for example, it is difficult to put a price on saving a life as you could rightly ague that a life is always more valuably than money. But should that mean that they can 'name their price' I think not.
This is not knocking surgeons, as I do believe that many professionals are worth their large salaries, due to a combination of their skill, and the time and work it has taken them to reach the very high standards that most of them have.
All I was trying to show was that often people are worried, frightened at having a go.
As to "if only law wasn't created for the police to uphold, from where would your cosy lifestyle emanate". I have no augment with that and can't even see how that is relevant to my post.
As you say, a lay person can always miss something and I admit to being surprised when it was confirmed every detail had been submitted correctly.
The main things that can be missed by a lawman are the same things that a solicitor could miss, for example a bank account or not including a valuable item.
Even if solicitors deal with probate they still require someone, usually a close family member to find and supply them with all the details, bank accounts and the like.
They can't include something they are not informed about.

Kayak,

Agree re their overheads, but 600 still appears steep. As to keeping records and the letter. Firstly I agree there is no need for a letter, but I will be keeping a copy for at least 7 years as advised.

I have been the executor twice now. Once for my father and once for an aunt. They both had wills and doing the probate work was very simple. The forms are very easy to fill in. What takes the time is the gathering of all the paperwork and getting information from banks, pension companies, life insurance and coming to a total valuation of the entire estate. Both of the wills had multiple inheritors and one had pensions from foreign countries. It just take a bit of time.

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I am doing Lasting Power of Attorney forms for 'Property and Financial Affairs' and 'Health and Welfare' for each of my in-laws at the moment. The forms are on a government website. The cost of a solicitor doing this is quite high. Children should encourage their parents to do this.

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Mnamreh,

You say, "My sentence regarding your lifestyle was crass and inappropriate, not at all relevant and for this I apologize".
No prob at all.
1 I am thick skinned.
2 Lost count of the number of times, I have posted comments then regretted same.
I have an impulsive nature, which does not help.

Appreciated, all the same.

Whilst we are talking about being paid for skill/talent.
Although retired, I am thinking of a part time job that brings satisfaction and money.
I am thinking of advertising my talents as a Sex Therapist. Hands on approach obviously.
I asked my wife if I should do this for free, or make a charge equal to my talents and experience.
She advised me to do it for free, to save giving refunds.
Now that 'Was Cutting'.

Michael Schumacher could have killed Rubens Barrichello yesterday when he deliberately tried to push him into a concrete wallthe most dangerous deliberate manoeuvre I have ever seen in F1 if this had been filmed on one of our roads Schumacher would have got prisonthe fcuking idiot was still unrepentanthe received a penalty drop of 10 grid positions at the drivers next eventhe really needed a drop off Beachy Head

No - you got it wrong, tab. As he said, it was clear he was moving to the right to allow Barrichello through on the left....!! IMO should have been black flagged immediately.

lol...

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NamrehI have watch Schumacher many times try to bully and kill Damon Hill come to that quite a few other driverincluding Jacques Villeneuve and his own brother
Off the track he does fantastic work for a number of charities.. donates a lot of his wealth and is a different person .put him in a car.and he is brain dead!
Tifosi?.Brazilians speak Portuguese not Italianor was that a trick question.and yes he is one of the nicest drivers

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Namrehyou are the masterI werent trying to be picky.

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do i detect an edit ? i think i do!
regards
jkd

Just how (some of) the other half live......!!!