INFORMATION ON THE COSTS OF LEGAL SERVICES
At McDougall McQueen, we pride ourselves on our transparency when it comes to fees. We know how important it is for clients to have a clear understanding of their legal costs from the outset and therefore for the majority of our work we provide our clients with an upfront fixed fee, instead of basing our fees on a solicitor’s hourly rate.
We do not deviate from the following fixed prices, unless in exceptional circumstances.
WILLS & POWERS OF ATTORNEY
Wills:
A Will allows you to provide instructions on how you wish your estate to be distributed. Our team will talk through your instructions, provide advice on the implications of your instructions and, prepare your draft Will. Once you have approved your draft Will we can then arrange your signing appointment. The signing appointment can be carried out in one of our offices or via video call. We shall hold your original Will in our safe and provide you with a copy for your records.
| Single will | £250 + VAT | Total £300 inc VAT |
| Mirror will | £400 + VAT | Total £480 inc VAT |
| Liferent will single | £500 + VAT | Total £600 inc VAT |
| Liferent joint | £750 + VAT | Total £900 inc VAT |
Power of Attorney:
A Power of Attorney document allows you to appoint Attorneys to assist you during life at a time you require help. The Power of Attorney covers points such as assisting with banks, signing deeds and, helping make decisions regarding care. Our team can take instructions and prepare a draft deed for your approval. One of our Solicitors can meet with you to discuss the Power of Attorney and sign the deed and the certificate attached to the Power of Attorney. Like our Wills, this appointment can be carried out in one of our offices or, via video call. We shall write to the Attorneys and have them confirm they are happy to accept the appointment. The Power of Attorney shall be registered, and a copy sent to you. We then write to the Attorneys to advise them of their role and responsibilities as Attorney.
| Single | £350 + VAT+ reg dues | Total £503 inc VAT |
| Joint | £500 + VAT + reg dues | Total £766 inc VAT |
Advance directive:
You may have specific wishes regarding your medical care and an Advance Directive (or Living Will) is an instruction to your medical professional on your wishes. These may be wishes regarding resuscitation or specific medicines you do not wish to be used. Our team can take your instructions and prepare the draft Advance Directive. Once you have approved your draft Advance Directive we can then arrange your signing appointment. Like our Wills and Powers of Attorney, this appointment can be carried out in one of our offices or, via video call. Once the Advance Directive is signed, we would suggest you provide this to your Doctor to ensure it is placed with your medical notes for future reference.
| Single | £75 + VAT | Total £90 inc VAT |
| Joint | £120 + VAT | Total £144 inc VAT |
Family care pack (Will, Power of Attorney, Advance Directive):
We offer a discounted rate for clients wishing to instruct us on multiple matters in relation to Wills and Power of Attorney.
| Single | £550 + VAT + reg dues | Total £743 inc VAT |
| Joint | £850 + VAT + reg dues | Total £1186 inc VAT |
Split title to evacuate survivorship:
In some cases, the survivorship destination within your Title Deed may require to be evacuated. Our team can prepare the Deed for evacuating the survivorship and have same registered with the Registers of Scotland. If your Title Deed is not registered on the Land Register, there are additional outlays to ensure the Deeds meet the criteria for registering with the Land Register. Once registered, you shall be provided with an updated copy of your Title Deed.
| Registered Title | £300 + VAT + £80 | Total £440 |
| Unregistered Title | £500 + VAT + outlays | £600 inc VAT + outlays |
| Single evacuation | £600 + VAT + outlays if registered (£1000 + VAT + outlays if not) | £720 Inc VAT + outlays if registered |
EXECUTRIES
| Core Executry Work | £2000 + VAT | £2400 inc VAT |
| Work if no Will | £1000 + VAT | £1200 inc VAT |
| Additional work from informal writing | £1000 + VAT | £1200 inc VAT |
| Cases where Inheritance Tax Account required | £2000 + VAT | £2400 inc VAT |
| Title Transfer for Heritable Property | £595 + VAT *per property | £714 inc VAT |
| Legal Rights Calculation | £500 + VAT | £600 inc VAT |
| Deed of Variation | £500 + VAT | £600 inc VAT |
| Income Tax and CGT | £2000 + VAT | £2400 inc VAT |
| Estate with international element | £1000 + VAT | £1200 inc VAT |
Plus 2.5% of the Estate for Confirmation.
In addition, there will be outlays including commissary dues, bank charges and registration dues for any heritage.
If an Eik is required, then a further fee of £1000 plus vat £1200 is payable.
COMMERCIAL SERVICES
| Purchase conveyancing | from £1200+ VAT | from £1440 inc VAT |
| Transfer of Title | from £750 + VAT | from £900 inc VAT |
| Remortgage | from £750 + VAT | from £900 inc VAT |
| Commercial Purchase | from £950 + VAT | from £900 inc VAT |
| Commercial Lease Landlord | from £1500 + VAT | from £1800 inc VAT |
| Commercial Lease Tenant | from £1200 + VAT | from £1440 inc VAT |
| Commercial Security work | £950 + VAT | £1140 inc VAT |
PROPERTY SERVICES
Residential Property Sale:
Our fees cover all of the work required to complete the sale of your current property including the marketing of your property, dealing with any offers and subsequent missives, ordering searches, repaying any secured loans and registering any deeds at Registers of Scotland and paying any funds to you.
Outlays are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Registers of Scotland and Search Companies.
The following example shows the fees for a standard £200,000 property sale:
| Max Sale Price | Estate Agency Fees | Legal Fee | Home Report | ESPC | Marketing | Searches, Advance Notice, Discharge |
| £200,000 | £1,600 + VAT | £900 + VAT | £498 inc VAT | £325 inc VAT | £499 inc VAT | £330 inc VAT |
Total inc VAT = £4,638*
*In some cases further searches/outlays such as plans or mining reports may be required. A £30+VAT per person AML/Client onboarding fee will be applicable for every transaction. Your conveyancer will confirm this upon instruction.
In some cases, a Plans Report or other items will also be necessary – Plans Report cost £124
Residential Property Purchase:
We will carry out the whole negotiation process and submit an offer on your behalf. This includes checking the title deeds, examining all relevant searches, drafting the deed that will transfer title to you, preparing the security documentation relative to your mortgage, liaising with your mortgage lender over the release of funds, and generally ensuring that all obstacles to the sale are removed.
On the agreed date, we will transfer the purchase price to the seller’s solicitor, accept in exchange the title deeds and keys to the property and arrange to have the property registered in your name.
The following example shows the fees for a standard £200,000 property purchase:
| Purchase Price | Conveyancing Fee | Registration costs for title and security | LBTT costs from 01 April 2023 | Total inc VAT |
| £200,000 | £995 +VAT | £480 inc VAT | £1,100 | £2,774* |
*Additional Dwelling Supplement is currently 6% of any purchase, there are also tax allowance discounts available for first time buyers and further charges if you are obtaining a mortgage. A £30+VAT per person AML/Client onboarding fee will be applicable for every transaction, Your conveyancer will confirm which will be applicable upon instruction
Discharges of Standard Security following repayment of mortgage loan.
| £200 + VAT + £60-80 registration. |