Probate and Estate Management

Easterbrook Eaton Ltd can assist in all stages of Probate and Estate Management. We appreciate how difficult it can be when somebody passes away, and we aim to provide a professional and caring service to ease the burden of the probate and estate process.

Whilst we can deal with the whole process of Probate and Estate administration, we can also assist in specific areas, or do as little or as much as you wish in a tailored service.

We offer a range of fees, including fixed fees, and will provide n estimate to you upon initial engagement. We will also keep you up to date throughout on our fees and the process itself, in what can be a long process. Our fees vary according to the service provided. We charge on a time costing basis (hourly rate). We do not charge a round percentage of estate values as that is not reflective of the work involved. Price transparency is something that we want to reassure our clients with at all times.

The timescale of the Probate application can vary for many reasons, including the nature of the assets in the estate, the size of the estate and if there is a requirement to report or pay inheritance tax. Simple probate cases without inheritance tax will be a lot quicker and could be as soon as 4-6 months from the date of death.

There are also disbursements that the estate will need to pay. Typically these are probate application fees of £300 and copies of the Probate forms at £16 each. We would usually advise clients to put a statutory notice in the newspapers for claims against the estate, which vary in price but are typically £400-4500 for the London Gazette and the relevant local paper (Sidmouth Herald etc.).

Details of our pricing and a guide to timings for our work can be found here:

Price and timimgs guide

We take pride in our probate work and feel we can make a real difference in helping people in what is often a difficult and emotional time. If, however, you do not feel satisfied with our service, our complaints policy can be found here:

Complaints procedure

We are Licensed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & 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 www.icaew.com/probate under reference number C001002600.

Probate regulations can be accessed at www.icaew.com/regulations.

Download our probate factsheet

Diversity Policy and Results

As part of our regulation with the ICAEW we conduct a bi-annual diversity questionnaire, the latest being run at the end of March 2025.

The results of our 2025 survey are very similar to those of both 2023 and 2021, due to a stable workforce and low staff turnover. When vacancies arrive, we encourage applicants from all backgrounds. Our office has an even gender mix and a broad range by age profile. The results reflect and mirror the demographic profile of this area of East Devon.

We are committed to promote a workplace based on equality and diversity, for staff at all levels and roles in the firm, and we take this ethos into all dealings with clients and other professionals in our business.

Full results can be found here: