Fixed Fee Divorces

John Fowlers LLP now offer fixed fee divorces, so that you can be sure of the total costs at the outset.

Petitioner - £995 including VAT and expenses (known as disbursements) as follows:

Our fees (inc. VAT) £610.00

Court Petition Fee £340.00

Decree Absolute Fee £ 45.00

Total £995.00

Respondent - £500 including VAT

What is included in the fixed fee?

  1. Your initial consultation.
  2. Correspondence with you and with your former spouse's or their solicitors in respect of the divorce.
  3. Drafting your divorce documentation:

Petitioner:

Divorce petition

Statement of Arrangements for Children

Reconciliation Certificate

Application for directions for trial of petition

Affidavit in support of petition

Application for Decree Absolute

Decree Absolute

Respondent:

Preparing acknowledgement of Service

4. Checking Court papers:

Certificate of Entitlement to Divorce

Decree Nisi

Decree Absolute

What is not included?

  1. The costs involved in acting for you should the Respondent decide to defend the divorce proceedings.
  2. The fees charged by a process server should it be necessary to arrange for divorce papers to be personally served on the Respondent.
  3. The cost of amending the divorce papers after they have been lodged with the Court. As examples, this may arise if you wish to allege different grounds for the divorce or where you wish to add new allegations of unreasonable behaviour.
  4. If you are the Respondent, the cost of applying to the Court on notice for Decree Absolute.
  5. Dealing with any issues relating to children, property, finances or domestic violence, including any hearings ordered by the Court under section 41 Matrimonial Clauses Act 1941.
  6. The fee charged by the church or by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages for a certified copy of your marriage certificate. This is usually £7.50.
  7. Fees charged by a commissioner for oaths or another solicitor for swearing an affidavit in support of the divorce petition.
  8. The cost involved in tracing your former spouse if you do not know where they are living.
  9. The cost of any applications for deemed or substituted service of the Petition or omitting your address from the Petition.
  10. Representing you at Court in respect of your divorce.
  11. Enforcing costs orders against your former spouse.
  12. Defending any claims for costs made against you by your former spouse.

What if I decide not to go ahead with the divorce after work has begun?

We will charge you for the work done at our standard hourly rate, which is currently £165 plus VAT for family work, plus any disbursements incurred. Your bill in these circumstances will not exceed the fixed fee and may be considerably less!

When do I pay?

If you are the Petitioner, we will ask for £100 at our first meeting. If you wish to go ahead with the divorce after this, we will ask for a further £300 to prepare the petition. When the divorce petition is ready to be issued at Court, we will ask for another £345. Finally, we will ask for the remaining £250 when the Decree Nisi is pronounced.

If you are the Respondent, we will ask for £100 at our first meeting. The other £400 will be required on pronouncement of the Decree Nisi.

Please note that in the event of the Court fees being increased by HM Courts Service, John Fowlers LLP will increase the fixed fee by the same amount.

What if there is a costs order against my former spouse?

Any costs recovered will be deducted from your fixed fee. However, you are ultimately responsible for the payment of this fee in the event that your former spouse fails to comply with any costs orders made. An additional fee will be charged if you require us to undertake work to enforce a costs order.

Can you still help me if there are disputes about property, children, finances or domestic violence?

The family team at John Fowlers LLP has a wealth of experience in these areas. Due to their complexity, it is not possible to deal with these matters on a fixed fee basis. If you want us to deal with such issues, we will always give you an estimate of the costs that you are likely to incur at the start of your matter, and regular updates as the case progresses.

I already have a financial agreement with my former spouse, but need a solicitor to deal with the paperwork.

Our family team would be delighted to help you in ensuring that the agreement is recorded in a Consent Order or Deed of Separation. If you want us to deal with the paperwork, we will always give you an estimate of the costs that you are likely to incur at the start of your matter, and regular updates as the case progresses, although in some cases we may be able to agree a fixed fee.

If you would like us to take on your divorce on a fixed fee basis, or wish to discuss any other issues, please contact Sheila Crosby, Marisa Brennan or Alison Hosking in our Family department on 01206 576151.  Alternatively you can e-mail sheila@johnfowlers.co.uk, marisa@johnfowlers.co.uk or alisonh@johnfowlers.co.uk.