Probate house contents valuation · UK

Probate House Contents Valuation

Probate valuations for household contents — furniture, silver, jewellery, pictures and general effects assessed at Open Market Value for form IHT407.

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Typical market fee

£100–£300 per visit

Valuation basis

Open Market Value

Documentation

Evidence-based report

The essentials

What Is a Probate House Contents Valuation?

A probate contents valuation covers furniture, pictures, silver, ceramics, jewellery, books and other household effects. These assets are included at Open Market Value. Form IHT407 requires jewellery worth £1,500 or more per item to be listed separately and has distinct sections for vehicles, antiques, art and collections; the £1,500 figure is not a universal professional-valuation threshold for all contents.

A token or nil figure may be difficult to support for a furnished home, while original purchase prices and insurance replacement figures may overstate what ordinary contents would fetch on the open market. Use a realistic total with evidence proportionate to the estate.

A generalist valuer can work room by room, identify potentially valuable items, refer specialist assets where necessary, and produce a grouped Open Market Value for ordinary contents. The resulting inventory can be aligned with the categories on IHT407.

For an overview of when professional input may help and the current HMRC guidance across estate assets, see our complete guide to probate valuations.

Executor protection

Why a Professional House Contents Valuation Matters

The value in house contents is not always where families expect it. Modern furniture and electricals may have modest second-hand value, while an overlooked picture, jewellery or silver can be more significant. A professional screening can help identify outliers without implying that every possession needs a separate formal report.

Schedule IHT407 has separate fields for jewellery, vehicles, antiques, works of art, collections and other household goods. A contents inventory can follow those categories and provide a reasonable aggregate for ordinary effects.

An inventory can also help a family decide what may need specialist sale advice, what can be cleared and what beneficiaries may wish to keep at an agreed value. Any sale or clearance service should be considered separately from the independent valuation.

Specialist scope

What Gets Valued

Complete household contents, room by room
Furniture, pictures and mirrors
Silver, plate and metalware
Ceramics, glass and decorative items
Jewellery, watches and small valuables
Books, collections and memorabilia
Garage, shed and outbuilding contents
General household effects (grouped residue)

Official guidance

HMRC Rules for House Contents Valuations

IHT407 requires each jewellery item worth £1,500 or more to be listed separately, vehicles to be identified in their own section, and separate details for antiques, art and collections. Other household goods can be covered by a reasonable aggregate Open Market Value with evidence proportionate to the estate.

Open Market Value for household contents is the price the goods might reasonably fetch on the open market at the date of death, not replacement cost. A realistic grouped figure helps the estate report the statutory value accurately; it is not a guaranteed tax-saving device.

From inspection to report

The House Contents Valuation Process

The valuer visits the property and works through every room, including lofts, garages, sheds and outbuildings. Anything of potential individual value — silver, jewellery, pictures, clocks, collections — is examined, photographed and assessed separately. The general contents are recorded room by room and valued as grouped lots, the way they would realistically be sold.

Where the visit uncovers items needing deeper specialist input — a painting of real significance, a valuable watch, a classic car in the garage — the valuer flags them and a category specialist is brought in for that item alone, so the estate pays for specialist expertise only where it is justified.

A completed contents report should identify significant items, record relevant descriptions and photographs, and provide a grouped Open Market Value for ordinary contents in a format that supports the applicable schedules. Turnaround varies with the property, research and provider capacity, so confirm it in writing.

Typical market fee

£100–£300 per visit

Indicative UK market rates. Valuers set their own fees and will quote for your items.

How Much Does a House Contents Valuation Cost?

Fees vary with the item, location, inspection method, research and report scope. Ask for a written quote showing VAT, travel and any follow-up work, and expect a reduced per-item rate where several pieces are assessed in one appointment.

The estate bears the cost, not the executor personally — a properly incurred valuation fee is ordinarily paid from estate funds. Note that HMRC does not allow estate administration fees, including valuation fees, to be deducted when calculating Inheritance Tax. What does affect the tax figure is using Open Market Value rather than a higher insurance figure.

View Full Cost Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

01What is the average value of house contents for probate?

Household contents vary widely, and second-hand furniture and electricals often fetch less than families expect. Value may instead sit in jewellery, silver, pictures, clocks or collections. Form IHT407 requires jewellery worth £1,500 or more per item to be listed separately, as well as separate details for vehicles and other categories covered by the form. Use a realistic, evidence-based figure rather than assuming a furnished home has no value.

02Do I have to value house contents for probate?

Household and personal goods form part of the estate and must be included at Open Market Value. Where an IHT400 is required, form IHT407 asks for category details: each jewellery item worth £1,500 or more is listed separately, vehicles are listed individually, and the form has separate sections for antiques, art and collections. Attach a professional valuation if one was obtained. Other contents can be reported using a reasonable, evidence-based total.

03Can house contents be valued in a single visit?

A provider may be able to screen ordinary contents room by room in one visit, while significant art, jewellery, vehicles or unusual collections may need separate specialist input. Ask what areas and categories the visit includes, its expected duration, how specialist referrals work and whether each resulting report has a separate fee.

Related Valuations

Probate Antiques Valuation

Typically £100–£300 per visit

Probate Estate Valuation

Typically £350–£1,600 per estate

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