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Probate valuation of a house: what you need, who can provide it and what it is used for

Probate valuation of a house: GOV.UK says value the estate at the date of death, give an estimate to apply, and attach a professional valuation if you have one.

  • 4 min read
  • Last reviewed 4 November 2026
  • By Your Property Check team

Key answer

A probate valuation is the value of the house on the date the person died. GOV.UK says you must estimate the estate's value to apply for probate, even if no tax is due, and give valuations if it is over the Inheritance Tax threshold. HMRC's house form asks you to attach a professional valuation if you have one.

Part 1 of 9

What a probate valuation is

General information, not advice. When someone dies, the executor or the closest relative must value the estate before applying for probate. The estate includes money, property and possessions. For a house, GOV.UK says assets are valued as at the date of death: you "find out or estimate the value of each on the date the person died". That figure is what people call the probate valuation. It is not the price the house later sells for.

Part 2 of 9

Do you need a professional valuation?

GOV.UK's valuing-an-estate pages draw a line in two steps:

  1. An estimate. Your probate application needs the estimated value of the estate, "even if there's no tax to pay". The same estimate is used to check whether the estate is over the Inheritance Tax threshold.
  2. Valuations, if the estate is over the threshold. GOV.UK says that if the estate is over it, "you'll need to provide valuations for the assets to see how much Inheritance Tax is due".

The HMRC form for houses, land and buildings (IHT405) says only: "If you have a professional valuation, you should attach a copy." So GOV.UK does not say a professional valuation is compulsory in every case, but it expects you to use one where you have it. Whether to pay for one, and which kind, is a question for a solicitor or the HMRC helpline, because the pages we read do not settle it.

Part 3 of 9

The thresholds that decide how careful to be

GOV.UK says no Inheritance Tax is normally due if the estate is below the £325,000 threshold, that the threshold can increase to £500,000 where the home passes to children or grandchildren, and that a spouse or civil partner can add any unused threshold. The standard rate is 40% on the part above the threshold. You may need to report the value even if it is below the threshold. A house valued close to a threshold is the case in which a firm valuation matters most. Our Inheritance Tax checker shows how an estate sits against the thresholds, and our guide to Inheritance Tax on a house has worked examples.

Part 4 of 9

Types of valuation compared

Valuation typeWho provides itWhat GOV.UK says it is used forCost
Executor's estimateThe executor or the person applyingNeeded for the probate application and to check the thresholdNone
Estate agent's opinionAn estate agentNot mentioned on the GOV.UK pages we readNo source gives a price; ask for a quote
Professional valuationA qualified valuer or surveyorAttach a copy to form IHT405 if you have oneNo source gives a price; ask for a quote
Solicitor's helpA solicitorGOV.UK says you can hire one for some or all valuation tasksNo source gives a price; ask for a quote

Part 5 of 9

What is a Red Book valuation?

The RICS Valuation Global Standards, known as the Red Book, are published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. RICS describes them as setting mandatory practices for RICS members undertaking valuation services. A "Red Book valuation" therefore means a valuation by an RICS member done to those standards. We found no GOV.UK page that requires a Red Book valuation for probate, so ask your solicitor whether one is needed for your estate and what it would cost.

Part 6 of 9

Joint owners

GOV.UK sets rules for jointly owned property. For joint tenants, the value is divided by the number of owners and 10% is then deducted from the deceased person's share. A joint tenant with a spouse or civil partner has the value divided by 2. Tenants in common are valued on the deceased person's share only. Scotland has a different deduction. Check which way the house is owned before you value it; see our guide to tenants in common and joint tenants.

Part 7 of 9

Timing

GOV.UK says valuing an estate can take several months, and longer for large or complicated estates. If Inheritance Tax is due, you must report the value within one year using form IHT400, and you cannot apply for probate until you have done so. Tax should normally be paid by the end of the sixth month after the death to avoid interest. These deadlines are why you may want the valuation done early, even though GOV.UK advises waiting for the grant before putting the property on the market. See selling a house in probate.

Part 8 of 9

What if the house sells for something different?

The GOV.UK pages we read do not say what happens if the later sale price differs from the date-of-death value, so we make no claim about it. Ask the solicitor handling the estate, and keep your valuation evidence with the estate papers.

Part 9 of 9

Practical steps

  • Decide with the other executors who will arrange the valuation.
  • Get a written valuation dated to the date of death, from a qualified valuer, and keep it.
  • Use recent sold prices for nearby homes as supporting evidence. The sold prices tool and our free house value check show them.
  • Send form IHT405 with any professional valuation if you report a house to HMRC.

This page is general information, not advice.

Our take

Keep sold-price evidence with the estate papers

Our view: the figure that counts is the value on the date of death, not the later sale price. GOV.UK expects a professional valuation to be attached to form IHT405 where you have one, and a house valued close to a threshold is where it matters most. The common mistake is treating an online estimate as that valuation.

Our free house value check gives a range from real HM Land Registry sold prices with the comparable sales shown, which can work as supporting evidence but does not replace a qualified valuation. The sold prices tool lists completed sales for any postcode.

Check my value

Our opinion, drawn from the facts on this page: not advice and not a forecast. We earn from OfferCheck reports and from introducing sellers to cash buyers, so weigh it with that in mind (see our disclosure). We are not authorised or regulated by the FCA.

Questions, answered

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a professional valuation for probate?
GOV.UK says you must estimate the estate's value to apply, and give valuations if the estate is over the Inheritance Tax threshold. For the house, form IHT405 says to attach a copy of a professional valuation if you have one.
What is a Red Book valuation?
A valuation done to the RICS Valuation Global Standards, which RICS describes as mandatory practices for its members who value property. GOV.UK pages we read do not say one is required for probate.
Can an estate agent provide the valuation?
The GOV.UK pages we read do not mention estate agent valuations. A professional valuation is the kind HMRC asks you to attach if you have it. Ask your solicitor which kind suits your estate.
What if the house is worth less when sold?
The GOV.UK pages we read do not cover this. The probate value is the value at the date of death. Ask the solicitor dealing with the estate how a lower sale price affects any tax.
How much does a probate valuation cost?
No GOV.UK page gives a price, so we do not quote one. Ask each valuer for a written quote before you instruct them.

Where this comes from

Sources

Last reviewed 4 November 2026 by the Your Property Check team. This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. For your own situation, speak to a conveyancing solicitor or another qualified professional.

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