For solicitors handling probate, accuracy is everything. While property and financial assets are usually straightforward, household contents often prove far trickier.
From jewellery and antiques to everyday furniture, executors are required to submit a fair market valuation as of the date of death, which is easier said than done.
The Survey – Just How Wrong People Get It
To test how well the public understands probate values, Swift Values carried out a national survey of 250 adults. The results were stark: across everyday items like a sofa, clock, ring, iPad and washing machine participants got the correct probate value less than 19% of the time.
One of the clearest examples was a £6,250 diamond ring. For probate purposes its true open-market value was around £1,250, yet more than 90% of respondents guessed far higher. Similarly, a John Lewis sofa bought only six months earlier was thought to be worth several hundred pounds, when in reality its resale value was closer to £100. Even an ordinary Bosch washing machine, valued by most at £200–£400 is worth no more than £40 for probate purposes.
These consistent overestimations matter, because every pound added in error could mean 40p in unnecessary inheritance tax.
Why People Misjudge Probate Value
The main source of error is confusion between probate value and other measures of worth. Under Section 160 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984, probate requires the open-market value on the date of death — essentially, what a willing buyer would pay on that day. Many people instead look to insurance values, retail prices or the original purchase cost, all of which are usually far higher. Sentiment plays a role too as families often assume jewellery or antiques have retained their worth, when in reality this is not the case. HMRC are looking for the values that an item would fetch at a local auctions house, on eBay or even via Facebook marketplace.
The Solicitor’s Dilemma
For solicitors, household contents often fall into a grey area. They are essential to the estate account, yet time-consuming to address and rarely straightforward. Without specialist input, it’s difficult to know whether a family’s estimates are defensible or dangerously inflated. That leaves solicitors at risk of delays, disputes, or even liability if HMRC or beneficiaries later challenge the figures. At the same time clients expect some guidance, making personal possessions a burden without a seemingly easy answer.
How Solicitors Can Help Clients Help Themselves
The simplest way to manage this issue is to direct clients towards a professional valuation service at the outset. By doing so, solicitors remove guesswork from the process while giving clients a clear path forward.
With Swift Values, executors can upload photographs, check out online, and receive an HMRC-compliant report within days which ready to attach directly to the IHT407 form.
Services start from online single-item checks at £25 through to remote house contents valuations for £99, with in-person visits available for larger or more complex estates. This scalable approach ensures every asset is assessed appropriately. Clients can check out online and talk through any queries with us, taking the whole process off your hands entirely.
The Benefits for Solicitors
Encouraging clients to obtain a professional valuation brings immediate advantages. It reduces administrative back-and-forth, ensures accuracy and minimises the risk of later disputes.
Independent, HMRC-accepted reports provide a defensible position if challenged, while the online process keeps cases moving smoothly. In short, solicitors save time, reduce liability, and deliver reassurance to clients.
A Simple Way Forward
Probate is complex enough without household items adding uncertainty. By guiding clients towards a professional valuation, solicitors can simplify their workload, protect families from unnecessary tax, and ensure estates are settled fairly.
This article was submitted to be published by Swift Values as part of their advertising agreement with Today’s Wills and Probate. The views expressed in this article are those of the submitter and not those of Today’s Wills and Probate.
