Antique probate
valuations from £49
HMRC-compliant valuation of home contents, delivered in 2-3 days
No visit required in most cases.
Send us your photos. Our expert
valuers do the rest.
Rated ‘Excellent’ on Google and Trustpilot
Online or in person valuation? Both Available
Swift Values provides probate valuations for antiques and estate contents, either online or in person. Most estates can be valued from photographs, but we can arrange a site visit where the situation genuinely calls for one.
Online Valuation
£49 up to 5 items – £99 for 6 or more
Suitable for around 95% of antiques probate valuations, including furniture, ceramics, glass, silver, pictures, clocks, ornaments, books, collectables and general household antiques.
Most estate items do not need a home visit. Clear photographs usually allow our valuers to identify what is there, assess condition, recognise anything that may need further research, and prepare an HMRC-compliant probate report within 2–3 working days.
In-Person Valuation – from £298
Recommended only for larger, higher-value or more complex estates where a physical inspection would genuinely add value.
This may include substantial collections, important furniture, significant works of art, specialist antiques, large house contents, or items where condition, authenticity, attribution or scale cannot be properly assessed from photographs alone.
What we can value
We provide specialist probate valuations for antiques, collectables and older household items. Whether the estate includes a few inherited pieces or a more substantial collection, our valuers can assess them for HMRC.
ITEMS WE CAN VALUE FOR PROBATE
Georgian & Victorian Furniture
Chests, chairs, tables, bookcases, bureaux, wardrobes and other 18th and 19th-century furniture.
Edwardian & Later Furniture
Early 20th-century, Art Deco, mid-century and traditional household furniture with probate value.
Clocks & Barometers
Longcase clocks, bracket clocks, mantel clocks, carriage clocks, wall clocks and barometers.
Ceramics & Glass
Porcelain, pottery, dinner services, studio ceramics, cut glass, art glass and decorative pieces.
Silver Plate & Metalware
Tea sets, trays, candlesticks, flatware, copper, brass, pewter and other decorative metalwares.
Boxes, Treen & Small Antiques
Tea caddies, writing slopes, sewing boxes, jewellery boxes, carved wood and smaller antique objects.
Collectables & Curios
Militaria, maps, books, rugs, textiles, walking sticks, tribal items and unusual estate pieces.
“Valuations are the biggest single area of risk, accounting for a large part of our compliance checks. You are strongly advised to instruct a qualified independent valuer.”
Source: Inheritance Tax Toolkit, HMRC, Published July 2018
Your probate valuation in 3 easy steps
Swift Values provides a simple, cost-effective way to meet your probate valuation obligations. Here’s how it works:
Take photos
Photograph each piece with your phone. Watch our short guide showing exactly how. No need to list or itemise each piece.
We value the items
Our expert valuers assess everything, drawing on decades of experience and will ask questions if more detail is needed.
Receive your HMRC compliant report
Typically delivered within 2-3 working days and prepared under Section 160 IHTA 1984 – ready to submit with confidence.
See exactly what you’ll receive
Every Swift Values report is a professionally formatted PDF, ready to submit with your probate application. It includes:
Fully illustrated PDF reportHigh-value item breakdown for IHT 407Valuer notes to detail specificsSection 160 compliance statementSigned declaration for IHT400Valuer bio
Trusted by
Why executors choose
Swift Values for antiques
Most executors know antiques can be difficult to judge, especially when older pieces were bought many years ago for significant sums.
Trusted by thousands of executors
Rated ‘Excellent’ on Google. Over 1,000 valuations completed UK-wide.
What’s included in your probate valuation?
Our online antiques valuation starts at just £49 for a few items (up to 5) and £99 for a larger collection (6 or more), which suits the vast majority of estates.
If anything requires specialist input, we’ll tell you early and confirm any additional costs before proceeding. No surprises.
Service
A few items (up to 5)
A larger collection (6 or more)
Price (inc. VAT)
£49
£99
Fair use policy
Is there a limit to what’s covered in our fee?
No. Whether you choose our £49 option for a few items or £99 for a larger collection, you’ll always receive a valuation and a report for everything you submit. Last year, 99% of our valuations were completed at the headline price and needed no further research.
In the 1% of cases that need more work, the only thing that changes is how precise the figure is. Most antiques in an estate are straightforward, but now and then one piece turns out to be something special. If a 15th-century oak coffer worth tens of thousands turns up among the furniture, we’ll still value it within your fee, but the initial valuation may need to be expressed as a wider range, for example, £20,000 to £60,000. That gives you a reliable indication of where the piece sits in the market, but narrowing it further may require more detailed research into its age, maker and originality, comparable auction results or an inspection in person.
If the estate is comfortably below the inheritance tax threshold, a wider range usually makes no practical difference. You can use the top figure and move on. If inheritance tax is due, a narrower figure can make a big difference. For example, further research might narrow a range of £20,000 to £60,000 down to £35,000. Using £35,000 rather than the £60,000 top figure takes £25,000 off the value of the estate, and at 40% inheritance tax that means £10,000 less tax to pay. Our valuer will explain what would be needed to narrow the figure down and what that would cost. You can then decide whether to go ahead. Nothing extra happens without your agreement.
Ready to start your probate valuation?
From just £49. Delivered in 2-3 working days.
HMRC-compliant – guaranteed, or your money back.
Questions? Call the office on 0330 088 4099
Antiques are often one part of a wider estate. See everything we can value for probate, from house contents and jewellery to cars and number plates.
Swift Values FAQs
What types of antiques can you value for probate?
Can antiques really be valued from photographs?
Why are some antiques worth much less than the family expected?
Do you value antique furniture?
How do you value antiques for probate?
Can you value clocks and barometers?
What if I do not know whether something is antique or valuable?
Will my antiques valuation be accepted by HMRC?
Is the £99 antiques valuation enough for a mixed estate?
When would an in-person antiques valuation be needed?
How much does an antiques probate valuation cost?