Property Valuation
Property valuations sit at the heart of almost every significant financial decision – whether that’s securing a mortgage, acquiring an investment, planning for inheritance tax, settling a matrimonial dispute, or buying and selling. Whatever the purpose, the requirement is almost always the same: a valuation carried out by a qualified RICS Registered Valuer.
RICS Valuer Registration is the profession’s quality assurance framework, ensuring that all registered members delivering Red Book valuations meet consistent, rigorous standards. When you appoint an RICS Registered Valuer, you can be confident you are working with a regulated professional who adheres to internationally recognised best practice, operates with full transparency, and delivers credible, high-quality reports.
As an RICS-regulated firm, Geering Chartered Surveyors operates under the profession’s highest standards, giving clients confidence and security in what can be a complex and fast-moving marketplace. Our valuation services cover Devon and Cornwall and encompass a wide range of requirements, including:
Inheritance Tax / Probate
While solicitors and HMRC will often accept an informal market appraisal for inheritance tax purposes, a formal RICS valuation report is frequently necessary – particularly where a share in a property is being valued, where commercial or agricultural land is involved, where development potential exists, where the estate value is at or above the tax threshold, or where there is any element of dispute.
Capital Gains Tax
CGT is charged on the increase in value of certain assets between the date of purchase and the date of sale. In some cases, a valuation is required at a historic base date from which to calculate the gain. We can also advise on the apportionment of sale proceeds between those parts of a property that are subject to CGT and those that are not.
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
SDLT has grown increasingly complex, particularly where mixed-use properties are involved. Different rates may apply to different elements of a sale, meaning a formal apportionment of the purchase price is often required.
Help to Buy
Where a property was purchased under a Government Help to Buy scheme and is being sold, or where the owner wishes to repay the Government loan, a formal RICS valuation is required. Homes England, the scheme’s administrators, have specific requirements that must be satisfied, and we are experienced in meeting these.
Shared Ownership and Staircasing
Whether the interest is freehold or long leasehold, the valuer always reports on 100% of the property’s value. Where an owner is selling their share, the valuation reflects the property as found at the date of inspection. Where the owner wishes to staircase – purchasing an additional share – improvements carried out by the occupier are excluded from the valuation, with the list of excluded works agreed between the homeowner and the Housing Association.
Matrimonial and Expert Witness
Formal valuations are regularly required in matrimonial proceedings and property disputes, where the value of an asset – or any diminution in value – must be independently established. These instructions can be complex, often involving multiple properties or valuations on differing bases and assumptions. We are increasingly appointed as Single Joint Expert, acting for both parties and ultimately reporting to the Court, with full independence from each side.
SIPP Valuations
Commercial property held within a Self-Invested Personal Pension must be valued by an RICS Registered Valuer on acquisition, covering both capital and rental value. Updates are typically required every three years. We liaise directly with the Scheme Trustees, who are our clients for the purposes of agreeing terms and receiving reports.
Charities Act
Charities disposing of property – whether by freehold sale or a lease of more than seven years – are required by law to obtain a Qualified Surveyor’s Report. This must address valuation, marketing advice, and the charity’s best interests. We would also strongly recommend seeking similar advice on acquisitions, even where this is not a statutory requirement. We have particular expertise in ecclesiastical property and have carried out a significant number of valuations of churches and church buildings.
Residential Lease Extensions
Qualifying long leasehold flat owners have a statutory right to extend their lease by 90 years. The premium payable must be calculated in accordance with a statutory formula, and we act for both freeholders and lessees. This has become an increasingly important area: once an unexpired term falls below 80 years, the cost of extension rises sharply, and many mortgage lenders will decline to lend – most require the lease to run for at least 40 years beyond the end of the mortgage term.
Compulsory Purchase Compensation
Public bodies and utility companies hold statutory powers to acquire land and rights over land. We advise landowners and occupiers on their entitlement to compensation, whether arising from the physical acquisition of land or the grant of rights for infrastructure works such as road widening or the laying of services.
Part 1 Compensation
Under the Land Compensation Act 1973, qualifying property owners may be entitled to claim for diminution in value caused by the use of public works – most commonly new roads. Claims are limited to physical factors such as noise, vibration, fumes, smoke, artificial lighting, and the discharge of substances onto land. We can advise on eligibility and the preparation of claims.
Utilities, Easements and Covenants
Beyond compulsory purchase, there are many circumstances in which private individuals need to negotiate the granting or extinguishing of rights – whether for the passage of services, access arrangements, or restrictions on the use of land. We are able to provide independent valuation advice to support these negotiations.
Not sure which applies to you?
If we haven’t covered of the type of valuation you need, or for more information please reach out to us by clicking here and we will do our best to help. If it is something we can’t help with then we will likely be able to signpost you in the right direction.