RICS Help to Buy Valuation
Help to Buy Equity Loan Repayment
If you are repaying all or part of your Help to Buy Equity Loan, you will need an independent market valuation of your property.
Yellow Brick Surveyors provides Help to Buy valuations carried out by an RICS Registered Valuer and prepared in accordance with the applicable RICS valuation standards and Help to Buy requirements.
We provide Help to Buy valuations across Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Southampton, the New Forest and surrounding areas of Dorset and Hampshire, together with selected areas of South East and East London.
What’s Included:
• Internal and external inspection of the property for valuation purposes
• Valuation carried out by an RICS Registered Valuer
• Research into relevant comparable property sales
• Independent assessment of current market value
• Formal written valuation report
• Report prepared for Help to Buy Equity Loan purposes
• Fast turnaround available
Why Do I Need a Help to Buy Valuation?
If you are repaying your Help to Buy Equity Loan, either in full or in part, the amount you repay is linked to the current market value of your property.
An independent valuation is therefore required as part of the redemption or staircasing process. The valuation must meet the requirements applicable to the Help to Buy scheme and be prepared by an appropriately qualified valuer.
Our valuation provides an independent assessment of the property's market value as at the valuation date.
What Happens During the Valuation?
We inspect the property for valuation purposes and consider its type, size, age, location, accommodation and other relevant characteristics.
Following the inspection, we research appropriate comparable market evidence and use this, together with our professional judgement, to assess the property's market value.
The completed valuation report is then provided to you for use as part of your Help to Buy Equity Loan repayment process.
Your Help to Buy Valuation
A straightforward valuation process
✓ Send us your property details and tell us whether you are redeeming or staircasing your Equity Loan
✓ We confirm the fee and arrange the valuation inspection
✓ Your property is inspected by an RICS Registered Valuer
✓ We research relevant comparable sales evidence
✓ Your formal valuation report is prepared
✓ Your report is sent directly to you
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Help to Buy valuation?
A Help to Buy valuation is an independent assessment of the current market value of your property. It is required when you are repaying all or part of your Help to Buy Equity Loan, as the amount to be repaid is linked to the property's current market value.
Who can carry out a Help to Buy valuation?
Homes England requires the valuation to be carried out by an appropriately qualified and registered RICS valuer who is independent of the estate agent and is not related or known to the homeowner. Yellow Brick Surveyors' Help to Buy valuations are carried out by an RICS Registered Valuer.
What does the valuation involve?
We carry out an internal and external inspection of the property for valuation purposes. We then research relevant comparable sales and consider the property, its location and the current market before preparing the formal valuation report.
Homes England currently requires at least three suitable comparable properties and sale prices from the previous 12 months, with specific criteria applying to those comparables.
How long is a Help to Buy valuation valid for?
A Help to Buy valuation report is currently valid for 3 months from the date it is produced. Homes England also requires the report to be sent to them within 5 days of issue, so it is important to arrange your valuation at the appropriate stage of the repayment process.
Can I use an estate agent or mortgage valuation?
No. Homes England has specific requirements for the market valuation used to repay a Help to Buy Equity Loan. The valuer must meet its RICS requirements and be independent of the estate agent. A valuation prepared for bank or mortgage purposes is not accepted for this purpose.
How quickly will I receive my valuation report?
We aim to provide a fast turnaround following the inspection and completion of the necessary market research. We will confirm the expected turnaround when arranging your valuation.
What's the difference between a survey and a valuation?
A valuation establishes the market value of a property for a specified purpose and date. A Level 2 Home Survey or Level 3 Building Survey provides a more detailed assessment of the property's physical condition and defects. If you need both, please let us know and we can advise on the appropriate services.
How much does an RICS property valuation cost?
Our Help to Buy valuation fees start from £265, with no VAT to add. The fee will depend on the property and valuation requirements. Contact us with the property address and we'll confirm the fee and availability before arranging the inspection.
Which areas do you cover?
Our Help to Buy valuation fees start from £265, with no VAT to add. The fee will depend on the property and valuation requirements. Contact us with the property address and we'll confirm the fee and availability before arranging the inspection.
If you also need a survey of the property's condition, see our Level 2 Home Survey and Level 3 Building Survey pages.