To prepare for a house valuation, ensure the valuer has access to every room and external area, gather supporting documentation (lease, planning permissions, building regulations, EPC, recent works), and present the property tidy but not staged. A RICS valuation is about facts, not first impressions. Over-presenting won’t increase the valuation, but missing documentation, restricted access or undisclosed defects can drag it down. The most useful preparation is removing obstacles to the valuer’s work, not staging the property for an estate agent’s photographs.
This is the second-biggest source of confusion in valuations (after the estate agent vs RICS distinction). Homeowners often prepare for a valuer the way they’d prepare for buyer viewings. They’re different exercises.
Preparation checklist at a glance
| Category | What to do | Why it matters |
| Access | Clear all rooms, loft, outbuildings, garden | Anything not inspected is reported as a limitation |
| Documentation | Gather lease, planning, building regs, EPC | Supports the valuer’s understanding and the figure |
| Recent works | Compile invoices, certificates, warranties | Improvements only add value if documented |
| Presentation | Tidy and clean, but don’t stage | RICS valuations are evidence-based, not impression-based |
| Honesty | Disclose known issues upfront | Withheld information weakens the valuation, not strengthens it |
The access checklist
A valuer can’t value what they can’t see. Anything inaccessible is reported as “not inspected”, which weakens the report.
Internal access
- Every room unlocked and clear enough to walk through
- Loft hatch accessible (clear stored items beneath it)
- Airing cupboards and built-in storage openable
- Consumer unit (fuse board) accessible
- Boiler accessible
External access
- Garage accessible (key available if locked)
- Outbuildings, sheds, workshops accessible
- Garden gates unlocked
- Driveways and paths clear
- Side returns accessible (gates open)
If anything is genuinely inaccessible (a tenanted annexe you can’t enter, a loft with structural issues), tell the valuer beforehand so they can plan around it.
The documentation checklist
This is the part homeowners most often miss. The right documentation supports the valuation; missing documentation can leave value on the table.
Tenure and lease
- Title deeds or Land Registry entry
- For leasehold: lease document, remaining term, ground rent, service charge details
- Any deed of variation, lease extension records, or freehold purchase records
Lease length is one of the biggest single drivers of valuation on flats. A flat with 95 years remaining values higher than the same flat with 75 years remaining, often materially.
Planning and Building Regulations
- Planning permission for any extension, conversion or significant alteration
- Building Regulations sign-off (Completion Certificate)
- For older works without paperwork: Indemnity insurance, if obtained
Unconsented works can be a significant drag on valuation. If you’ve extended without planning, or converted a loft without Building Regs, the valuer needs to know.
Recent works
- Invoices for re-roofing, re-wiring, replacement windows, new heating
- FENSA or CERTASS certificates for replacement windows and doors
- Gas Safety certificates for boiler installations
- NICEIC or NAPIT certificates for electrical work
- Damp treatment warranties
Improvements only add value at valuation if they’re documented. A new boiler with no install certificate is treated very differently from a new boiler with full paperwork.
Energy efficiency
- Current EPC (Energy Performance Certificate)
- Records of cavity wall insulation, loft insulation upgrades, solar panel installations
Help to Buy specific
- Original purchase documents
- Help to Buy reference number
- Any previous valuations
- Mortgage statement showing current loan position
For more on the Help to Buy specifics, see our guide on what a Help to Buy valuation is.
What presentation does and doesn’t matter
This is where the valuation/appraisal confusion bites hardest.
What helps
- Property is clean and tidy enough to inspect properly
- Damp meter readings aren’t compromised by bookshelves against external walls
- Cracks aren’t hidden behind hung pictures
- The loft is accessible without moving heavy stored items
What doesn’t help
- Fresh flowers and coffee brewing
- Repainting before the valuation
- Replacing furniture or staging rooms
- Carefully arranged “lifestyle” details
A RICS valuer assesses the property’s market value using comparable evidence and the building’s actual condition. Staging doesn’t shift comparable evidence, and it doesn’t change condition. The valuer is using their professional judgement, not first impressions.
What hurts
- Hiding known defects (stacked boxes covering damp, repainted ceilings hiding water staining)
- Refusing access to “messy” rooms
- Withholding information about works that lack documentation
These signals reduce the valuer’s confidence and can lead to a more cautious figure.
Specific prep for different valuation types
Help to Buy
Target HCA require three properly evidenced comparable sales. The valuer will need to inspect carefully and may take longer on-site. Have the Help to Buy reference and original purchase price ready.
Probate
The valuation is often “as at” the date of death rather than today. Have the date confirmed, plus any context about works carried out between the death and the inspection (which may be excluded from the valuation as improvements made after the relevant date).
Matrimonial
Where the valuation is instructed jointly, both parties need to agree the access window. The report will be shared, so transparency from the outset prevents disputes about what was disclosed.
Lease extension
Have the lease document and ground rent details ready. The valuer is calculating a premium based on lease length and lease terms; both need precise inputs.
What to discuss with the valuer on arrival
A short briefing helps the valuer enormously:
- Any extensions, conversions or significant alterations
- Recent works (with the paperwork ready to show)
- Any known issues you’d like to be aware of
- Anything unusual about the property (boundary, restrictive covenant, neighbouring development)
This isn’t oversharing; it’s giving the valuer the context they need to produce an accurate, defensible figure.
Why honesty produces a better valuation
Counterintuitive but true: declared issues usually produce a fairer valuation than hidden ones.
A valuer who suspects something is being concealed will value cautiously to protect themselves. A valuer who’s told upfront about a damp issue, a leasehold complication, or a partially-consented extension can investigate properly and produce a defensible figure that reflects what’s actually there.
Survey Hut is based in Altrincham and our RICS Registered Valuers carry out property valuations across the North West. The preparation that helps us help you is access, documentation, and honest disclosure, in that order.
FAQs
Should I declutter before a valuation?
Light tidying is sensible, particularly to give the valuer access to walls, the loft hatch, the consumer unit, and the boiler. Heavy decluttering, replacing furniture or staging makes no difference to the figure.
Does cleaning make the property worth more?
No. A clean property is easier to inspect, but a RICS valuation is based on comparable evidence and the building’s condition. Cleanliness doesn’t shift either of those.
What documents should I have ready?
At minimum: title deeds or lease, planning permission and Building Regs sign-off for any extensions, FENSA certificates for replacement windows, Gas Safety certificate for the boiler, current EPC, and invoices for any significant recent works.