What Is a Help to Buy Valuation — and How Much Does It Cost in Gloucester?
A Help to Buy RICS valuation is a formal property valuation required by Homes England to establish the current market value of your home before you repay your equity loan. In most parts of the UK, the cost ranges from around £150 to £300, and at Adam Till Valuations we offer competitive, transparent pricing with a Price Guarantee and no hidden fees. Get in touch for a quote.
Why Do You Need a Help to Buy Valuation?
The Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme launched in 2013 and enabled thousands of first-time buyers to get onto the property ladder with just a 5% deposit. The government lent buyers up to 20% of the property’s value (40% in London) as an equity loan, which was interest-free for the first five years. The scheme closed to new applicants in October 2022, with final completions running through to May 2023 — meaning a large number of homeowners across Gloucestershire now hold equity loans that will need to be repaid at some point.
The critical thing to understand about how repayment works is that the equity loan is calculated as a percentage of your home’s current market value, not the original purchase price. So if you borrowed 20% of a £200,000 home and your property is now worth £280,000, you owe 20% of £280,000 — that is £56,000, not the original £40,000. This is exactly why Homes England requires a formal RICS valuation before you can repay: it needs an independent, professionally verified figure for what your home is actually worth today.
There are three main circumstances in which you will need a Help to Buy RICS valuation:
Selling your home — The repayment amount is based on whichever is higher: the RICS valuation or the actual sale price.
Remortgaging and repaying the loan — If you want to pay off the equity loan as part of a remortgage (for example, to consolidate your borrowing or to free yourself from the Help to Buy terms), a valuation is required to establish the repayment figure.
Staircasing — If you wish to repay part of the equity loan and reduce your loan percentage, a valuation is needed to calculate what that portion is currently worth.
In each case, Homes England requires the valuation to be carried out by a RICS-registered surveyor — not an estate agent, not an online tool, and not a mortgage lender’s automated valuation model. The report must comply with RICS Red Book standards and be addressed directly to Homes England.
What Does a Help to Buy RICS Valuation Involve?
The process is more involved than a simple desktop estimate, and that is intentional. Homes England needs to be confident the figure is accurate and independently verified, so the surveyor must physically visit the property.
The inspection typically takes between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on the size and complexity of the home. During the visit, the surveyor will assess the property’s condition, size, layout, and any features or issues that might affect its value. Some photographs will be taken to support the report. The visit is non-intrusive — the focus is on what materially affects value, not on finding faults or problems in the way a full structural survey might.
Ahead of the visit, Adam Till carries out a thorough pre-visit analysis, researching the local market and identifying comparable properties. Per Homes England’s requirements, the report must include at least three comparable property sales from within the last 12 months, all within a 2-mile radius, that are like-for-like in type, size, and age. The surveyor must also provide bespoke market commentary explaining how those comparables justify the valuation figure given.
The finished report is a formal written document produced on headed paper, addressed to Homes England, and supplied as a non-editable PDF. It must meet RICS Red Book standards — the internationally recognised benchmark for property valuations — and be signed and dated by the RICS surveyor who carried out the inspection.
One important practical detail: the report is valid for three months from the date of inspection. If your sale or remortgage does not complete within that window, you will need either a desktop valuation extension (valid for a further three months) or a new full valuation. It is worth timing your booking accordingly — book close to when you actually need it, rather than months in advance.
How Much Does a Help to Buy Valuation Cost in Gloucester?
Across the UK, the cost of a Help to Buy RICS valuation typically ranges from around £150 to £350, depending on the provider, location, and property type. Some larger firms or those based in city centres charge towards the top of this range; smaller, specialist practices tend to offer more competitive rates.
At Adam Till Valuations, we offer clear, competitive pricing from £199 inc. VAT, backed by our Price Guarantee. There are no hidden fees, no add-ons, and no surprises. You will know exactly what you are paying before you book. View our services or get in touch for a personalised quote.
It is worth remembering that the cost of the valuation is not set by the quality or the cost of the provider — it is set by whether the report meets Homes England’s strict criteria. A report from a small local practice that follows all the rules is just as valid and just as accepted as one from a national firm charging twice the price. What matters is RICS registration, Red Book compliance, and local knowledge. There is no need to go to the most expensive provider on the market.
How Long Does the Process Take?
From your first contact to receiving your completed report, the typical timeframe is around 5–10 working days — though in practice it is often faster than that.
Once you get in touch, we aim to arrange an appointment within a few working days of booking, often sooner depending on availability. The inspection itself is booked at a time that suits you; Adam Till Valuations is open Monday to Friday, 8am–7pm, so there is flexibility around work schedules. After the visit, the written report is typically issued within 2–5 working days. In many cases, clients receive their report even faster — some have had their report back within 24 hours of the inspection.
Because the report is only valid for three months, there is a useful planning tip here: avoid booking too far in advance of when you actually need the report. If you are selling, wait until you have a buyer and a solicitor instructed before booking. If you are remortgaging, speak to your mortgage broker first to establish your timeline, then book the valuation to fit.
If the unexpected happens and your three-month window runs out, the original surveyor can provide a desktop valuation extension — either a one-month letter extension or a three-month desktop report — without the need for a full re-inspection, provided it is done within two weeks of the original report’s expiry.
How to Choose a Help to Buy RICS Surveyor in Gloucester
Not all valuers are created equal, and when it comes to a Help to Buy valuation, the stakes are real — an inaccurate or non-compliant report will be rejected by Homes England, leaving you to pay for a new one. Here is what to look for when choosing a surveyor.
RICS registration is non-negotiable. The surveyor must be both RICS-qualified and registered. For Help to Buy: Equity Loan (2021–2023), they must specifically hold MRICS or FRICS status. You can verify any firm’s registration at ricsfirms.com. If a provider cannot demonstrate RICS registration, do not use them.
Local knowledge matters enormously. The accuracy of the valuation depends on the quality of the comparable sales evidence. A surveyor with genuine knowledge of the Gloucester and Gloucestershire property market will know which streets, developments, and property types are genuinely comparable — and which seemingly similar properties are not. Adam Till has over 15 years’ experience working in the local housing market, with deep familiarity across Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud, Tewkesbury, and the surrounding areas.
Read the reviews. For a service where speed and accuracy both matter, what previous clients say is a meaningful guide. Adam Till Valuations has earned 222 five-star Google reviews. Clients consistently highlight fast turnaround, clear communication, and reports that are accepted first time without issue.
Check lender and housing association acceptance. Your report is only useful if the relevant party accepts it. Adam Till Valuations’ reports are accepted by all major lenders and a wide range of housing associations across England.
Which Housing Associations Accept Adam Till's Valuations?
If you are involved with a housing association — whether through Shared Ownership, a staircasing transaction, or an affordable housing scheme — it is important that the association recognises and accepts your chosen surveyor’s reports.
Adam Till Valuations’ reports are accepted by a broad range of housing associations operating across Gloucestershire and the wider South West and Midlands, including: Abri, Alliance Homes, Aster Group, Bromford, CBH, Citizen, Clarion Housing, Cottsway, Curo, GCH, Green Square Accord, Heylo, Home Reach, LiveWest, Peabody, Platform Housing Group, Rooftop Housing Group, Sage Homes, Sanctuary, and Stonewater.
If your housing association is not listed here, please get in touch — in most cases we can confirm acceptance before you book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Help to Buy valuation the same as a survey?
No. A Help to Buy RICS valuation is a formal assessment of your property’s current market value, produced specifically to satisfy Homes England’s requirements when you repay your equity loan. It is not a structural survey. It will not tell you about damp, roof condition, or other building defects. If you want that level of detail, you would need a separate RICS HomeBuyer Report or Building Survey. The Help to Buy valuation focuses solely on establishing an accurate market value.
How long is a Help to Buy valuation valid for?
The report is valid for three months from the date of inspection, as set by Homes England. You must also submit the report to Homes England within five working days of the date it was issued. If your transaction does not complete within the three-month window, you can request an extension — either a one-month letter extension or a three-month desktop valuation report — from the same surveyor who conducted the original inspection.
Can I use any RICS surveyor for a Help to Buy valuation?
You can use any RICS-registered surveyor who meets Homes England’s criteria — meaning they must be RICS-qualified and registered, independent of any estate agent, not related or known to you personally, and willing to produce a report that follows the Red Book standards and includes the required comparables. For the 2021–2023 scheme specifically, the surveyor must be a full member or fellow of RICS (MRICS or FRICS). You are not required to use any particular firm or one recommended by your lender.
What happens if I disagree with the valuation?
If you believe the valuation is inaccurate — for example, because you feel the comparable properties chosen do not fairly represent your home’s value — you have the right to challenge it. The first step is to contact your surveyor and explain your concerns, providing any evidence you have (for example, recent nearby sales that were not included). Adam Till takes challenges seriously and will review the evidence openly. If Homes England itself rejects a report as too high or too low relative to similar properties, a new report will be required.
Do I need a Help to Buy valuation to remortgage?
Only if you are repaying the equity loan as part of the remortgage. If you are simply switching to a new mortgage deal and leaving the equity loan in place, you do not need a Help to Buy valuation. However, if your remortgage involves paying off the equity loan — whether fully or partially — then yes, a RICS valuation is required to establish the repayment amount.
How much is the Help to Buy equity loan worth now?
The current value of your equity loan depends on what your home is worth today. The loan is expressed as a percentage of your property’s value — so if you originally borrowed 20%, you owe 20% of the current market value, whatever that turns out to be. The Help to Buy RICS valuation is precisely the mechanism by which that current value is established. Until a valuation is carried out, the exact repayment figure cannot be confirmed.
Ready to Book Your Help to Buy Valuation in Gloucester?
If you need a Help to Buy RICS valuation in Gloucester or anywhere across Gloucestershire, Adam Till Valuations is here to help. With over 15 years’ local experience, RICS accreditation, competitive pricing, and a track record of fast, accepted reports, we make the process as straightforward as possible.
We are based in Gloucester and cover the whole of Gloucestershire and surrounding areas. You can reach us Monday to Friday, 8am–7pm.
Call us on 07858 916345 or use our contact page to get in touch — we will get back to you promptly and can usually arrange an appointment within a few days of booking.
Adam Till, RICS Surveyor | Adam Till Valuations, Gloucester
Last reviewed: May 2026