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Green leather desk with a 1937 Coronation souvenir programme, old binoculars, a leather camera case and an ashtray

Advice and guides

Plain guides from the saleroom, for families clearing a home, executors and anyone thinking of selling.

  • Long terrace of brick cottages with clay chimney pots and green doors at dusk

    House clearance

    Clearing a parent’s home after a death

    A calm, step-by-step guide for families in England and Wales: what to do first, what should wait for probate, valuing the contents and clearing the house.

    Last checked 13 October 2026

  • Brass-rimmed magnifying glass on a polished mahogany table, with an ornate bronze lamp base at right

    Valuations

    Probate valuations explained

    What HMRC needs for house contents: open market value at the date of death, when a professional valuation helps, and how auction results are treated.

    Last checked 13 October 2026

  • Pilkington's Royal Lancastrian vase in a rich blue glaze on black velvet

    Selling

    How selling at auction works

    From free valuation to sale day: lot fees, commission, VAT on the commission, reserves, and what happens to items that don’t sell.

    Last checked 13 October 2026

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