Probate & Chattels Valuation Specialists

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Probate & Chattels Valuations Littlestone-on-Sea

Dealing with probate can feel overwhelming, especially when chattels, antiques, or collections are involved. At FEAC Legal, we provide HMRC compliant probate valuations for Littlestone-on-Sea families, solicitors, and executors. Whether you’re handling a simple estate or a large rural property, we offer sensitive, timely, and accurate valuations across Kent.

How Does It Work?

Step 1: Book Your Valuation

For a personal quote or to book a probate valuation service, please get in touch with us.

Phone: 07984 733931

Email: admin@feaclegal.co.uk

Step 2: Schedule Your Valuation

Once your appointment is confirmed, our team of professional valuers will arrive promptly at 9:00 AM on the scheduled day. They will conduct the valuation thoroughly and take the necessary time to ensure an accurate and comprehensive assessment.

Note! We can collect keys if you are unable to attend the property, or, you can post them to our head office.

Step 3: Receive Your Report

Once the valuation at your property is complete, our valuers will return to head office to prepare a detailed probate report. This report will be finalised and emailed to you in PDF format within 5 working days of your initial appointment. You can then print and distribute as many times as needed to the appropriate parties.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Probate Services In Littlestone-on-Sea

  • Full chattels and household contents valuation for probate and inheritance tax
  • HMRC Inheritance tax compliant documentation.
  • Asset recovery service included.
  • Flexible key collection and postal services for clients unable to attend in person, including those abroad or with busy schedules
  • We can also offer full house contents clearance.

Why Choose Us?

  • We are a family run business who have been operating for over thirty years.
  • Our expert valuers have constant training in antique, fine jewellery, and specialist items. Making them the most knowledgable and best in the business.
  • We cover the whole of the UK and Scotland.
  • We work closely with over eighty solicitors throughout the UK.
  • We have never had a report rejected by HMRC.
  • We offer transparent, competitive pricing with no hidden fees.

Ready To Get Started?

Contact us today for probate and chattels valuation in Littlestone-on-Sea and across Kent.
Call 07984733931 or email admin@feaclegal.co.uk.

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How to Value Software Assets in Estates

Software assets are an increasingly common — and often undervalued — component of modern estates. From bespoke applications and licensed software to SaaS platforms and proprietary code, software can represent substantial intellectual property, ongoing income and transferable commercial value.
Because software is intangible, rights-based and frequently tied to contracts or platforms, it requires a specialist approach to probate valuation to ensure HMRC compliance and fair distribution.

With over 12 years of specialist probate valuation experience across England, Scotland and Wales — and with zero HMRC rejections — FEAC Legal regularly values software assets for estates ranging from individual developers to complex, multi-asset digital portfolios.

What Counts as a Software Asset in Probate?

Software assets in an estate may include:

  • Bespoke or proprietary software
  • Mobile or desktop applications
  • SaaS platforms or subscriptions
  • Source code repositories
  • Licensed software with transferable rights
  • Plugins, extensions or modules
  • Databases and backend systems
  • Automation tools or scripts
  • Software tied to online businesses
  • APIs or middleware solutions

If the software has resale value, licensing potential or generates income, it must be considered in the probate valuation.

Why Software Assets Must Be Included in Probate Valuations

Software impacts probate valuations because it:

  • Constitutes intellectual property (IP)
  • May generate ongoing or residual income
  • Can significantly increase estate value
  • Is often separable from physical assets
  • Must be declared to HMRC where financially relevant

Executors are legally responsible for identifying and declaring all estate assets — including intangible software holdings.

Step 1: Establishing Ownership and Rights

The first and most critical step is confirming who owns the software.

A professional valuation determines:

  • Whether the deceased owned the IP outright
  • Whether code was created as an employee or contractor
  • Whether rights were assigned to a company or client
  • Joint ownership or contributor agreements
  • Open-source licences affecting ownership or value

Only the portion of software legally owned by the deceased can be included in the estate valuation.

Step 2: Identifying All Software Locations and Repositories

Software assets may be spread across:

  • Personal computers and servers
  • Cloud hosting environments
  • GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket repositories
  • SaaS dashboards and admin panels
  • App stores
  • Third-party hosting platforms
  • Client systems (under licence)

FEAC Legal’s free asset recovery service helps identify overlooked software assets and access points before accounts are closed or data is lost (see our Asset Recovery service).

Step 3: Reviewing Income and Commercial Use

Where software has been monetised, valuers examine:

  • Subscription revenue
  • Licensing fees
  • Support or maintenance contracts
  • Advertising income
  • In-app purchases
  • Enterprise client agreements

Consistent, documented income strengthens value. HMRC expects valuations to be based on evidence, not estimates.

Step 4: Assessing Ongoing Viability and Dependency

Not all software has equal transferable value. Valuers assess:

  • Dependency on the deceased’s personal involvement
  • Documentation quality and maintainability
  • Automation vs manual oversight
  • Update and support requirements
  • Compatibility with modern systems
  • Customer or user concentration risk

Software that can operate independently of the creator typically holds higher probate value.

Step 5: Understanding Licensing and Contractual Restrictions

Software value is often governed by contracts, including:

  • End-user licence agreements (EULAs)
  • Subscription terms
  • Transferability clauses
  • Termination on death provisions
  • Platform or app-store rules

A probate valuation must reflect realistic open-market value, accounting for what can legally be transferred or sold.

Step 6: Valuation Methodologies for Software Assets

There is no single formula for valuing software. Depending on the asset, a professional valuer may use:

  • Income capitalisation (multiple of profits)
  • Discounted future cash-flow analysis
  • Comparable software or IP sales
  • Asset-based valuation for code libraries
  • Contract-driven valuation for licensed products

The methodology used must be appropriate, justified and defensible under HMRC scrutiny.

Step 7: Software as Part of a Wider Online Business

Software is often integral to:

  • E-commerce platforms
  • Subscription businesses
  • Marketplaces
  • Digital agencies
  • SaaS ventures

In these cases, software forms a core component of business goodwill and must be valued in context with the wider online operation (see our guidance on valuing online businesses and digital assets).

Step 8: Distinguishing Personal Software From Estate Assets

Most estates include a mix of:

  • Personal software licences (non-transferable)
  • Commercial or proprietary software

Only software with transferable rights or commercial value is included in probate valuations. A specialist valuer distinguishes between the two to avoid misreporting.

Step 9: HMRC Expectations and Executor Risk

HMRC expects intellectual property assets — including software — to be:

  • Identified accurately
  • Valued at the date of death
  • Supported by documentation
  • Included in inheritance tax calculations

Failing to declare valuable software assets can lead to HMRC queries, delays and potential executor liability. FEAC Legal’s HMRC-compliant reports are structured to withstand scrutiny and have never been rejected.

Step 10: Software Assets in Multi-Beneficiary Estates

Software can cause disputes when:

  • Income continues after death
  • One beneficiary wants to continue the business
  • Others want immediate financial recognition
  • Transferability is unclear

A formal probate valuation establishes a clear financial figure, enabling fair distribution or compensation.

Why Professional Valuation Is Essential for Software Assets

Software requires specialist probate valuation because it:

  • Is intangible and legally complex
  • Depends on IP and contract law
  • Often generates ongoing income
  • Is easily overlooked or underestimated
  • Can materially affect inheritance tax

Accurate valuation ensures transparency, compliance and protection of estate value.

Why Families Choose FEAC Legal

Executors, solicitors and families trust FEAC Legal because:

  • We have over 12 years of specialist probate valuation experience
  • Our HMRC-compliant reports have never been rejected
  • We understand software, digital assets and intellectual property
  • We identify assets others miss
  • We provide full photographic and documentary inventories
  • We include a free asset recovery service
  • We work with private clients, executors and solicitors
  • We cover England, Scotland and Wales

Software assets can significantly increase an estate’s value — but only if they are identified and valued correctly.

Contact FEAC Legal

Email: admin@feaclegal.co.uk
Phone: 07984733931
To make an enquiry or request a valuation, please contact us.

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Probate Valuation Kent

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