Valuations guidance during COVID-19

We will regularly review this guidance. Keep checking this page for further updates.

This page provides valuation guidance for properties on Wigan Council's Equity Loan scheme and Discounted Homes scheme. This guidance does not apply to properties on a national Help to Buy Scheme or valuations undertaken for any other reason.

If you are looking to sell your home, remortgage your home, or otherwise repay an equity loan, we require a full valuation of your property to be undertaken by a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) surveyor, as per the terms of the equity loan agreement. An estate agent’s appraisal is not sufficient.

Request a desktop valuation

If you wish to use a desktop valuation due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, you must make a request to the affordable homes team.

You MUST NOT obtain a desktop valuation before your request has been approved. 

All desktop valuations must meet the criteria set out in the our requirements below. However, we advise that you also check the requirements of other parties you are transacting with, for example, your current or potential mortgage lender.

If you are selling your home we would also advise you to discuss the use of a desktop valuation with your estate agent, as potential buyers may require a full inspection report before purchasing a property.

Can a surveyor visit my property to undertake a valuation survey/inspection?

Under current COVID-19 restrictions, surveyors are permitted to visit properties and carry out surveys, as long as surveyors are able to follow the latest government guidance. 

I am looking to remortgage urgently and there is a long wait for a surveyor, will a desktop valuation be allowed?

Due to the current COVID-19 working restrictions, we may accept a desktop valuation if you are able to demonstrate exceptional circumstances, such as risk of financial hardship. You may have to provide supporting evidence.

You MUST NOT obtain a desktop valuation before your request has been approved. 

I do not feel comfortable with a physical inspection, can I use a desktop valuation?

If you or a member of your household are in a shielded group (external link), you will be approved for a desktop valuation, however you will still be required to make the request prior to obtaining a valuation.

You will need to email evidence to affordablehomes@wigan.gov.uk to demonstrate that you or a household member are shielding to avoid delays in processing your request.

If you or a household member are not shielding, but due to another reason you believe that a physical valuation would be unwise, we may still accept a desktop valuation. These requests will be approved on a discretionary, case-by-case basis.

You MUST NOT obtain a desktop valuation before your request has been approved.

Requirements for desktop valuations

  • The surveyor must be RICS approved, independent of the estate agent managing the sale of your property (if applicable), and not related to you or a member of your household
  • The final report must be on headed paper of the surveyor/surveying company, signed by the surveyor, addressed to Wigan Council, and in a non-editable document format, preferably PDF
  • The report must contain a minimum of six comparable properties and sale prices. These properties must be like-for-like in terms of type, size, age, and must be within a two-mile radius of the property being valued, as per RICS guidance. Where six properties are not available, the report must explain the reasons why they are not comparable
  • The report must specify what assumptions have been made in formulating the valuation figure, given the absence of a physical inspection.

For any desktop valuations received following request approval, the final valuation figure will be double checked against housing market data.

Where there is substantive discrepancy, we may require further information from your surveyor.

Further advice

If you have any more queries, you can contact the affordable homes team.

© Wigan Council