Cycling UK Forum

Hi all, this is all new to me and wondered if someone could help me with some advice please? My Uncle was a collector of vintage bikes and has had to move into a care home due to dementia, He has 4 bikes I need to sell to put towards his care fees. Wonder if anyone can throw some light on their value please?

1. Sunbeam 1914 excellent condition bike good condition
2. Swift bike with original sale of purchase excellent condition 1891
3. nettenella chrome road bike mint condition
4. Holdsworth chrome bike excellent condition

lots of vintage bike parts and old bike lamps

any good places to get a buyer or prices?

Specialist Auction is probably best bet for an expert valuation potential world wide viewings and amongst other machines from the period.
This is an example
https://auction.onlinebicyclemuseum.co.uk/

I can't advise on how to get classic bikes valued, but in the absence of anything from anybody else I'd urge you to get specialist advice about what you are doing.

Above all, you must, of course, be honest, but be very careful.

First, care fees are (in the lingo) means tested. I'm not up-to-date with figures but I think the cut-off point is £25,000. The more fanciful any valuation of things like this, the harder it will be to qualify for benefits, even when stuff is unsold.

Then, in the normal course of things, your uncle may not have long to live. That raises the matter of probate - which in simple terms means that sufficient tax is paid on the deceased's estate. If that estate includes large (but unrealised) valuations of things like old bikes, a lot of attention will be paid to the inheritance tax which appears to be due. AIUI, if an item is eventually sold for less than the original valuation, then inheritance tax may be demanded on the original valuation.

As I said at the start, be honest, but be careful what you are doing.

Cut-off re care fees depends on the country - different thresholds apply in E, S & W, confusingly 3C

Bonefishblues wrote: ↑11 Dec 2023, 2:55pm Cut-off re care fees depends on the country - different thresholds apply in E, S & W, confusingly 3C

I fancy that reinforces what I'm trying to say. AIUI and putting it in simple terms, the OP's uncle might well be in a nursing home and being obliged to borrow the fees from the local authority because the contents of their garage have been valued unrealitically. The point that things may be different in different parts of the UK doesn't make this any more straightforward

The Veteran-Cycle Club is a good place to start, Have a look at their web site contact the secretary and explain the situation. Sales through the club invariably go to enthusiasts who will value the bikes and their history.