Do I need to do a survey when buying a property? 

Do I need to do a survey when buying a property? 

Day 4 #NCW2025 Tip for Residential Property

In order to satisfy yourself on the physical and structural condition of the property, you should arrange a survey when buying a property.  We would recommend that you arrange a Level 2 Homebuyers survey with an RICS surveyor.

It may surprise you that the Seller is not obliged to inform you of any physical defects with the property so it is important that you inspect the property and arrange a survey as early as possible.

If you have a mortgage, the lender will obtain a valuation report but in many cases the valuation now is a desktop valuation and is just to confirm that the property is worth the purchase price and no inspection of the property has taken place.

In any case the lenders valuation report is NOT a survey. It is only for the lender and you will not be able to rely on it if subsequently you discover an issue that was not identified in the report.

A survey will identify any issues or defects that need fixing and that may require urgent attention and you may be able to agree a price reduction on the property as a result of those issues or ask the Seller to fix them.

If you are buying a new build property, there will be a warranty which will cover any structural issues.  Some people choose to get a snagging survey which will look at any issues of workmanship and will flag any repairs or defects or anything that does not comply with building regulations. This can be arranged once you have been notified that the building is ready and just before completion. Your builder will always allow you the opportunity to check the property at this stage so even if you do not want to employ a surveyor to do this for you, it is worth checking carefully if there are any issues that the builder needs to remedy before completion.

If the property you are buying is not on mains drainage, you should also check the arrangements for drainage. Many properties have old septic tanks systems and you need to check whether they comply with Environment Agency regulations. The best way to do this is getting a check done by a local installation or maintenance company who specialise in septic tanks.

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