Once your offer on a property has been accepted, one of the first decisions you will face is whether to have it surveyed, and if so, what kind of survey to go for. This guide explains what a survey is and who it is for, how it differs from the valuation your lender carries out, what the three RICS survey levels cover, which specialist reports a surveyor might recommend, when to arrange a survey, and what to do if the report turns up a problem.

What a survey tells you

A survey is an inspection of the condition of the property you are buying, carried out by a qualified surveyor and written up for you. Its job is to tell you what state the building is in before you commit to it. A good surveyor will pick up on things that are easy to miss on a viewing, such as damp, roof problems, signs of movement in the structure or dated wiring, and will tell you how serious each one is.

You commission the survey and you pay for it, which means the surveyor works for you and the report is addressed to you. That is the key difference between a survey and the valuation your lender arranges, which we come to next.

There is no legal requirement to have a survey in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Scotland works differently, with the seller providing a Home Report, including a survey, before the property goes on the market.

The lender's valuation is not a survey

When you apply for a mortgage, the lender arranges a valuation of the property. Its purpose is to confirm that the property is worth enough to secure the loan, and it is carried out for the lender rather than for you.

How thorough that valuation is depends on the lender, the size of the loan and the property itself. It may be an automated valuation based on sales data, a desktop valuation, a drive-by look from the outside, or a physical inspection inside the property. Even a physical inspection is brief, and it is not a report on the property's condition. You may not be given a copy of it at all.

If the valuer does notice something that concerns them, the lender can attach conditions to your mortgage offer. It might ask for a specialist report on a particular issue, or hold back part of the loan until certain work has been done. The valuation can also come in below the price you have agreed, which changes how much you are able to borrow.

What the valuation will not do is tell you whether the property has problems that are going to cost you money after you move in. That is what a survey is for.

The three RICS survey levels

Since 2021, surveyors who are members of RICS have worked to the RICS Home Survey Standard, which sets out three levels of survey. The older names are still in common use, so you will see both here.

A Level 1 survey, formerly the Condition Report, is the most basic of the three. The surveyor inspects the property and rates the condition of its main elements using a simple traffic-light system, flagging anything that needs urgent attention. It does not include advice on repairs or a valuation, and it is really intended for conventional, newer properties in good condition.

A Level 2 survey, formerly the HomeBuyer Report, is the most common choice for a conventional property in reasonable condition. The surveyor inspects all the accessible parts of the property, including the roof space and the visible services, and reports on the condition of each element using the same traffic-light ratings. The report identifies defects, tells you which ones are serious or urgent, and gives advice on repairs and ongoing maintenance. You can have it with or without a market valuation, and some lenders will accept a Level 2 with valuation in place of their own.

A Level 3 survey, formerly the Building Survey and still often called a full structural survey, is the most detailed. The surveyor examines the structure and fabric of the building in depth, including concealed areas wherever access is possible, and reports on how the property is built, what it is made of, what defects there are, what is likely to have caused them, and what the options for repair are. It is the right choice for older properties, properties of unusual construction, anything that has been extended or altered, listed buildings, and any property in poor condition or where you are planning major work. A Level 3 report does not normally include a valuation.

The table below sets the three levels alongside the lender's valuation.

If you are unsure which level you need, the surveyor can advise once they know the property's age, construction and condition. It is worth remembering that all three levels are visual inspections. Surveyors do not lift fitted carpets, move heavy furniture or open up walls, and the report will say where access was not possible.

Specialist reports

Sometimes a survey can identify a problem without being able to say how far it goes or what it would cost to put right. When that happens, the surveyor will recommend a specialist report, and the lender's valuer can ask for one as a condition of the mortgage offer. The ones that come up most often are these.

A damp and timber report investigates rising or penetrating damp, condensation, rot and woodworm. These are often offered free of charge by firms that also sell the treatment, so bear in mind that a report from a contractor is not an independent opinion. Independent damp surveyors charge a fee for theirs.

An Electrical Installation Condition Report, or EICR, is carried out by a qualified electrician and covers the safety of the wiring, consumer unit and fittings. A Gas Safe registered engineer can report on the boiler and the gas installation in the same way.

Where the surveyor could not see enough of the roof from the ground or from inside the roof space, a roofing contractor can inspect it properly. A CCTV drain survey is used where there are signs of blockage, collapse or subsidence near the drainage runs. If the surveyor has found cracking or movement, a structural engineer can give an opinion on what is causing it, whether it is historic or still going on, and what repair is needed.

For properties built or altered before 2000, an asbestos survey may be recommended where asbestos-containing materials are suspected. And where large trees stand close to the building, or Japanese knotweed has been found, an arboricultural or invasive plant specialist can report on the risk and what to do about it.

Each of these is a separate instruction with its own fee. Your survey report will tell you which ones are needed and why.

When to arrange a survey, and who with

The survey is arranged once your offer has been accepted and before you exchange contracts. Exchange is the point at which you are legally committed to the purchase, so the survey needs to be done, read and acted on before you get there. Your conveyancer can hold off exchange until you are happy with the findings.

Use a surveyor who is regulated by RICS. You can instruct one directly or we can help you to arrange one, and some lenders will offer a Level 2 survey as an add-on to their valuation, carried out by the same valuer on the same visit. The fee depends on the level of survey, the size and value of the property, and where it is.

If you are buying a new-build, a survey is still an option, though the more usual route is a snagging inspection, which lists the defects and unfinished work for the developer to put right.

What to do with the report

Read the whole report rather than just the summary. The ratings tell you what is urgent, what will need attention in time, and what is simply normal maintenance for a property of that age.

If the survey finds a significant problem, you have three options. You can renegotiate the price to reflect the cost of the work, ask the seller to have the work done before exchange, or walk away. A quote for the work from a contractor, or a specialist report where the surveyor has recommended one, gives you a figure to negotiate with. If the lender's valuation has raised the same issue, any condition attached to the mortgage offer will need to be met before completion.

If this is your first home, our first-time buyer guide walks through each stage of the process, and our costs page sets out the other fees to budget for alongside the survey. If you are moving, our home mover page covers selling and buying at the same time.

If you would like to talk through what your lender's valuation will involve, or what a survey finding means for your mortgage, we are happy to help. Get in touch and we will go through it with you.