Many people that are buying a residential property will elect to have a survey undertaken by a Chartered Surveyor. Although not mandatory in the UK, this is, in our opinion, a fundamental part of the home buying process; helping buyers to be better informed about the condition of the property they are about to purchase.
A Chartered Surveyor’s report will contain an assessment of the property and any recommendations with regard to repairs, improvement works that are required, along with an independent assessment of value (if required).
On occasion, a survey report we undertake may identify an issue and recommend that a further, specialist report is undertaken to fully assess the extend of the issue at hand.
In some cases, prospective purchasers who are more risk-averse and cautious, and willing to spend a little more money, may decide to take the additional steps of having these precautionary specialist reports prepared prior to completing on their purchase.
Here are some of the extra specialist inspections that could be considered:
- Drainage survey – CCTV survey report
- Asbestos survey
- Damp survey
- High level roof survey or photographs by our surveyor’s pole cam
- Electrical safety testing
- Gas safety testing
- Septic tank inspection (not applicable for properties that have mains drainage)
- Contamination / ground testing
The need for these extra precautionary reports can vary greatly depending on the type, age and location of the property. They are by no means always necessary, but such reports may be money well spent – if a problem is found because it is always best to know before proceeding with the purchase of the property – particularly if the problem identified requires a costly solution. Even if problems are not found and these issues are given a clean bill of health, this can provide peace of mind to the buyer, making going the extra mile and spending a few hundred pounds extra on a suite of additional specialist reports worthwhile.
Although Lea Hough are not able to assist with the specialist inspections listed, we are willing to discuss these and provide guidance where applicable. In some instances, we may also be able to help clients to find suitable specialists who can assist with the specialist investigations required.
Besides having a Survey Report undertaken by a Chartered Surveyor, these specialist reports may assist buyers to get a fuller understanding of the property that they are about to buy. We would always suggest having a Chartered Surveyor inspect the property in the first instance, as depending on the results of the survey, it may be that commissioning specialist reports may be a waste of money. For example, if the property comes back with a long list of structural issues or there are repair works required that you had not accounted for, it may be that you decide against proceeding with the property purchase.
For more information on the survey reports we offer, and what information these will include, please contact us. Our team are happy to advise on which report they would recommend based on the style and age of a property.
