The Value of having a Property Survey

A property survey is always worthwhile, as a house can appear to be in order, while behind the scenes there could well be major, undocumented issues. I was recently acting on the sale of a house that was newly developed and the incoming purchaser instructed a surveyor who found serious technical and structural faults. They withdrew and purchased another house.

Buyers must however be aware of the fact that surveyors adopt an inherently negative view, as it is their job to point out every single defect. Many of these defects will be minor and will not materially impact the sale – it is up to the surveyor to explain these defects and highlight which require attention. I recently sold a house with an Aga in the kitchen. An element of damp was present, however the heat emanating from the Aga ensured that the walls were kept dry and as such, my understanding was that no immediate attention was required. The surveyor did not explain this in his report, and it took and independent damp specialist (at additional cost) to put the buyer’s mind at ease.

Posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2018