The survey is not the end of the process. It is the point at which you finally have enough information to make a decision, and what you do in the next week usually matters more than what the report says.
Step 1: read the ratings before you read the prose
Every element is rated 1, 2 or 3. A rating 1 needs nothing now. A rating 2 needs repair or replacement but is not urgent. A rating 3 is serious, or needs repairing, replacing or investigating urgently. Read every rating 3 first, then the rating 2s, then the rest. A report full of 1s and 2s is a normal result for a property of average age.
Step 2: separate the three kinds of finding
- Things to fix after you move in. Normal maintenance. They belong in a budget, not in a renegotiation.
- Things to price before you exchange. Roof coverings at the end of their life, a failed flat roof, old electrics or heating, damp that needs tracing.
- Things to investigate before you commit. Movement, structural alterations without evidence, or anything the surveyor could not inspect and flagged.
Step 3: get real costs, not estimates from the internet
A rating 3 is not a reason to walk away on its own. It is a reason to find out what the repair involves. Get quotes from the relevant trade or specialist for anything significant, and ask them to confirm the cause as well as the cost. That turns a worrying sentence in a report into a number you can act on.
Step 4: ask your surveyor the questions the report raised
If something in the report is not clear, call and ask. We are at 020 3318 9426, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. The question is usually “how bad is this, really?” and it is a fair one.
Step 5: decide what to do with the information
- Proceed as agreed. Most reports end here.
- Proceed and budget. The work is real but expected for the age and type of property.
- Renegotiate. Reasonable where the report reveals a cost the price did not account for, and where you have a quote to support the figure.
- Investigate further, then decide. Where the cause is unclear, a specific defect report or a damp report answers the single question rather than repeating the whole survey.
- Walk away. Uncommon, and usually where the cost or the uncertainty is beyond what you can carry.
What a survey report is not
It is not a guarantee, and it is not a snagging list for the seller to work through. It is a visual, non-intrusive inspection recorded at one point in time. Services are not tested, and areas that could not be seen are recorded as not inspected, with the reason.
Common questions
Can I use the report to renegotiate the price?
You can, and buyers often do. The negotiation goes better when it is based on a quote for identified work rather than on the existence of a problem.
Should I send the report to the seller?
The report is yours and is prepared for you. Buyers normally share the relevant findings rather than the whole document, and your solicitor will advise on how to raise them.
How long is the report valid?
It describes the property as it was on the day of the inspection. The longer the gap before you complete, the more worth asking whether anything has changed.
Where to go next
If you have not booked yet, our Level 2 vs Level 3 guide explains which level fits the property, and our survey costs page sets out the fees. If you would rather talk it through, contact us.
Still have questions? We answer 46 of the questions buyers and owners ask us most — which survey to choose, what Level 2 and Level 3 cover, fees, certificates, damp and party wall matters — in one place: RICS survey questions, answered.