{"id":1931,"date":"2025-09-09T04:58:45","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T04:58:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yopa.co.uk\/homeowners-hub\/?p=1931"},"modified":"2025-09-09T21:02:50","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T21:02:50","slug":"what-do-surveyors-look-for-during-a-house-survey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dy36-2.stage.yopa-dev.co.uk\/homeowners-hub\/what-do-surveyors-look-for-during-a-house-survey\/","title":{"rendered":"What do surveyors look for during a house survey?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It may not be a legal requirement in the\nUK, but every conveyancer<\/a>\nworth their salt will recommend a survey<\/a>\nwhen you are buying a new home, even if the property appears to be in good\ncondition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A survey can save you costly headaches\nlater on, and any issues which are not a dealbreaker can be used to negotiate<\/a>\na better sale price, or you can request that the vendor rectifies them (at\ntheir expense) prior to the sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do surveyors actually look for during\na house survey, though? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The different types of survey and what\nthey include<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A survey focuses on the structural\nintegrity of the property, looking for maintenance issues such as subsidence,\nunstable walls, a leaking roof, or unsafe chimney chute. It will also provide\ndetails on the type of building materials used, which is helpful when it comes\nto insuring your property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are 3 different types of survey: a\ncondition report, a homebuyer report and a building survey, although they are referred\nto<\/a> slightly differently by accrediting bodies the Royal Institution of\nChartered Surveyors (RICS<\/a>) and the\nResidential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA<\/a>).\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RPSA surveyors also offer a Buy-To-Let Survey<\/a> aimed\nat Landlords which considers how the construction and condition of the home\naffects the way tenants will live within it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Condition report<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The most basic option, a condition report is\nsuitable for fairly new, standard build properties in good condition. It provides\nan overview of any risks, urgent defects, or potential legal issues such as access\nrights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report will include a traffic light\nsystem which rates the condition of the building and any outbuildings included\nwith the property alongside guidance on any areas requiring attention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Homebuyer report<\/em><\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The most requested survey which is\ngenerally sufficient for standard build properties in a reasonable condition. Also\nknown as a RICS Home Survey Level 2 or an RPSA home condition survey report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This report includes everything in the\ncondition report plus guidance on maintenance and repairs and any defects which\ncould affect the property value now and\/or at a later date such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n