Understanding home reports and surveys: What sellers should expect

Once a buyer's offer has been accepted, they will typically arrange a survey of your property. This is a step that sellers are often less familiar with than buyers, since the survey is commissioned and paid for by the buyer and is primarily intended to inform their decision. Understanding what different surveys involve, what happens when findings are raised, and how to respond constructively is useful preparation for any seller.

The types of survey a buyer might commission

There are three levels of residential survey produced by qualified RICS surveyors in England, and the type chosen will depend on the buyer's preferences, the age and type of property, and the guidance of their mortgage lender.

A Level 1 survey, known as a Condition Report, is the most basic. It uses a traffic light rating system to identify issues and provides a general overview of the property's condition. It is most suitable for newer properties or those in good, conventional condition. It does not include detailed advice on repairs or recommendations for action.

A Level 2 survey, known as a HomeBuyer Report, is the most commonly used type for standard residential property. It provides a more detailed assessment of visible condition, identifies significant defects and maintenance issues, and includes advice on what requires attention and why. It does not expose hidden areas of the structure.

A Level 3 survey, known as a Building Survey or Full Structural Survey, is the most comprehensive. It involves a thorough inspection of the structure and condition of the property, including hidden areas where accessible. It is typically recommended for older properties, unusual construction types, or properties that appear to need significant work. The report is detailed and includes specific advice on remediation.

The mortgage lender's valuation

Separately from the survey, the buyer's mortgage lender will commission a valuation of the property. This is not a survey of condition. Its purpose is to confirm to the lender that the property is worth what the buyer has agreed to pay, so that their lending decision is sound. Sellers sometimes assume that the lender's valuation constitutes a clean bill of structural health. It does not, and buyers should not rely on it as an alternative to their own survey.

What happens when a survey raises issues

If a survey identifies significant defects, the buyer may share the relevant findings with the seller, request a reduction in the agreed purchase price, ask the seller to carry out specific repairs before exchange of contracts, or in serious cases choose to withdraw from the purchase.

As a seller, you are not legally required to accept any renegotiation or to carry out repairs. However, if a genuine issue has been identified, refusing to engage with it may result in the buyer withdrawing and the same issue arising again with the next buyer once another survey is commissioned. The most productive approach is usually to obtain your own independent quotes for any identified work, and to negotiate with clear cost evidence rather than either accepting a proposed reduction without scrutiny or rejecting it without explanation.

Disclosure and material information

Under the National Trading Standards material information framework, sellers are required to disclose certain facts about the property's condition and history that would be material to a buyer's decision. Known defects, significant historical repairs, or planning history relevant to the property should be raised through your solicitor before exchange, regardless of what a survey may find.

Pre-sale surveys

Some sellers choose to commission their own survey before marketing, which can help identify issues that might otherwise emerge during a buyer's survey and allow the seller to address or price them accordingly. This is not yet a legal requirement in England, though the government's June 2026 Home Buying and Selling Reform Roadmap indicates that upfront property information is a direction of future policy.

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