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A lender’s valuation survey is not particularly comprehensive and will often not involve anyone visiting the property in person, so you should not rely on it for anything other than valuation.
When you apply for a mortgage, the lender will usually carry out a valuation survey to ensure it is worth the agreed price.
A building survey, or full structural survey, is the most thorough survey available. It provides a comprehensive analysis of a property’s structure and condition. This report is a good choice if you are buying a property over 50 years old, of unusual design, or in poor condition.
A condition report is the most basic (and cheapest) type of survey, and is a reasonable choice for modern properties in good condition. It provides a brief overview of a property’s condition and should highlight potential legal issues and urgent defects.
A homebuyer report is the most popular type of survey, and is a reasonable choice for most properties in good condition. It is non-intrusive, i.e. the inspector will not look behind furniture, walls, etc., but it should highlight any problems such as damp, subsidence, repairs, maintenance and anything that doesn’t meet current building regulations.
A structural survey is an expert inspection of a property’s condition. It will be completed by a surveyor, who is normally accredited by RICS, Sava or RPSA.