Homebuyer's survey for fairly new property?

Even if the insurance picks up the cost of the repair (and they don't cover everything), the cost of the insurance will go up. Your service charge will depend entirely on what work needs doing to the building and when. You are also dependent on the management company actually doing the repair work properly and in good time. To my mind, a survey is a good tool because it gives you an idea what you are going to be letting yourself in for in terms of repairs and service charge. It should be coupled with the management accounts and their schedule of future work (if they have one) so you can be sure that the building you are planning to move into is sound and being looked after properly and you aren't going to be surprised by a doubling or trebling of the service charge next year because some major structural issue crops up.

The cost of putting right might not be your direct responsibility but in the end it will hit your pocket in some way so you should know what you're getting into.