Survey or not of a flat?

dikar

We are thinking of buying a top (3rd) floor flat in a fairly recent development (2003). Is it worth having a survey? How about searches? Are these necessary for a flat built in2003?
Thanks, Dikar

michelle2008

I am no expert but I would always get a survey. I owned a flat a number of years ago. I had it surveyed when I bought it and it was also surveyed by the new buyer. Was relatively new but survey flagged up some issues - fire doors if I remember correctly. I had to have some minor work done and the management company also had to do some work in the communal areas

michelle2008

Check out the management company if there is one. Our was rubbish and many of the tenants were refusing to pay the fees. Had the potential to become a nightmare!

cattie

I personally wouldn't bother with a survey on a building as relatively 'young' if it all looked in good condition and well maintained to me. The flat should have the tail end of the 10yr NHBC guarantee on it anyway, so will be important to ensure anything that could be wrong be put right before the guarantee expires.

Searches and all the rest of the work carried out as part of the legal process will still need to be done.

dikar

Thanks a lot to all of you. Veryhelpful.

On a related topic, the conveyancers are suggesting taking a couple of additional actions, for a fee: one is to prevent fraudsters posing as sellers of my new property using forged signatures and identification, at a cost of £75 +VAT; and another to obtain evidence of title change following completion of the sale of my current property to ensure my name and financial arrangements are no longer recorded against the title of the sold property, at a cost of £48+VAT.

Has anybody come across this and what's your pov. Is it worth the cost?

Thanks again Dikar

Conrad

dikar wrote: »

Thanks a lot to all of you. Veryhelpful.

On a related topic, the conveyancers are suggesting taking a couple of additional actions, for a fee: one is to prevent fraudsters posing as sellers of my new property using forged signatures and identification, at a cost of £75 +VAT; and another to obtain evidence of title change following completion of the sale of my current property to ensure my name and financial arrangements are no longer recorded against the title of the sold property, at a cost of £48+VAT.

Has anybody come across this and what's your pov. Is it worth the cost?

Thanks again Dikar

TBH Dikar what is a few hundred quid set against one of the biggest purchases of your life? There's more to life than penny pinching if it means you get to sleep at night.

I probably wouldn't want a full survey, but any lender will require a basic valuation.