Buyer's surveyor wants us to vacate the property during survey

verytired11

I have just had a call from my buyer's surveyor to book in the survey.  They have said that we need to vacate the property while they do the survey due to covid restrictions.  Apart from being inconvenient and meaning I will have to take time off work to accommodate them, I don't really like the idea of the surveyor being in my house without me there.  They are saying that they may review their policy the following week when restrictions are further lifted, but there doesn't seem to be any guarantee about that.
What are people's thoughts?  I suppose it won't really matter if the surveyor is here alone, but I don't like the idea of it at all.  Perhaps we just sit in the garden (so long as it's not raining....)?

user1977

They're not likely to be long, do you really have to take time off work rather than just e.g. call it a lunch hour? Why do you have a problem with the surveyor being there when you're not? They're professionals, they're not going to be nicking stuff or going through your underwear drawer.

lookstraightahead

Our vendor was in I think during our full structural survey, don't see why it's any different from viewings etc? 
However don't loiter around them - and I would just say ok as you could lose your sale. 
Our vendors let us go round the house on our own completely for the second viewing. They gave us the keys (not saying anyone should take this risk but very nice of them)

Soot2006

I'd say you're happy to stay out of their way and stay in your home office as you're working from home, but will relocate to the garden or head outside for 30 minutes while they check out the office room + any exposed nearby locations?

youth_leader

That's great your buyer is serious and things are moving forward.  They do need to go into every room as well as the loft.  If it's a full structural is will take more than an hour - my 264 sq m house took six and a half hours.

steph2901

When my buyers had their survey on my house we were here as work from home since Covid.  We just got out of the way when she needed to get in the home office.  They didn't ask us to leave the house for the survey.

Maybe they can work around you?  Or you just sit in the garden/car when they need to access the room you work from?

GJB1954

We have just had our buyers surveyor contact us. They have asked . All doors to be held open. Loft hatch open. Also if possible go out of house or stay in one room while survey being done. 

Thrugelmir

verytired11 said:

 Apart from being inconvenient and meaning I will have to take time off work to accommodate them, I don't really like the idea of the surveyor being in my house without me there. 

If you wish to sell your house then it shouldn't be considered an inconvenience. Are you intending to follow the surveyor around the house room to room?  Sit in the car for the duration of the visit. 

verytired11

Thanks for all your answers! It seems I will just have to go with it.  I did suggest staying in my office while they did the rest of the house and then vacating for that part, but they were adamant I had to be out for the whole time.  Oh well, hopefully it will not take too long....

Marvel1

user1977 said:

They're not likely to be long, do you really have to take time off work rather than just e.g. call it a lunch hour? Why do you have a problem with the surveyor being there when you're not? They're professionals, they're not going to be nicking stuff or going through your underwear drawer.

There is always one regardless of profession.

moneysavinghero

user1977 said:

They're not likely to be long, do you really have to take time off work rather than just e.g. call it a lunch hour? Why do you have a problem with the surveyor being there when you're not? They're professionals, they're not going to be nicking stuff or going through your underwear drawer.

Weird stuff is not just the domain of non-professionals. Hidden cameras have picked up so called professionals doing some very disturbing things in houseowners underwear drawers.

But for the OP if you want to sell you are just going to have to go along with what they say. Unless you want to invest in a full hazard suit so the surveyor can tick off the 'not a covid risk' box. You might even find that when they actually come round they are not that bothered about strictly following the official rules and you may be able to go round with them. I viewed a house and i got a document from the EA with the covid rules that said the EA would wait outside and i would view the house on my  own - never happened the EA showed me around the same as they always do.