Is a survey required

horsewithnoname

Do you have to have a survey - homebuyers report - if you don’t want one? I don’t really see the point. 

loubel

You don't have to have one. 

Would you feel competent to spot any potential issues yourself?

pjs493

it depends. Ideally, and usually, yes. But there may be some situations where people feel happy to go without. Some mortgage companies will insist on one, so for many people it isn’t an option unless you’re a cash buyer. 

As an example, a cousin of mine bought a new build house off plan as a cash buyer and didn’t feel the need to get one as there was a snagging walk through when they took the keys and 28 days within which to report any issues that weren’t immediately obvious. 

In another example I’m selling a flat to the current tenant who has lived there for a few years and is happy that they don’t need one. His mortgage company will likely have done a desk top survey at the time he got his mortgage approved, but he didn’t order one himself. 

Conversely, I’m buying a period property as a cash buyer and even though I didn’t need one, I got a level 3 survey just so I knew what I was getting myself into and to identify any issues I may not have been able to identify when I first looked around the property. 

Mr.Generous

I have purchased without any survey on about 8 or 9 occasions, but to give you peace of mind here's what it would say if you buy a basic report ...

In regard to the XXX, while at the time of the survey no problems were evident, the limited access and checks made means we would advise you to get a specialist roofing/plumbing/wiring/building/damp survey to be sure.

user1977

horsewithnoname said:

Do you have to have a survey - homebuyers report - if you don’t want one? I don’t really see the point. 

Who do you think is going to make you? The survey police?

WellKnownSid

user1977 said:

horsewithnoname said:

Do you have to have a survey - homebuyers report - if you don’t want one? I don’t really see the point. 

Who do you think is going to make you? The survey police?

They look serious!

propertyrental

Of course you don't.

And unless you are getting a mortgage and your lender requires it, you don't have to have searches done. Or Enquiries from the seller. Or freeholder enquires if you are buying a leasehold property.

Pretty much the only thing you have to do is pay the agreed purchase price.

Whether that is wise is a different question.

youth_leader

I did have a L3 survey and really regret not having a damp/timber survey too.  I hadn't done my research and found out afterwards that surveyors can't lift carpets or move furniture to inspect floor coverings.  It's my own fault, I did have a 'hint' - another local was after this bungalow and after reluctantly congratulating me on having my offer accepted, she said 'I hope you find the source of the damp'. 

I should have acted - but didn't - and after six months found I had wet/dry rot and woodworm in the floorboarded front bedroom, wet and mushy mould on every other chipboard floor.  Lots of disruption and an unexpected £20K bill, all the equity I had from my sale.

WellKnownSid

youth_leader said:

I did have a L3 survey and really regret not having a damp/timber survey too.  I hadn't done my research and found out afterwards that surveyors can't lift carpets or move furniture to inspect floor coverings. 

I've found surveyors can be overly pessimistic in some areas whilst completely missing other issues due to this very issue.

Even a lick of paint can cover a multitude of sins - I remember my company paying out a small fortune for a survey on a commercial property near the TCR tube and after a glowing report, I strolled in after a brief Summer shower (thankfully before the lease was signed) to water pouring in through the very patched flat roof in about 20 different locations.

AskAsk

You don't have to have one but it could identify big issues, although I find they never tend to find big issues!  But you could use it to re-negotiate the offer price if there is works needed from the survey results.

A lot of the stuff that are stated in the report are already obvious.  Damp detection is a useful one.  I find their report pretty lacking on roof, so you really need a roofer to do the inspection.  The surveyor also only inspect things that he has access to, so he can't really comment on the anything that is hidden by carpets, floor coverings, furniture.

horsewithnoname

user1977 said:

horsewithnoname said:

Do you have to have a survey - homebuyers report - if you don’t want one? I don’t really see the point. 

Who do you think is going to make you? The survey police?

I was more thinking the mortgage company.