Frequently Asked Questions:

Q. My estate agent says most people don't have a survey and just have the mortgage companies survey.....

The estate agent is partly right BUT the mortgage survey is not a building survey - it's a valuation survey - which is a big difference. The mortgage companys valuation survey is only really checking that the property is worth what you are paying for it - they usually even say on the report "you should not base your decision to buy a property on this report" - remember in English law it's a 'buyer beware'.

Many mortgage valuers would not want to survey a house, it's a completely different job. The mortgage valuers value anything from four to eight properties a day - its hard enough to find that many properties in a day, let alone examine all their problems! If there is an obvious fault they will point it out but many won't even bother going into the room let alone lifting drains!

TIP:  Ask if the surveyor is a Chartered Valuation Surveyor also known as a GP or a Chartered Building Surveyor. Only a Chartered Building Surveyor should do a Building Survey.