For many people, buying a house is one of the biggest decisions they will ever make. The financial layout is many times larger than they’d spend on a car. But despite the risks, many home buyers in England and Wales decide to take a chance an not bother with a survey. By doing so, they are putting themselves in a position where they might have to fork out thousands if their gamble doesn’t pay off.

RICS research indicates that a quarter of all homebuyers who fail to have a survey are forced to spend around £1800.00 after they have made a purchase. In some cases, the costs are far higher.

One of the reasons why prospective homeowners don’t have a survey is because someone has told them, incorrectly, that a mortgage lender’s valuation report represents a survey. The truth it, the valuation is not a survey. All that the mortgage company are doing is ensuring that if you don’t pay your mortgage they can snatch back the property and will be able to resell it without losing money on the deal.

The only way to ensure that potential problems are highlighted before purchase is to instruct an independent surveyor to inspect the property so that the buyer can make an informed decision.

The SAVA Home Condition Survey  is designed to highlight the condition of the property, plus details of urgent faults and advice for legal advisors. It does not provide an additional valuation but sits alongside a mortgage valuation.