What is a Single Survey?
The Single Survey has been pushed by the Scottish Executive as a means of enhancing the level of information available to potential house buyers throughout Scotland within a
Home Report.
What is a Home Report?
The
Home Report is a document in Scotland that provides information and the value of a property for sale. The Home Report is compulsory in Scotland when selling a house.
The Home Report is split into three sections:
What is the purpose of a Single Survey?
In an effort to reduce the amount of wasted money spent on house surveys that do not lead to a sale, the Single Survey scheme was introduced to help home buyers make a more informed decision when making the biggest decision of their lives.
The report is designed to tackle three previous weaknesses in the house buying and selling process in Scotland:
- The over-reliance of buyers on Scheme 1 valuations that only provide limited information on a property’s condition
- The potential for multiple valuations which results in unnecessarily abortive costs for house buyers
- The setting of house prices at an artificially low level by sellers in order to stimulate interest in a property, resulting in needless money spent on surveys and valuation reports
What does a Single Survey cover?
As part one of three documents of a Home Report, the Single Survey is carried out by an RICS surveyor and reports on the key aspects of any property from top to bottom; giving an unbiased assessment of the property’s condition and an estimate of its market value.
The information is presented in a rating system outlining the condition of each part of a property.
- Category 1– No immediate action or repair is needed
- Category 2– Non-urgent repairs that will require attention in the future
- Category 3 – Urgent repairs that may cause problems to other parts of the property, or represent a safety hazard, if not attended to immediately
What does the Single Survey tell buyers?
The inspection informs potential home movers about the type, accommodation, neighbourhood, age, and construction of a property. It also informs buyers about the extent of the inspection and makes note of any areas that the surveyor was unable to inspect that could have a bearing on the overall condition of the property.
Following the completion of the survey the surveyor is required to provide a summary of the condition of the property in list form. This is designed to alert buyers to the potential for urgent or future repairs and areas that are in good condition and require no immediate action.
The cost of repairs may have a significant bearing on the amount a buyer is prepared to pay for the property and it is important that estimates are sought soon after receiving the Single Survey to appease potential buyers.
Guidance is also provided regarding the level of accessibility in and around the property. This is very important for disabled buyers looking for a home suitable for wheelchair access or with the potential for adaptation. Car parking restrictions are also detailed within an area of 25 metres of an entrance door to the property.
Who is responsible for the Single Survey?
The seller is responsible for arranging the Home Report, but ultimately the surveyor is wholly responsible for the content of the Single Survey. Although he or she may have been instructed by the seller to create the report, the surveyor is liable if the buyer believes the findings are inaccurate. Subsequently, it is in the surveyor’s own best interests to create a balanced report.
Mortgage Valuation Report
Some RICS surveyors are able to provide a Mortgage Valuation Report with their Single Survey so please discuss this with the surveyor.
Bear in mind that not
all surveyors belong to
all the mortgage lenders panels, so there is a strong chance that your buyer will need to commission their own Mortgage Valuation. You cannot always expect it to be part of a Scottish Home Report.
The buyer and the financial adviser can use this report as an indicator as to how the lender will assess the mortgage application.
Single Surveys that feature potential ‘category three’ repairs should be paid attention to by sellers before putting the home to market. These repairs may affect the eventual selling price of the property and it can be beneficial to make the required changes first rather than selling your home as it is.
How much do Single Surveys cost?
Single Surveys will be included in the overall cost of a Home Report.
The cost of a Home Report is usually somewhere around £285-£450, but this will depend on the size of your property and the surveyors you use.
Single Survey FAQs
How long is Single Survey valid?
When you put your house on the market the content of your Home Report can not be older than 12 weeks. However, after your house is on the market your Home Report does not have a set expiration date.
Does the buyer need a survey in Scotland?
As a Single Survey is provided as part of the compulsory Home Report, it is not as common in Scotland for a buyer to get a survey on a property they are interested in. However, with an older or listed building the buyer may want to get a full structural survey to obtain a more in depth evaluation of the property.