hi,
i would really appreicate anyone's help if possible. me and my partner are buying a house. we have made an offer and it has just been accepted.

it may sound like a thick thing to say but what are the next steps??

what i know is that the solicitor will do something called conveyancing and a few other bits which ive heard will cost about £1000

but the estate agents didnt mention anything about doing a professional survey??

am i meant to sort this myself?? do they recommend someone.

i want to make sure things are done right so i dont end up buying something that is structually unsafe.

please help anyone. all advice will be very much appreciated

thanks

brownd95

ok - Assuming you are getting a mortgage, then they will require a valuation to be done. This is to check that a sensible amount of money is being put up for the house (i.e. they want to make sure that they can get their cash back if things go pear shaped).

Now, the mortgage company will usually offer some extra surveys that can be done:

1. Valuation report (this is nothing more than a "house is worth £X" statement as above)
2. Homebuyers report. ~ £350-500
3. Detailed and/or structural report ~£800-1000

Surveys tend to be charged in bands according to the value of the house. For expensive places I.e. (500k+) they may charge a %age.

Homebuyers is the usual bet if the house looks in fairly good nick and you didn't notice any major cracking. They check things like walls, lofts, roofs, etc - but generally won't go up a ladder and won't start lifting any carpets or coverings.

Detailed report is better if you notice anything a miss. Damp smell, problems with the roof, a problem areas, etc. I would probably get one done for a fix'er up'er.

However, you don't have to get a survey done through the mortgage company. You can get one done from anyone you like. But the valuation survey must be done through the mortgage company (or through a company approved by your mortgage provider, depending on how they do business).. I would, however, not reccomend getting one done through the selling esate agent if they offer.

One thing to remember is that surveyors always err on the side of caution. A roof "coming to the end of it's life" always seems like the standard text for a house older than 30 years.. In pratical terms it usually means that it'll lat another 10 years - but it covers their ass. I would always recommend that you phone the surveyor after you have read the report to get more details. They are willing to tell you a lot more over the phone then they will put down in writing.

thank you very much for your help. i feel so much better about the whole situation now you have helped me. cheers, dave

Just to add to the advice you have just been given really. I wouldnt go for a Homebuyers survey all they will do is look for any major problems and then recommend you to have a full structural survey if there are any. If the house seems in good nick I would go for the basic valuation, unless you want complete peice of mind then go for the full survey. As said above though you dont have to do it through the Mortgage company but it saves hassle to do it that way.