Choosing a Survey
When you are buying a home, choosing the right survey is important — but so is choosing the right surveyor to carry it out.
ClearView Home Surveys is registered with the Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA), a professional association specialising in residential property surveying.
But what does that actually mean for you as a home buyer?
Residential standards
The Residential Property Surveyors Association represents residential surveyors across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Its focus is specifically on residential property surveying, with survey standards and reporting formats intended to give buyers useful information about the condition of the home they are purchasing.
The RPSA describes its mainstream surveys as being based around a full and thorough visual inspection of the accessible parts of the property.
The aim is to explain defects and their significance wherever reasonably possible rather than automatically referring every observation to another specialist.
Clear, practical reporting
One of the biggest concerns buyers have is receiving a report full of caveats without really understanding whether an issue is serious. A useful survey should provide context.
A good report should help explain:
Not every problem can be diagnosed from a visual survey and there will always be occasions where further investigation is appropriate. The important point is that recommendations should be proportionate to what was actually found.
Independent advice
If you want to understand the building you are actually buying, you should consider an independent survey commissioned for you.
The physical survey and legal conveyancing process deal with different aspects of the purchase, but findings from the survey can identify matters that should be raised with your conveyancer.
RPSA reports include a section highlighting relevant matters that may need to be referred to the buyer's conveyancer.
The right survey for the property
Homes vary enormously in age, construction and condition. A modern flat requires a different approach from a Victorian terrace, just as an extended 1930s house may present very different issues from a recently constructed home.
The accessible parts of the property are inspected carefully and considered as part of the building as a whole.
Defects are explained in clear, practical language and placed into context.
Where action is required, the report explains whether repair, maintenance, monitoring or further investigation is appropriate.
You can discuss relevant findings directly with the surveyor who inspected the property.
Home buyers will commonly encounter both RPSA surveyors and RICS surveyors when looking for residential surveying services. They are separate professional organisations with their own membership requirements, standards and survey products.
Rather than choosing purely by the letters after somebody's name, consider the individual surveyor's residential experience, the survey being offered, what the report includes and whether you will have direct access to the person carrying out the inspection.
ClearView Home Surveys is RPSA registered and specialises in residential property inspections.
See the detail
You don't have to take our word for what a report contains. You can view anonymised examples from our Level 2, Level 3 and New Build reports before instructing us.
View Sample Survey ReportsResidential Property Surveyors Association — Why Choose an RPSA Surveyor?
Keep Reading
Choosing a Survey
Not sure whether you need a Level 2 or Level 3 survey? This guide explains the key differences, which properties each survey suits best, and when the extra detail of a Level 3 Building Survey is worth considering.
Choosing the right survey
Answer a few simple questions about the property and our Survey Finder will point you towards the most appropriate option.
