Who pays for a house survey, buyer or seller?

In England and Wales, the buyer pays for the house survey. The survey is something you commission to protect your own interests, so you choose the surveyor, you pay the fee and the report is prepared for you. Sellers pay for their own costs such as the Energy Performance Certificate and estate agent fees, but not for the buyer's survey.

Key points

• The buyer pays for the survey in England and Wales.
• The report is for the buyer, so the buyer chooses the surveyor.
• The mortgage valuation is also a buyer cost where a fee applies, but it is not a survey.
• Survey fees are not usually refundable if the purchase falls through after the inspection.
• Scotland is different: sellers provide a Home Report that includes a survey.

Why does the buyer pay?

The buyer is the one taking on the risk. A survey tells you about the condition of a property you are about to spend a large sum on. It is independent advice for your benefit, which is why you instruct and pay the surveyor directly.

This also protects the independence of the report. If the seller paid, there would be an obvious conflict of interest, and the surveyor's duty of care would be to the seller rather than you.

What does the seller pay for?

In England and Wales, sellers typically pay for:

• Estate agent fees.
• Their own conveyancing and legal fees.
• An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which must be available when the property is marketed.
• Any information packs or management packs for leasehold property, which can be charged by the managing agent.
• Repairs they agree to make before exchange.

Some sellers choose to commission a survey before they market their home. That is a separate thing; see pre-sale surveys for sellers.

What does the buyer pay for?

Alongside the purchase price and deposit, buyers usually pay for:

• The survey. Typically £400-£900 for a Level 2 Home Survey and £600-£1,500+ for a Level 3 Building Survey. See how much a house survey costs.
• Conveyancing and searches.
• Stamp Duty Land Tax (or Land Transaction Tax in Wales), depending on the price and your circumstances.
• Mortgage fees, including any valuation fee.
• Removals.

Is the mortgage valuation the seller's cost?

No. Your lender instructs a valuation to check the property is suitable security for the loan. Some lenders include it free as part of the mortgage deal; others charge a fee. Either way, it is not the seller's cost, and it is not a substitute for a survey. Read mortgage valuation vs survey for why.

Can I get the seller to cover the cost?

Asking the seller to pay for your survey is unusual and rarely successful. A more effective way to recover costs is to use the survey's findings:

• Renegotiate the price to reflect significant defects. See how to renegotiate after a bad survey.
• Ask the seller to carry out specific repairs before exchange.

A survey that identifies a roof needing replacement could support a reduction worth many times the survey fee.

What happens to the survey fee if the sale falls through?

Once the surveyor has carried out the inspection, the fee is normally payable whether or not you go ahead. That is true whether you pull out, the seller pulls out, or the chain collapses.

If the sale falls through before the inspection, many surveyors will refund or let you reschedule, depending on their terms. Check the cancellation policy when you book.

Some buyers worry about paying for a survey and then losing the house. It is a real risk, but it is usually far smaller than the risk of buying without one.

Is it different in Scotland?

Yes. In Scotland, sellers must provide a Home Report, which includes a Single Survey, an energy report and a property questionnaire. Buyers can still commission their own survey if they want more detail, but the main survey cost sits with the seller. Book A Surveyor currently focuses on England and Wales.

Who pays for specialist reports?

If your survey recommends further investigations, such as a drainage CCTV survey, electrical inspection or structural engineer's report, the buyer normally pays for these too. Sometimes a seller will already have recent certificates, so ask the agent before you commission new reports.

Can a buyer use the seller's survey?

Occasionally a seller has had a survey done before marketing, and offers it to buyers. You can read it for background, but you should not rely on it in place of your own. The surveyor's duty of care is to the person who instructed them, which is the seller, so you would have little recourse if something was missed. Your lender will also want its own valuation. See pre-sale surveys for sellers.

Do first-time buyers pay for surveys?

Yes, the same rules apply. First-time buyers often feel the cost most, because they are paying for a deposit, legal fees and moving costs at the same time, and are tempted to skip the survey. But first-time buyers also tend to have the least spare money for unexpected repairs, which makes the survey arguably more important. A Level 2 Home Survey is often a sensible starting point for a conventional home in reasonable condition.

Who pays if the survey finds a problem?

The survey itself is still the buyer's cost. What happens next is a negotiation. You might ask the seller to reduce the price, carry out repairs or provide paperwork. The seller is under no obligation to agree, but many will rather than lose a buyer.

Budgeting for your survey

Treat the survey as an essential part of your buying budget, not an optional extra. When you work out your moving costs, include:

• The right level of survey for the property (see Level 2 vs Level 3).
• A valuation add-on if you want an independent view on price.
• A buffer for any specialist reports.

Get a fixed-price survey booked

Book A Surveyor finds a regulated local surveyor with availability, agrees a fixed price upfront and arranges access with the estate agent, so you know exactly what you are paying before anything is booked. Get a fixed-price survey booked.

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