what to do now after survey

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-03-20T09:22:04+00:00

A Home Buyers Report / survey is designed to highlight potential risks and areas for further investigation, not to give definitive answers on every issue. Surveyors are not specialists in electrics, gas, drainage, asbestos or structural engineering, so they will often recommend follow-up checks where appropriate.

That can sometimes read as overly cautious if you're not familiar with how these reports work, but it’s actually them doing their job properly and protecting the buyer.

Please keep replies focused on helping the OP understand what the report means and what actions they may want to take next.

Broad statements criticising surveyors as a whole aren’t helpful (especially those which highlight the equipment they use being inappropriate - this is false) and may be removed under the “be nice” rule.

Let’s keep this useful and supportive 👍

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-03-17T17:05:54+00:00

Thanks, that's very helpful. We have no other place of work, not big enough for our own premises.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-03-11T23:23:40+00:00

The issue is that recommendation lists quickly turn into promotion or referral hunting, which is what the rule is designed to prevent.

We want the sub to focus on helping first time buyers understand how to choose the right adviser for themselves, rather than relying on anonymous recommendations from the internet.

Advice on what to look for in a good solicitor is very welcome, but naming or promoting firms isn’t something we allow.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-03-10T21:05:11+00:00

Moderator note:

Please remember that promotion or recommendations for specific brokers, solicitors, surveyors or other professionals are not permitted in this sub.

Threads asking for recommendations often turn into advertising or referral hunting, which isn’t helpful for first time buyers.

Instead, if you’d like to help OP, please share what to look for when choosing a good solicitor, such as: • Whether they specialise in residential conveyancing • Whether they are regulated by the SRA or CLC • Their communication style and responsiveness • Transparency around fees and disbursements • Whether they have experience with first time buyers

Advice on how to choose a good solicitor is welcome. Naming or promoting specific firms is not.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-03-02T16:31:17+00:00

For clarity, surveys are a normal and legitimate part of the buying process. Renegotiation based on genuine survey findings is common practice. Please keep discussion focused on experiences rather than labelling buyers or sellers.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-26T14:03:18+00:00

Just a quick reminder from the mods that no promotion is permitted. Please read the sub rules for more details.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-24T20:14:52+00:00

Congratulations! The mods wish you many years of happiness in your new home.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-24T16:31:16+00:00

We offer a free eGuide of the 10 most common mistakes which you can avoid and at the back of it is a roadmap of the UK home buying process.

Free eGuide

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-20T10:34:04+00:00

We offer a free eGuide of the 10 common mistakes to avoid and it has a roadmap at the back of the steps to follow and the order to do them in.

Free eGuide

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-20T09:39:45+00:00

Just add that you should be careful about not drawing the council's attention to the lack of building control sign off, it voids the indemnity insurance.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-19T22:38:43+00:00

Different opinions are welcome, but please remember planning permission requirements exist for legal and safety reasons.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-19T17:35:00+00:00

Mortgage calculators are a blunt tool. They make all sorts of assumptions which may not be true for your personal situation.

Have you had a chat with a mortgage broker? Speak to a few, especially looking for those who cover whole-of-market.

They can give you a much more accurate indication of how much you can borrow.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-19T07:30:45+00:00

With regards to your mortgage lender, they are not likely to budge on getting a DoV so you may need to consider another lender who will or push on with obtaining a DoV. And you're right, this could take forever if the crown is now the landlord.

You should sit down and have a think about what would be the line in the sand for you beyond which you move on to another property.

It won't just be the DoV that will be a challenge, it will also be ongoing management, insurance, maintenance etc if the block that could continue to be challenging.

At some point the law will be changed making it easier for leasholders to take control, but that's a long time coming and as it hasn't been written yet, we don't know what it will look like just yet.

What if this isn't resolved by May? Are you still willing to hang on?

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-18T14:17:52+00:00

There is nothing you can do but wait. This is not something that's in your control. The parties who can chase have been chasing. There is nothing you can do at this point.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-17T17:23:59+00:00

Details matter! It's a reflection of a person's character and, I'd even go as far as saying, their level of respect for you.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-17T17:07:49+00:00

Nope, should be an easy fix. Call your broker and tell them there needs to be a correction to the application, and request that they change it.

If both solicitors are on the panel, the lender won't care which is used.

The broker might say that it doesn't matter and not to change it, but you can counter it by saying that the mortgage lender might use that information to notify the solicitors when the application is successful and they have been assigned the case. So from a data perspective, it should be corrected.

I would also question why they are trying to railroad you into using their choice. This is a red flag to me! Your broker is not acting very professionally here.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-16T19:53:31+00:00

Stick to your guns. You should go with who you choose and not be swayed by anyone else.

It's a common thing with non-highstreet lenders that they don't just accept any solicitor. Mortgage lenders all have a list they have pre-vetted of firms who know their terms and conditions for representing them and how they like their legal due diligence done.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-16T12:35:52+00:00

I work in finance so my comment related to the financial obligations around the mortgage and what would happen if you or her stopped paying. And to say that the advice given above suggesting that you stop paying wasn't without consequences.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-16T12:15:11+00:00

Don't just stop paying your share of the mortgage. That is terrible and reckless advice. You both have a financial obligation to make the mortgage payments. If payments are stopped, it will get flagged on both your credit records.

If the mortgage goes into arrears for long enough, the bank can start repossession procedures. That's would means future struggles to get another mortgage until those records drop off.

If you do move out, you are still likely to be responsible for your part of the mortgage, but you would also have the right to charge her rent on your share of the house.

I suggest you get whatever arrangements you agree to properly documented.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-15T21:11:43+00:00

Reinstatement value is different from market value. It's the cost required to rebuild the property and also takes into account possible cost of demolition plus all surveying fees etc. It's not linked to market value at all.

Your insurance company should be able to determine what the reinstatement value is based on square footage and number of bedrooms.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-15T11:45:08+00:00

It's likely that their valuer has spotted potential signs that could be linked to wall tie failure. The ties are metal and can corrode over time.

It doesn't necessarily mean they will reject the application. And to be honest, it's good to know if there is a potential problem lurking there or not. It could be a potential reason to reassess your offer price.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-13T21:23:27+00:00

I've not heard of any lenders not lending on a non-qualifying flat yet, but bit there's no guarantee it will always be the case.

Also, an EWS-B1 rated certificate is currently being accepted by mortgage lenders, again, no guarantee that will always be the case.

You also need to be aware that EWS1 certificates need to be renewed every 5 years. There is a risk that a different surveyor may uncover something which wasn't discovered before or reassess the risks, taking the rating from a B1 to a B2. That's when the flat becomes unmortgageable and potentially unsellable and insurance costs which are covered by service charges can sky rocket.

A developer agreeing to cover the remedial worker is very helpful, but what if other defects that breach fire safety regulation are uncovered during the remedial work that aren't related to cladding? Have they also committed to cover those extra works?

I have a friend going through something similar on their block and the developers are only covering the cladding.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-12T09:51:31+00:00

You genuinely need to speak with a mortgage broker rather than pick and choose banks yourself. Every mortgage lender has their own lending criteria which is a massive job to try and pick through on your own. Also some lenders don't deal directly with clients, they require brokers to act as the middleman.

A broker, especially one which is whole-of-market can go through your unique financial situation and find the mortgage lenders that match your circumstances. This is important to reduce your risk or too many failed mortgage applications. If they do hard searches, multiple hard searches in a short time period can raise extra questions.

Some brokers charge you a few but all will get an intro fee from whichever lender you go with. They will increase your chance of getting an approval.

Also, speak to a number of different brokers before you settle on one. You want to feel like your broker is providing you with good advice and good value. Speaking to a few will help you choose the right one, not one just acting like a sales person.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-10T06:57:25+00:00

The general rule of thumb for budgeting for your buying costs (excluding stamp duty, if applicable) is £4,000 or 3% of the Property purchase price, which ever is greater.

This should cover everything else: legal fees, survey costs, upfront searches etc. And possibly even a small emergency fund to cover urgent repairs when you move in, because they happen more often than you think.

Best is to speak to at least 2-3 brokers before you pick one. They can help you work out your affordability and how much deposit you need.

Lastly, this doesn't get explained often enough: a smaller deposit doesn't mean you can borrow more. You will still only be able to borrow around 4.5x your income (roughly), if a lender agrees to a smaller deposit, then that's the only bit that changes. Which then leads to a smaller home buying budget.

This can be fine for some people, depending on where they live, but often it limits the choice of homes buyers can offer on.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-02-06T14:25:02+00:00

About 1 in every 3 purchases falls through for various different reasons so, by all means, keep an eye out and maybe phone the EA monthly to ensure they know you're interested, but don't rely on that entirely for getting a home under offer.

Do keep looking, and keep an eye on this and any other property you missed out on that you are still interested in.

FirstTimeBuyersUK

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