Searches, surveys and valuations: three different questions

01

Searches: records and external context

The legal professional usually arranges searches after an offer is accepted. A typical set may cover local authority, water and drainage, and environmental information, with specialist searches selected for the property and location. Search validity and scope vary.

02

Survey: the building and its condition

A survey is commissioned to investigate the physical property at a chosen level. The right scope depends on age, construction, condition and the decisions you need to make. Read exclusions and follow-up recommendations rather than focusing only on a headline category.

03

Valuation: lending security

A mortgage provider’s valuation supports its lending decision. It may be remote or limited and is not a promise about condition. Build your due-diligence plan around the questions you need answered, not around whether a lender has agreed to lend.

• Ask what each report covers.
• Track issues that need specialist follow-up.
• Connect findings to price, contingency and whether to proceed.