The survey will point you in the correct direction to ask critical questions of your solicitor. This may cover issues such as: planning consents, land queries, boundary features and rights of access (to name just a few that can arise). Your solicitor will welcome a report putting these matters into clear context and will be able to check your legal position more effectively.

You may wonder about the what the vendor’s sales agent will think if you say you want a survey before proceeding. The reality is that most reputable agents will see this as a sign that you are serious buyers. They will not wish to hide any serious defects in the property, as they not only have certain Trading Standards to uphold but they will also not wish the sale to become acrimonious in any way after the event or during legal processes. They are keen to maintain their reputation in the marketplace for successive sales in the area and dealing fairly with a professional survey is not a problem to them.