Vendor Survey

Commissioning a survey before you sell puts you in control of the process. It allows you to identify any defects on your terms and either fix them before marketing begins or disclose them transparently to buyers with a clear explanation. This significantly reduces the chance of a buyer pulling out or renegotiating the price after their own survey reveals issues they were not expecting. It also demonstrates to prospective buyers that you are an open and honest seller, which builds trust and can differentiate your property in a competitive market. Many estate agents now actively recommend vendor surveys as a way to secure smoother, faster transactions.

Yes, and we actively encourage you to do so. The vendor survey report is written in clear, plain English and is designed to be shared with prospective buyers and their solicitors or conveyancers. By sharing the report upfront, you remove a major source of uncertainty for the buyer and reduce the likelihood of them commissioning their own survey that might produce conflicting findings. Some buyers may still wish to instruct their own surveyor, but having your vendor survey available often shortens the decision-making process and reduces the scope of any further inspection they require. Sharing the report is entirely at your discretion — the report is yours and you control who sees it.

The cost of a Vendor Survey depends on the size, type, age and location of your property. As a guide, our vendor surveys start from approximately £350 plus VAT for a typical modern house or flat, with prices increasing for larger, older or more complex properties. We provide a fixed-price quote within 24 hours of your enquiry — the price we quote is the price you pay, with no hidden extras, no travel surcharges and no additional fees for any location within our seven counties (Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Greater London and Oxfordshire). Compared to the cost of a sale falling through or a substantial price reduction after the buyer's survey, a vendor survey is a relatively modest investment that can save you thousands of pounds.

Finding out about problems before you list is exactly why a vendor survey is valuable. If the survey identifies defects you were unaware of, you have several options: you can carry out the recommended repairs before marketing the property, obtain quotes from contractors and share them with buyers to demonstrate the cost of rectification is accounted for, or adjust your asking price to reflect the condition. Any of these approaches is far better than discovering the issue through a buyer's survey weeks into the transaction, which often leads to renegotiation, delays or the sale collapsing altogether. Early knowledge gives you time, choice and negotiating power.

In terms of inspection scope and detail, a Vendor Survey is comparable to a RICS Level 2 Home Survey (HomeBuyer Report). It provides a thorough inspection of the property's condition, identifies visible defects, and includes practical recommendations. The key difference is the purpose and audience: a HomeBuyer Survey is commissioned by and written for a buyer to help them decide whether to proceed with a purchase, whereas a Vendor Survey is commissioned by the seller and written to help them prepare the property for sale. The report is structured differently — it emphasises actionable repair recommendations and is written in a style suitable for sharing with prospective buyers, rather than being a private document for one party.

We provide Vendor Surveys across all seven of our counties: Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Greater London and Oxfordshire. Every surveyor who works with us is based locally and knows the building stock, geology and common defects in their area. There are no travel surcharges for any location within our coverage area, and we aim to schedule your inspection at a time that suits you — whether that is before work, during the day or at a weekend by arrangement.