Before making a house purchase it is important to obtain balanced independent advice on the condition of the property as this will enable you to decide how much you should agree to pay or indeed, if there are serious structural problems, whether to proceed at all.

The cost of a pre-purchase survey is relatively insignificant in comparison with the possible costs involved in putting problems right and of course, if as one would hope, there are no serious problems, a survey will give you peace of mind enabling you to proceed in the knowledge that there will not be any unexpected costs arising. A survey will also highlight potential maintenance problems and give advice in respect of risks which may exist enabling you to proceed from a fully informed position.

It is also important to instruct an independent Chartered Surveyor, rather than one also acting for a mortgage lender. This will ensure that the advice given is tailored solely to the needs of the purchaser rather than the mortgage lender.