When you've found the perfect property for your budget and needs, it's time to check it out in detail.
In Scotland, the person selling a property is legally obligated to provide potential buyers with certain information about the property. Here's what that means for you.
A Home Report should be made available
Sellers are legally obliged to provide a Home Report to serious potential buyers of the property within nine days of asking for one. The Home Report contains three main sections and should give you everything you need to know about the property. It contains...
- A single survey and valuation
- A property questionnaire
- An energy report
Single survey and valuation
A single survey is a basic visual check of the property carried out by a charted surveyor. It will tell you about the property, what condition it's in and whether there ae any repairs that may need to be carried out. It also details the access to the property.
You'll also receive an independent valuation of the property, to give a better idea of what it's worth. If you feel there is more repair work to be carried out than you're comfortable with, potential buyers are able to walk away at this point without penalty.
Property questionnaire
The property questionnaire covers 16 different categories that should give prospective buyers a clearer picture of the property. These categories include information such as...
- Issues that may have affected the property in the past, such as fire, weather damage and asbestos.
- Any alterations that have been made, such as extensions or alterations.
- Information around any specialist works or guarantees.
- What council tax band it sits in.
Energy report
The purpose of the energy report is to provide information around how energy efficient the property is, delivered in an Energy Performance Certificate. This details roughly how much the property costs to heat and light.
The report also rates the home's impact on the environment in terms of its carbon dioxide emissions an runs through advice on how to lower your fuel costs and make the property more energy efficient.
Further surveys
Beyond the Home Report, there are other surveys that can be requested on a property to give prospective buyers a more detailed understanding of the property.
The Home Buyer's Report
Not to be confused with the Home Report, the Home Buyer's Report offers a more detailed inspection of the property and can uncover issues that may not have otherwise been spotted.
This survey is still only a visual assessment but can be used to potentially negotiate on the asking price, should anything untoward be discovered.
A full structural survey
A full structural survey offers a full and complete report on the properties condition, with examiners investigation areas of a property not easily uncovered during initial inspections.
The report has a higher cost than other surveys and is advisable if you're purchasing a particularly old or unusual property.
Exceptions
There are some circumstances when the seller can choose not to provide a buyer with a home report. These include situations where...
- The seller does not believe the buyer is seriously interested in purchasing the property.
- The seller does not believe the buyer has enough money to purchase the property.
- The seller would prefer not to sell the property to that particular purchaser.
If you still have questions around getting a survey conducted on a property in Scotland, one of our advisers is on hand to help point you in the right direction.