What to Do If Your House Survey Finds Problems

Property Law Unpacked is our practical guide to buying and selling property in the UK. Each article takes a real question or scenario faced by buyers and sellers and explains the legal process in plain English, with insights from our experienced property lawyers. Whether you’re a first-time buyer, a seasoned investor, or preparing to sell, this series gives you the clarity and confidence to navigate your move.

In this instalment, we look at what happens when your survey report isn’t as positive as you’d hoped. From minor issues to major structural concerns, we explain your options, how a property lawyer can support you, and the steps you can take to protect your investment and keep your move on track.

What if I get a bad survey?

You’ve found a property you love, your offer has been accepted, and things are starting to move. Then the survey comes back and it’s not good news. Maybe it flags signs of damp, subsidence, a dodgy roof, or even structural movement. At this point, many buyers feel a surge of panic. But take a breath, a bad survey doesn’t automatically mean the end of the deal.

Let’s look at what your options are and how a property lawyer can help you make a clear-headed decision that protects your interests.

First, don’t panic. Bad surveys are more common than you’d think

Most properties in the UK, especially older ones, come with some issues. It’s rare for a survey to be completely clean. In fact, surveyors are often cautious by nature and will flag anything that could potentially be a concern. Their job is to alert you to issues you might not have spotted, not to give the property a thumbs up or down.

So, while “bad survey” sounds dramatic, what really matters is what kind of problems have been identified, and how severe or expensive they are to put right.

What kind of survey did you get?

Before going any further, it's worth understanding which type of survey you commissioned:

Mortgage valuation – This isn’t really a survey. It’s a brief report done for the lender to confirm the property is worth what you're paying. It doesn’t look at the condition in any depth.
Homebuyer Report (Level 2) – A popular mid-range option for standard properties. It checks the general condition of the home and highlights areas needing attention.
Building Survey (Level 3) – A more detailed report, often recommended for older or more unusual properties. It covers everything from the structure to the roof and foundations.

If you only had a mortgage valuation and you're concerned about the property’s condition, it’s worth upgrading to a full survey before committing.

Choosing a good surveyor can make a big difference. Look for someone who will take the time to explain their findings to you over the phone after the inspection. This conversation can help you put the written report into context, understand the urgency of any issues, and decide whether you need further specialist investigations.

Next: understand what the survey actually says

Survey reports can be technical and full of worst-case scenarios. It’s easy to read too much into them. A property lawyer won’t give you structural advice, that’s the surveyor’s domain, but we can help you interpret the implications of what’s been raised.

Some questions to consider:

Is the issue cosmetic, structural, or safety-related?
Does it require urgent work, or is it something to budget for in future?
Could it affect your ability to get buildings insurance or a mortgage?
Is it something you can live with or something that will impact resale value down the line?

At this stage, you might also want to go back to the surveyor and ask for clarification. Or commission a specialist report, for example, if the survey mentions subsidence, you could get a structural engineer to take a closer look.

Then: decide on your response

A “bad” survey doesn’t mean you have to walk away. You have a few choices and your solicitor can help you weigh them up.

Renegotiate the price
If the survey reveals problems that will cost money to fix, it’s reasonable to ask for a reduction in the purchase price. This isn’t being cheeky it’s about the property’s true value in light of what’s now known.

Let’s say the roof needs replacing and it’s estimated at £8,000. You could ask the seller to drop the price accordingly. Sometimes they will; sometimes they won’t. It depends on their situation and how close to completion you are.
Ask the seller to carry out repairs
In some cases, the seller may be willing to sort out the issue before completion. This can be useful if the work needs doing urgently, or if it's a safety concern (e.g. electrical faults).

If you go down this route, your solicitor can draft a clause into the contract making the completion conditional on the works being done to a specified standard by a certain date.
Proceed as planned, but with eyes open
You might decide the issue isn’t a deal-breaker. Maybe the repairs are affordable or already factored into your plans. If that’s the case, you can carry on, but at least you’re doing so with full knowledge of the situation.
Walk away
Sometimes, the problem is serious enough that it makes you rethink the entire deal. Maybe the repairs are beyond your budget, or the issue could affect resale value in the future. If you haven’t exchanged contracts yet, you can walk away without legal or financial penalties (though you’ll be out of pocket for the survey and any legal fees to date).

It’s a tough decision, but a property lawyer will always support you in making the right call, and can also help you start again quickly if needed.

How your solicitor helps in this process

You might not think of your solicitor as being involved with the survey, but we play a crucial role in handling what comes next.

We can:

Review the report with you and highlight any legal implications (e.g. damp affecting adjoining properties, or structural issues on a boundary wall).
Liaise with the seller’s solicitor to request further investigations or renegotiate terms.
Work with your surveyor’s findings – A surveyor will physically inspect the property and should identify where works may have been carried out that required planning permission or building regulations approval. Their report will often include a section called “matters for your legal adviser,” which highlights these points. This enables us, as your lawyers, to make further enquiries and ensure that any necessary consents or approvals are in place.
Assess older works without evidence of building regulations – Where structural work has been carried out many years ago without evidence of compliance, a surveyor should be able to indicate whether this is a cause for concern or whether further investigations or protective measures are advisable.
Adjust the contract wording if repairs or price changes are agreed.
Advise you on whether the issue might impact your mortgage offer or buildings insurance.
Help you walk away cleanly if the deal no longer makes sense.