Single Survey

The Scottish Single Survey comprises four sections:

Section 1: Information and scope of inspection

This section tells you about the type, accommodation, neighbourhood, age and construction of the property. It also tells you about the extent of the inspection and highlights anything that the surveyor could not inspect.

Section 2: Condition

This section identifies problems with the property and tells you about the urgency of any repairs by using one of the following three categories:

• Category 1: No immediate action or repair is needed.
• Category 2: Repairs or replacement requiring future attention, but estimates are still advised.
• Category 3: Urgent repairs or replacement are needed now. Failure to deal with them may cause problems to other parts of the property or cause a safety hazard. Estimates for repairs or replacement are needed now.

Areas the surveyors will look at include (but are not limited to): structural movement, damp, rainwater fittings, main walls, windows, ceilings, floors, cellars, drainage, plumbing, electricity and gas.

You can see a full list in the example of a Single Survey here.

Section 3: Accessibility information

The accessibility audit provides essential information for parents, elderly people or those with disabilities.

Examples include: whether the door openings are all greater than 750mm, whether there are steps leading to the main entrance of the property, and whether there’s a toilet on the same level as the kitchen and living room.

Section 4: Valuation and conveyancer issues

This section provides an opinion of market value and an estimated reinstatement cost for insurance purposes. The surveyor will also note down any issues they think the solicitor or licensed conveyancer should look at.