From The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and The Incorporated Society of Valuers and Auctioneers

The best way to reach an informed decision on such an important investment as a home is to have a professional survey and valuation Of the property which interests you. Before you decide to go ahead and commit yourself legally, you can minimise the risks by asking a qualified surveyor to answer these questions for you:

• Is the agreed price reasonable?
• Are there drawbacks I don't know about?
• If so, what do I need to do about them?

Commissioning your own survey is the simple, economical way to avoid unpleasant-and perhaps costly-surprises after moving in. In some cases, the surveyor's report may enable you to renegotiate the price.