Why a RICS Level 3 Survey is essential on a new-build

Buying a new-build home and convinced you don't need a RICS Level 3 Survey? Think again.

A recent story reported by ITV News highlights the importance of having an independent chartered surveyor look over even the most modern of properties.

A family who had bought a brand-new detached home in Loughborough, Leicestershire, in 2017, described their property as a "House of Horrors" thanks to around 150 faults and so-called snags they discovered only after moving in.

Generally, lenders will ask for a valuation survey on a new-build property to ensure it is worth the mortgage they are offering on it.

However, most buyers will not consider that they might actually need a property structural survey, carried out by a chartered surveyor who is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). At Surveyor Local, we only work with RICS chartered surveyors.

Homeowner Paul Smith, a father of four, told ITV News: "Our dream home is actually a House of Horrors.

"We have a list of 150 faults and snags, of which 80 are still not resolved after nearly two years.

"Faults included a chimney that looks structurally safe, radiators hanging off the wall, a garage door that looks ready to drop off, and what appears and smells like a 'public sewer' in the back garden.

"Drainage does not match the site plans and violates building regulations.

"The drains get blocked regularly because of subsided pipes and poor drainage regulation in ours and neighbouring properties."

Paul has been advised to contact the National House Builders Council (NHBC), which provides protection to consumers who buy new-builds.

A recent survey by the HomeOwners Alliance revealed that almost nine out of 10 (88 percent) newbuild homeowners want a system in place to withhold funds owed to builders until they fix problems and faults, a so-called snagging retention.

One way to avoid those problems is to instruct a chartered surveyor to carry out a RICS Level 3 Survey before exchanging contracts on a house purchase.

Talk to the Surveyor Local team on to get a competitive quote for a survey that could save you both money and stress in the long run.

You can also compare survey costs and what each covers online.