Home Reports: What are they?

A Home Report is a set of documents that are required by law in Scotland to sell your home. It was introduced back in 2008 by the Scottish Government to provide better information about the condition of properties to sellers and buyers before offers are placed (and give sellers an incentive to carry out repairs before marketing their property). There are cases where a home report is not needed; these include new build properties or properties that are being sold off market, however these are generally minority cases. The seller needs to have their Home Report carried out by a qualified surveyor prior to the property going on the market or else the seller and estate agent may be prosecuted by Trading Standards and be subject to a significant fine.

There are four different documents that make up The Home Report, these are:

Energy Performance Certificate

This states the energy efficiency of the building based on the way in which it's used and includes an estimate of annual energy costs for the potential buyer.

Single Survey

This is a detailed report on the condition and value of the property and is separated into three categories:

Category 1 – No immediate repair is needed

Category 2 – Repair or replacement requiring future attention

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.

Property Questionnaire

This is completed by the seller or their agent and provides a range of useful information for potential buyers, such as the council tax band, length of ownership, existing service providers and parking.

Mortgage Valuation

The mortgage valuation report is designed to help inform lenders of the value of the property for loan purposes. The valuation advises lenders of the value of the property and provides detailed characteristics of the property, including significant defects that may affect the value for securing the loan.

It is vital that you instruct a qualified surveyor that has knowledge of your local area to make sure that you are getting the best possible advice. Allied Surveyors have 30 offices across Scotland covering every postcode so if you are in need of a Home Report, or any other property related advice, then please contact our Head Office on 0141 330 9950 or email us on info@alliedsurveyorsscotland.com