Home Reports

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Anyone selling most types of residential property in Scotland is required, by law, to have a Home Report for the property.

The seller provides a copy of the Home Report for prospective purchasers.

Home Reports can only be completed by members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Home Reports comprise 3 parts:

1. Property Questionnaire

This is completed by the seller/s and gives information about the property such as Council Tax band, services, any alterations, planning issues and so on.

2. Single Survey

The Single Survey has 4 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.

Section 3: Accessibility information

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

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.

3. Energy Performance Certificate

Production of an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a legal requirement for a property to be sold.

EPCs measure the energy efficiency of a property on a scale of A-G. The most efficient homes are in band A.

EPCs will also show the amount of CO2 emissions produced by that property in tonnes, and will advise on the amount this could be reduced by.

EPCs include recommendations on ways to improve the home's energy efficiency to save you money and help the environment.

Generic Mortgage Valuation.

Home Reports may also comprise a fourth element called a Generic Mortgage Valuation.

The home owner is not legally required to include a generic Mortgage Valuation Report in the Home Report but it is likely they will choose to.