I’ve just started the buying house process and am paying for a full structural survey. I said to the estate agent I would like to be present when it is done. I did this last time I bought a house and it was very good as I had a good hat with the surveyor which eased my mind about a few things and he didn’t mind.
I reckon if I’m paying for a survey I should be able to insist I be there when it is done but the estate agents are saying if I want to see the house it has to be a seperate visit to the surveyors visit. Is this right?

You’re the one with the cash (or mortgage), aka the customer. Throw your weight about a bit, we were having a PITA over a couple of small things going backwards and forwards via solicitors/agents until we phoned up and said “look, we’re not going through with it unless you sort out XYZ paperwork (gas and electrical certs, it was a rental property so their absence was suspicious, I’d not expect them in a normal house), scanned copies arrived in my inbox 20min later!

As long as the surveyor’s happy I can’t see what their problem is. Sounds entirely sensible especially as you’ve probably already spent longer in the house than the surveyor will!

Don’t let the estate agent broker sort your mortgage, are you crazy!?

Don’t see why not and probably worth it.

My mum recently bought a house and was present for the survey. It all seemed fine until the written report turned up which made no sense. Turned out he mixed his notes up for another house on the same road he had surveyed that day as well which was pretty much falling down. Nearly scuppered the sale until we worked out what had happened.

Tell the estate agent what you want rather than them telling you. Its probably because their surveyor doesn’t normally get out the car and they’d rather you didn’t know. Don’t go through the agent for anything at all if you can.

I am not having the survey from the EA, it’s through my bank (HSBC) but it’s a proper surveyor, not a valuer.
Mortgage is already sorted out via HSBC. Not getting anything from EA.

As a building surveyor I find it a PITA if the client is present. Sorry 😕

As a building surveyor I find it a PITA if the client is present. Sorry

As a customer I find it a PITA that a building surveyor took 6 weeks to get his written report to me.

OP – you are the one with the money EA won’t want to loose a potential sale over such a small issue, if I were ever buying a house again* I would insist on being present

* not that I would ever bother wasting my money on a full survey ever again 🙁

In that case definitely and ask questions.

If your mortgage and survey is going through the bank then don’t bother asking the EA anything and deal direct with the surveying company. Have as little to do with the EA as possible, they’re not working for you.

There’s an easy solution – Don’t organise the survey though the estate agent. Pay for the bare minimum through them and organise your own full survey independently.

The only thing the EA has to do is grant access to the house as they have the keys. I haven’t spoken to the surveyor yet but will ask them when they are doing it so I can be there.

I’ll say it again, the EA aren’t doing anything for us!

The estate agent wasn’t keen for us to be present during our survey but we just turned up with him and got on with it so quick they didnt have much choice.. Just be prepared for them to have a wee strop!

The EA is working for the vendor – not you. As Chris suggests I would arrange the surveyors visit and just turn up.

Talk to the surveyor directly and make sure they are happy for you to be there.

In the same way I wouldn’t let an estate agent sort a mortgage, I wouldn’t let a mortgage provider sort a survey.

I had a chat with our surveyor. He told me how people coming along could cause issue but if I was mindful of that he was fine with me coming along. It was useful and I’m glad I did. Between us, we spotted some real horrors.

The survey is being done by an independent surveyor but paid through the bank (I think). This is because the bank is paying a part of the survey for me. I am happy with that part of it.

I won’t mention it to the EA again, I’ll just liase with the surveyor themselves to see if I can be present. To be honest with my work commitments it might be difficult but if I can be present I will be.

I’ll make sure I am not a hindrance to them during the visit, but will try and ask questions about a few bits for reassurance more than anything else.

I just turned up when I knew the surveyor was due to be present. I got much more from talking to the surveyor in person than from the report.