Offer accepted on our first flat, just looking at which survey to get.  It’s in a small 60s block, 3 stories, 9 units, leasehold.  Will the level 2 give us all the information we need?

We’re looking at redoing bathroom and kitchen, not sure if the level 3 is too much due to the leasehold.

Is there any point in any kind of survey as you don’t own the fabric of the building and unless they can survey the whole building you won’t get much if anything out of it?  Just one of the reasons I’d never consider buying a flat again!

I have done all 3 levels on various house purchases.

All fairly useless.

The only use is if you want to try and get a reduction on the price after your offer being accepted.

If you really want a good idea of the condition of a building, you would be better off getting a tame, good, reliable builder to have a look with you.

Some friends of ours recently purchased a house and paid for an expensive survey. No problems raised. Moved in all downstairs joists completely rotten and swimming in water. Has cost them tens of thousands to sort. No recourse on survey company.

My parents have just purchased a property and again didn’t pay just for basic survey. It missed that a door frame was missing a lintel and was falling down, the hot water tank was incorrectly installed, there was no   Roof insulation in the loft.  Again no come back.

Building Surveyor here.

Get a builder to look, survey is just a series of weasel-word get-out clauses.

APF

Ha ha will do thanks for the responses!