Survey costs
What should the quote say about a fee if the surveyor cannot get in?
It should say what you pay if the seller refuses access, nobody is home, or the loft is sealed and the visit is abortive. RICS does not publish that charge. If the quote is silent, ask before you instruct. A dry fee for a wasted morning is a contract term, not a condition rating.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
Access problems are common: alarms, tenants, locked extensions. Some firms charge a percentage, some a fixed call-out, some nothing if they rebook. None of those is “the RICS rule”. Write down the one this firm uses. VAT should be stated as included or extra.
Do not book the survey for a day the seller has not confirmed. Do not expect the firm to absorb a second trip to another county inside the original fee unless the quote says so. Travel is one of the reasons two Level 2 quotes differ. Ask them to include it.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- What do I pay if you cannot enter?
- Is VAT included, and is travel included?
- Will you rebook once inside the original fee?
What are the typical next steps?
- Confirm access with the agent before the surveyor travels.
- Keep the quote that states the abortive fee.
- Do not dispute the fee by claiming RICS sets one. It does not.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Is a return to see a locked garage part of the abortive fee?
Only if the quote says so. A successful visit that skipped a locked outbuilding is a limitation, not automatically a free second visit.
Does the lender’s valuation fee work the same way?
No. That fee is the lender’s arrangement. Ask them. It is not your home-survey quote.