Condition ratings
What does condition rating 1 mean in the RICS definition?
RICS defines condition rating 1 as no repair currently needed. The property must be maintained in the normal way. It is not a guarantee that a hidden part is perfect, and it is not a promise the element will last a set number of years.
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?
The definition is the one printed in RICS’s description of the Level 3 report, and the same scale is used on the other levels. Rating 1 still expects you to paint, clear gutters and service boilers. “No repair currently needed” is not “no expenditure ever”. It is “nothing to put right now beyond looking after it”.
If the words under a rating 1 describe a real defect, ask the surveyor whether the number and the paragraph match. Clerical mismatches happen. Do not upgrade the number yourself. Use the condition-rating tool on this site only to read the definitions, not to re-rate the house. RICS’s “What to do now” note is the companion: it does not tell you to seek quotes for a rating 1.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Does this rating 1 sit beside words that actually describe a defect?
- What maintenance do you still expect for this element?
- What was not inspected, so the 1 does not cover it?
What are the typical next steps?
- Maintain the element. Do not open a negotiation on a genuine rating 1.
- If the words and the number clash, ask the firm to clarify in writing.
- Check that a different element has not been rated 3 on the same page.
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
Does rating 1 mean the item is new?
No. Old and well-kept work can be a 1. New and unfinished work might not be. The definition is about repair, not age.
Can a rating 1 become a 2 later?
Yes, if it deteriorates. The rating is the day of the inspection. It is not a warranty.