Condition ratings
Why does the report rate the roof, the walls and the services separately?
Because the definitions apply to elements, and the decisions are different. A rating 3 roof needs a roofer’s quotation before commitment if you follow the Level 3 text. A rating 1 bathroom needs ordinary maintenance. Adding them into a single “house condition” throws away the only structure the form has.
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 Level 3 description also separates what was inspected: inside, outside, services visually, grounds. NI on one element does not stain the element next to it, and a rating 1 does not leak sideways into an NI box. When you read the report, go down the elements. The executive summary is a guide to that table, not a substitute.
Your solicitor and your lender, if they read it, will look for the 3s and the investigations. Help them by not rewriting the table as prose that loses the digits. If you disagree with a digit, ask the surveyor. Do not tippex it.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Which elements did you rate 3, and which did you leave NI?
- Does the summary list the same elements as the table?
- What maintenance are you assuming for the rating 1 items?
What are the typical next steps?
- Read the table before the summary if you are short of time. Then read both.
- Send the element pages, not a one-line paraphrase, when you ask for quotes.
- Keep NI elements on the list of things nobody has judged.
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 Level 1 use the same elements?
Level 1 is a shorter product. The RICS scope page describes a more limited inspection. Do not assume a Level 1 table answered the same questions as a Level 3.
Can one room contain two ratings?
Yes. The ceiling and the window are different elements. Do not give the room a single number.