Choosing a survey level
What does a survey of one flat leave to the solicitor and the managing agent?
It leaves the lease, the service charge, the reserve, any major works, and usually the external wall system. The survey covers the flat and the common parts the surveyor can enter. The Level 3 description says external wall systems of flats are not inspected. GOV.UK’s leasehold pages are the solicitor’s reading, not a chapter the surveyor will write for you.
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?
Choosing Level 2 or Level 3 still matters inside the flat and for the parts of the block they can walk. It does not obtain the accounts. Book the survey early enough that a rating 3 on a communal roof can be compared with the service-charge papers before you exchange. A perfect flat under a failing roof is a leasehold problem the rating will only half explain.
Ask the firm whether the freeholder’s permission is needed for loft or roof access, and whether the fee includes a return if access is refused on the day. Refused access becomes NI. NI on a communal roof is a reason to delay, not a reason to blame the level you chose.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Which parts of the block will you try to enter, and what happens if the agent refuses?
- Will you inspect the external wall system? If not, say so in the terms.
- Which findings would you expect us to take to the solicitor rather than treat as our own repair?
What are the typical next steps?
- Order the lease pack and the survey so they arrive while you can still ask questions.
- If access to the roof is refused, decide whether the report is complete enough.
- Ask the lender about EWS1 separately. Do not hide that request inside the survey fee.
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 maisonette a flat for this purpose?
If it is leasehold, the lease questions still apply. If it is freehold, they may not. Tell the surveyor and the solicitor which it is.
Does a share of freehold remove the need for accounts?
No. Someone is still spending the service charge. Ask for the accounts. The survey will not produce them.