Condition ratings
Does “further investigation” create a condition rating of its own?
No. It is advice that the visual inspection was not enough. Look at the rating next to it. If the element is NI, it was not inspected. If it is a 3, RICS’s definition already includes urgent investigation. The words are not a fourth score and they are not a price.
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?
Surveyors use the phrase when a lining, a locked hatch or a limit of the service stopped them diagnosing the cause. The next step is the specialist they name: an electrician, a drainage firm, a structural engineer, a timber specialist. Ask that person a tight question. “Have a look” is how bills drift. “Tell me whether this crack is progressive” is a brief.
Do not negotiate a reduction equal to a full repair while the investigation might show a small one. You can negotiate for time, or for the seller to allow access, or for a price that reflects the uncertainty. Those are different asks. The solicitor says which the contract allows. The survey does not set the money.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- What rating sits beside this phrase?
- Who should investigate, and what should I ask them?
- What must they open that you could not?
What are the typical next steps?
- Match the phrase to the rating. Do not invent a 3 if the report prints NI, or ignore a 3 because you dislike the phrase.
- Instruct the named specialist with a written brief and a fee.
- Decide with the result, before exchange if you can.
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 further investigation the same as the EICR code FI?
No. FI is an electrician’s code. The survey phrase is the surveyor’s. They can both mean “we need to know more” and still belong to different reports.
Can you skip it if you are happy to take the risk?
Yes, if you understand the risk and the contract. Write down that you are skipping it. Do not later claim the survey gave the all-clear.