Electrics and gas
What should you ask if the house has a heat pump rather than a gas boiler?
Ask for the commissioning papers and whether the surveyor could see the outdoor unit and the indoor cylinder. A home survey does not test a heat pump, does not measure its efficiency, and does not confirm a grant condition. GOV.UK’s competent-person schemes are one way installation work is self-certified. The survey is not that certificate.
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?
Outdoor units need clearance, a base and a power supply. The surveyor can see a unit that is falling off a wall or buried in a fence. They cannot hear whether it is the right size for the house. Noise you notice on the day is not an acoustic report. Planning conditions sometimes apply and are the solicitor’s question.
Do not value the house as “bills will be low” from the presence of a pump. The EPC is not a running-cost promise and not a survey. If the system leaks or the cylinder discharges, that is a plumber’s or the installer’s job to quote. No price is stated here. Gas Safe is the wrong badge unless gas is also in the building.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Could you see the outdoor unit, the cylinder and the controls?
- Are you limiting yourself to visible condition?
- Which papers should the solicitor ask for?
What are the typical next steps?
- Get the commissioning certificate and any warranty.
- Do not ask the surveyor to predict bills.
- If something is visibly damaged, ask the installer or a competent heating engineer, not a gas fitter by default.
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 heat pump a boiler for the purpose of a gas record?
No. If there is no gas, a gas safety record is not the document. If gas remains for a hob, that hob is a separate appliance.
Does an EPC A rating mean the pump was installed properly?
No. The EPC is an energy model. It is not a commissioning sheet and not a condition rating.