Condition ratings
The loft is marked not inspected because it was stacked with the seller's possessions. Is that a pass?
No. Not inspected is not a pass. The loft is marked that way because it was stacked with the seller's possessions, so the surveyor could not see it. A blocked loft is a gap, not a rating 1 and not a clean bill. You do not know the timbers, the felt, the party wall in the roof space or the insulation that the boxes covered. Do not tell the lender the loft passed. Say it was not inspected, and say why.
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?
Possessions are a common reason a roof space stays closed. The limit is the seller's storage, not a judgement that nothing is wrong. Rating 1 would mean no repair is currently needed, which requires the element to have been seen and found in that state. This loft was not seen. If the surveyor is concerned about what they could not check, the report should say what further investigation is needed. Silence plus boxes is still not a pass.
Before you exchange, ask whether the loft can be cleared and looked at. That is a further visit, with the owner's agreement, not a meaning you add to the original mark. Until then, price your decision with the gap included. Do not let the agent call the loft fine because the house downstairs looked tidy. The downstairs was a different inspection. The roof space remains the part the possessions hid.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- What exactly stopped you entering or seeing the loft?
- Are you marking it not inspected, rather than rating 1?
- What further look would you want once the possessions are moved?
What are the typical next steps?
- Do not read the loft mark as a pass.
- Ask for the possessions to be cleared and the loft inspected.
- Tell the lender the loft was not inspected, if they ask about it.
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
If the hatch was opened a crack, does that count as a pass?
No. A glimpse past boxes is not an inspection of the loft, and it is not rating 1. Not inspected remains not inspected.
If the seller says the loft was empty last year, is that enough?
No. Last year's description is not this visit. The loft was stacked on the day, so it was not inspected, and that is not a pass.