Electrics and gas
What can a survey say about an outside socket?
It can say the socket is cracked, missing its cover, or fed by a casual lead from a window. It cannot say the circuit is RCD-protected. That is a test. A home survey does not do it. Water in a socket is a visible defect. A socket that merely exists is not.
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?
Garden electrics are where DIY shows. The same EICR you commission for the house should include them if the electrician is told they exist. GOV.UK’s landlord testing duty still does not, by itself, bind an owner-occupier seller. You commission the test because you want to know, or because the survey showed damage.
A cracked socket is a small quote. A cable buried under a patio with no duct is a different quote. The survey usually cannot see the buried bit. There is no RICS price. Do not let a gardener quote the electrics.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- What was damaged, as against merely outside?
- Did you see how it is fed?
- Are you recommending a test?
What are the typical next steps?
- Photograph the socket and the cable you can see.
- Tell the electrician about the garden when they price an EICR.
- Do not use the socket until it is checked if the cover is broken or it is wet.
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 pond pump included?
Only as a visible appliance. The survey did not test the pump or the supply.
Does an IP-rated cover mean it passed?
A cover is a product. It is not a test result. It can also be cracked.