Age and type of house
The only view of a park home chassis was through a small service hatch, and the axle was not in that view. What of the steel underframe is still undescribed?
The steel underframe outside that hatch is still undescribed, and so is the axle. The survey saw the park home chassis only through a small service hatch, and the axle was not in that view. It has recorded that limited opening. It has not described the rest of the chassis, the axle, or how the frame bears on the pitch. GOV.UK treats a park home as a special case when buying. A look through one hatch is not a survey of the whole underframe. It does not set the pitch fee, and it does not replace the written agreement.
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?
A service hatch is a small opening, often for a pipe or a cable, not a window onto the whole chassis. Steel you cannot see from that hole may be sound, corroded or already patched, and the survey has no basis for choosing. The axle being out of view means any running gear still fitted was not described either. The note is the limit of the hatch. It is not a clean bill for steel that stayed hidden.
Ask the solicitor for the written agreement and the site rules, and keep them apart from this chassis note. GOV.UK treats buying a park home as a special case. The survey of the unit does not set the pitch fee and does not replace that agreement. If the underframe must be described, arrange a separate look that can see the steel and the axle. Do not tell a lender the chassis was passed because a hatch was opened.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Which parts of the chassis were actually visible through the service hatch?
- Was the axle outside that view, and therefore left undescribed?
- Did you record a limit of inspection rather than a condition for the hidden steel?
What are the typical next steps?
- Treat the chassis note as limited to the service hatch.
- Ask the solicitor to read the written agreement and the site rules.
- Arrange a separate look if the axle and the remaining steel must be seen.
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
Does a tidy hatch surround mean the chassis steel is sound?
No. A tidy surround shows the edge of the hatch, not the steel beyond it. The axle was not in that view, so the rest of the underframe stays undescribed. The survey has not graded hidden members, welds or bearings from the look of the opening alone.
Can the survey set the pitch fee from the steel it happened to see?
No. GOV.UK treats a park home purchase as a special case. The survey of the unit does not set the pitch fee and does not replace the written agreement. A hatch view of some steel changes neither the fee nor the agreement the solicitor must read.