Condition ratings
What does the RICS Level 3 description tell you to do before you commit, if an element is rating 3?
It says rating 3 defects are serious and/or need to be repaired, replaced or investigated urgently, and that written quotations for repairs should be obtained prior to legal commitment to purchase. The rating is the reason to get those quotations. It is not itself the quotation.
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?
The definition also says failure to act could risk serious safety issues or severe long-term damage. That is why the timing is “before legal commitment”, not “when you get round to it after completion”. A rating 2, by contrast, is a defect that needs repair but is not considered serious or urgent. Do not swap the definitions because a seller would prefer everything to be a 2.
Written quotations come from contractors or specialists who have seen the element, not from multiplying the rating by the purchase price. RICS’s “What to do now” note is the consumer follow-up to the report. Read it with the element, then get the quote. If you cannot get a quote before exchange, that is a reason to pause, not a reason to invent a number.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Which elements are rating 3, and which of them need a specialist rather than a builder’s quote?
- What access will a contractor need in order to quote properly?
- What should we not assume is included in the rating?
What are the typical next steps?
- Obtain written quotations before you exchange, as the definition advises.
- If the seller will not allow access for those quotes, tell your solicitor.
- Do not convert rating 3 into a round-sum reduction with no quote behind 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
Does every rating 3 mean leave the purchase?
No. It means treat it as urgent and get quotes before you are legally committed. You may still buy, at a price that reflects the quote.
Is a rating 3 on a garage the same urgency as a rating 3 on a chimney stack?
The definition is the same. The practical risk depends on the element. Ask the surveyor what the urgent consequence is for each one.