Leasehold

The pack states a reserve-fund figure. Has the surveyor audited that the money is actually held?

No. The figure in the pack is a statement from the landlord or the agent. The surveyor has not audited that the money is held, has not reconciled it to a bank account, and has not tested whether it matches the works the report describes. A reserve is set aside for future repairs. You will not usually get it back when you move, and the inspection does not verify the balance.

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 reserve or sinking fund is money collected towards later repairs, often a roof or a lift, and held by whoever the lease names. GOV.UK's leasehold material treats that fund as part of the service-charge story, not as a personal savings pot. The surveyor does not write to the bank, does not tick the agent's spreadsheet, and does not confirm the figure is still there on completion day. If the roof is already failing, the existence of a named figure does not mean the cash will cover the work or that it has been ring-fenced.

Ask the solicitor what the pack actually shows: a single number, accounts, or a statement that a fund exists. Ask who holds it and whether any of it is already committed to works in progress. When you sell, do not expect the fund to be repaid to you as cash. The survey's job is the building. The fund's job is future cost. Neither document audits the other, so do not subtract the printed figure from the price as if it were money already in your pocket.

What should you ask your surveyor?

Did you see a bank balance, or only the building?
Does your report treat the reserve figure as checked? It should not.
Which future repairs in the report might that fund have been aimed at?

What are the typical next steps?

Ask the solicitor who holds the reserve and whether it is committed.
Do not treat the printed figure as audited cash.
Remember you will not usually be repaid the fund when you sell.

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 figure is large, can you ignore a poor roof?

No. A large printed figure is not proof the roof is funded. Condition and cash are separate.

Does the surveyor have to qualify the accounts?

No. Qualifying accounts is not the inspection. Do not wait for an audit opinion inside the PDF.