Condition ratings
If an agent says the survey was “satisfactory”, which RICS rating is that?
None. Satisfactory is not one of the three condition ratings. Rating 1, 2, 3 and not inspected are. An agent’s adjective is not the report. Ask for the ratings and the limitations, or read them yourself. A house can be called satisfactory and still contain a rating 3 the agent did not mention.
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 Level 3 definitions are short on purpose. They do not include “broadly fine” or “a good buy”. The “what to do now” note is about what you do with rating 3 before commitment. It is not a slogan for the agent’s email. A phrase such as “no urgent repairs” on another form is also not the word satisfactory, and not automatically an English rating 1.
If you have not seen the PDF, you do not have the survey. Do not raise your offer because someone summarised it as satisfactory. There is no RICS form that certifies a purchase as satisfactory. Read the document. If the agent will not release it and you are the client, ask the surveyor, not the agent, for your report.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Please list the ratings in the report, not a one-word summary.
- Which elements are NI?
- Who is the client entitled to the full PDF?
What are the typical next steps?
- Read the report before you rely on the agent’s adjective.
- If you are the client, get the PDF from the firm.
- Do not repeat “satisfactory” to your lender.
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 “no major defects” the same as all rating 1s?
No. Major is not the definition. Ask which ratings were actually used.
Can the surveyor say the house is a good buy?
They can talk about condition. A purchase decision is yours. The report should not be replaced by a thumbs-up.