Seller-side surveys
The buyer's lender is holding a retention. Can the seller cancel that retention by offering their own builder?
No. The seller cannot cancel the buyer's lender retention by offering their own builder. The retention is the lender's arrangement, not yours to lift. A retention is not cash the buyer can spend, and it is not a down-valuation. Your builder's quotation may be information the buyer passes on. It does not instruct the lender. What to do now advises the buyer and does not let you promise that the hold has been cleared.
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?
Sellers hear retention and reach for a contractor who can start on Monday. The lender is not that contractor's client. Whatever sum is being held back sits in the mortgage offer, on the lender's terms. Offering to repair may help the buyer negotiate with their lender. It may also be irrelevant if the lender wants its own inspection or its own paperwork. You cannot know which by reading the survey. Do not write to the buyer that the retention is cancelled because your builder is free. That sentence is not yours to send.
Keep the condition conversation separate. If the survey has a rating 3, the buyer is advised to obtain written quotations before legal commitment. Your builder can be one quotation they choose to show. The rating does not order them to withdraw, and What to do now does not invoice you for their lender's hold. A down-valuation, if there is one as well, is a third subject. Meeting it, offering a builder, and clearing a retention are not one favour. Ask your solicitor what you can truthfully say, and stop at that.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Which defect does the buyer say the retention relates to?
- What can your builder describe in writing, without mentioning the lender's decision?
- Are you being asked to promise that a retention has been lifted?
What are the typical next steps?
- Do not tell the buyer you have cancelled their lender's retention.
- If you offer a builder, describe the work only.
- Let the buyer take any quotation to their lender themselves.
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 retention money the buyer can hand to your builder?
No. A retention is not cash the buyer can spend. It is not a down-valuation either.
Does your invoice replace their condition rating?
No. A rating stays in their report. Your builder's note is a separate piece of paper.