Seller-side surveys
Should a seller repair a rating 3 before exchange, or wait to be asked?
Wait until you, the buyer and the two solicitors agree what will be done, and get written quotations first if you are the buyer. The RICS definition says rating 3 items should have written quotes before legal commitment. A seller who repairs in a hurry may fix the wrong thing, or fix it in a way the buyer’s surveyor cannot sign off.
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?
Sometimes a simple repair is worth doing before the next viewing, because the defect is embarrassing and uncontroversial: a slipped gutter, a leaking tank. A crack, a timber problem or a flat roof is different. The buyer may prefer money to a repair they did not specify. RICS’s “What to do now” note is written to the person holding the report. It does not order the seller to start work.
If you are the seller and you do the work, keep invoices and photographs. Offer a return inspection only if someone has agreed to pay for it. If you are the buyer, do not demand a repair and a full price reduction for the same item. Choose. Your solicitor writes that choice into the contract if it is to be relied on.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Which rating 3 items are urgent weather or safety, and which are investigations?
- What would a contractor need to quote that a weekend repair would skip?
- What paperwork should a seller keep if they repair before completion?
What are the typical next steps?
- Get quotes before anyone starts, in line with the rating 3 definition.
- Agree in writing whether the seller repairs, or the price changes, not both for the same item.
- Do not cover a defect the specialist still needs to see.
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 seller repairs it badly, is the rating cleared?
No. A poor repair can be a new defect. That is why invoices and a possible reinspection matter.
Can the seller refuse to repair anything?
Yes, before exchange, and the buyer can walk away if they are not yet bound. After exchange the contract rules. Ask the solicitor which stage you are at.