Seller-side surveys
The seller repairs the flashing before you have replied to the survey. What supervision of that repair has the original report not given?
None. The original report has not supervised that repair, has not inspected it, and has not accepted it. The flashing was recorded as it was on the day of the survey. Work done afterwards, before you have replied, is the seller's own job. The surveyor was not there to see the old flashing come off, the new one go on, or the junction it is meant to weather. The report cannot sign off a repair it did not watch. Silence while you were still reading is not approval.
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 flashing note describes a junction seen once. When the seller replaces it quickly, the new work may be fine. The original report has no second visit in it. It does not know the material, the lap, or whether the leak path was the flashing at all. Supervision would mean specifying the repair and checking it. This survey did neither. The paragraph you were still reading remains a paragraph about the old condition.
If the repair matters to price, ask to see what was done, or ask for a chance to have the new flashing looked at. That look is not already contained in the report. Tell your solicitor the seller altered the flashing before you replied, so the surveyed condition and the present condition are no longer the same. Do not cross the item off as supervised. Do not assume a hasty repair has followed a method the survey never wrote. The report's job ended with the description of what it found.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Did the original report supervise any repair carried out after the visit?
- Has the new flashing been inspected, or only the flashing seen on the day?
- Does silence while the buyer was still reading count as acceptance?
What are the typical next steps?
- Treat the report as a record of the flashing on the survey day.
- Ask to see the later repair if you need it checked.
- Do not cross the item off as supervised.
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 sends a photo of new lead, has the survey approved it?
No. A photo after the event is not the original inspection, and the report did not supervise the work. Someone can look at the photo or at the roof again, as a new step. The survey you have has not accepted the repair and has not compared the new flashing with the defect it described.
Should you ignore the original note now the flashing has been replaced?
Not automatically. The note still tells you what was wrong when it was seen. The replacement is unverified by that report. You and your solicitor can decide whether the later work answers the finding. The survey has not made that decision for you.