Leasehold

Does a home survey include the service-charge summary GOV.UK says you can ask for?

No. GOV.UK says that if you pay a service charge you can ask for a summary of how it is worked out and what it is spent on. That right sits with the leaseholder and the landlord. A home survey is not that summary. It does not list last year’s cleaning, insurance or repairs.

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 survey might rate the stair carpet or the roof. The summary, if you obtain it, shows money. You need both before you decide whether a rating is already funded. The surveyor was not instructed to audit, and RICS does not publish a fee for an audit inside a Level 2. Ask the solicitor to use the proper request. Do not treat a seller’s verbal “it’s about a thousand” as the summary.

You can also challenge certain charges at a tribunal if you think they are unreasonable or the work was poor, which GOV.UK explains, with limits if you have already agreed the charge. The survey is evidence of condition only if it actually describes that work. It is not the application.

What should you ask your surveyor?

Did you see any accounts, or only the building?
Which costs would you expect the solicitor to ask about?
Are you able to say the charge is reasonable? You should not.

What are the typical next steps?

Ask for the summary through the solicitor.
Put the survey’s repair notes beside the accounts. Do not merge them into one number.
Do not challenge a charge at a tribunal with a rating and no paperwork.

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 an annual demand the same as a summary?

No. A demand asks you to pay. A summary is the breakdown GOV.UK describes. Ask for the one you do not have.

Does a rating 1 on the hallway mean the charge is fair?

No. It means the hallway looked fine. The charge is a different question.