Condition ratings
Why do some surveys rate services as 3 when they also say services were not tested?
Because the surveyor may think there is a visible reason to investigate urgently, or they are signalling that safety was not confirmed. Read the sentence. RICS defines rating 3 as defects that are serious and/or need repairing, replacing or investigating urgently. “Not tested” alone is a limitation. It should not be dressed up as a test that failed, and a test that never happened is not a pass either.
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 description says the surveyor looks at visible parts of services and does not assess whether electrics, gas or other energy sources are safe. A rating 3 that says “obtain an EICR” is a request for a test, not the result of one. A rating 3 that describes damaged cables is a visible defect. Ask which one you have.
Do not replace a consumer unit because the limitation paragraph was copied. Do not skip the EICR because you think the rating is automatic boilerplate. Written quotations, where the rating 3 is a repair, come before legal commitment. A test is the quotation’s older cousin: get it before you commit if the sentence tells you to.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Is this rating 3 a visible defect or an untested system?
- What specialist, exactly, are you sending me to?
- What would change your view: a certificate, or a repair?
What are the typical next steps?
- Commission the test named, not a new kitchen.
- If the sentence is boilerplate and nothing visible is wrong, ask the surveyor to say that in writing.
- Do not pay for a rewire on a limitation paragraph.
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
Does a current landlord’s gas record cancel a rating 3?
Only if the record covers the appliance the surveyor is worried about and the surveyor’s point was the missing test. A damaged flue is still a damaged flue.
Can you leave services as NI instead?
That is the surveyor’s choice if they truly did not inspect. You can ask them to be consistent. You cannot rewrite the rating.