SurveySorted
Menu
Sign in

Condition ratings

Does RICS’s “What to do now” note force the seller to repair before exchange?

No. It is advice to you about how to use the report. For a rating 3, the Level 3 description says written quotations for repairs should be obtained before legal commitment to purchase. That is you getting quotes before you are bound. It does not serve a notice on the seller, and it does not set who pays.

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?

You can ask the seller to repair, to reduce the price, or you can walk away before exchange if the contract lets you. After exchange, the survey being gloomy is usually your problem. Your solicitor says which stage you are in. The surveyor does not withdraw from the purchase for you.

A rating 2, in RICS’s words, needs repair but is not serious or urgent, and the property must be maintained in the normal way. Demanding that every rating 2 is stripped out before completion is not what the definition says. You may still negotiate. Call it a choice.

What should you ask your surveyor?

  • Which items are you saying I should quote before commitment?
  • Which are maintenance rather than urgent?
  • Are you instructing me to withdraw? You should not be.

What are the typical next steps?

  1. Get quotes for rating 3 items before you exchange.
  2. Ask your solicitor to send any price request. Do not rely on the surveyor to negotiate.
  3. If you will live with a rating 2, budget it. Do not pretend it was never written.

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 “legal commitment” mean completion?

In England and Wales the commitment people mean is usually exchange. Ask your solicitor about this contract. Do not wait until the day you get the keys.

Is the note different in Scotland?

The Home Report has its own wording. mygov.scot tells buyers to weigh urgent repairs before offering, in that system. Do not paste the English note onto it unread.

Sources