Condition ratings
When does RICS say a condition rating 3 is appropriate?
RICS defines rating 3 as defects that are serious and/or need to be repaired, replaced or investigated urgently. The definition says that if you do not act there could be serious safety issues or severe long-term damage. It includes urgent investigation, not only a builder already standing by.
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 same RICS “What to do now” note tells you to obtain written quotations before you commit legally, where that advice applies to these defects. A rating 3 is not an instruction to walk away. It is an instruction to understand the repair or the investigation before you are bound. Your solicitor tells you when you become bound. In England and Wales that is normally exchange.
Do not average a rating 3 with the nice kitchen. Ask the surveyor what investigation or repair they mean. Ask a specialist for a written quote or a written limit on what they could not see. Then decide. Costs are the specialist’s. If the rating 3 is “further investigation” because something was closed, the quote may be for opening up, not for a new roof. Read the sentence under the number.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Is this 3 a repair, a replacement, or an urgent investigation?
- What safety point are you worried about, if any?
- What quote should I get before exchange?
What are the typical next steps?
- Get the quotation or the investigation before you exchange, if the contract timetable allows. Ask the solicitor.
- Do not hide a rating 3 from your insurer or lender if they ask about the building.
- Do not treat the number as a valuation. It is a condition mark.
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 one rating 3 collapse the house?
No. It means that element needs urgent attention or investigation. A rotten window sill and a moving wall can both be a 3. Read which element it is.
Can you renegotiate on a rating 3?
You can try, with a quote in support. The seller can say no. The number does not force a reduction.