Spray foam and lenders
Who should decide whether spray foam comes out: you, the surveyor, or the lender?
The lender decides whether they will lend on that roof. The surveyor decides what they could inspect and how they rate it. You decide whether you still want the house. RICS does not order removal in the consumer guide. It tells you to check the lender’s policy, gather the installation papers, and take independent advice before you alter the roof.
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?
Papers RICS lists include the contract, calculations, what was done to the roof, any guarantee, and any BBA or Kiwa certificate, plus photographs from before the foam was sprayed. If the seller has them, start there. If they do not, the lender may still want a specialist look or may refuse. The survey cannot fill the gap by guessing that the foam is “probably fine”.
Removal is one option, not the first sentence. Ask the lender what would satisfy them. Ask a roofer what removal would do to the tiles. Then decide. Do not sign a removal contract to please a valuation that has not asked for removal. There is no RICS set fee. The roofer’s method and the lender’s letter are the two documents that matter.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- What could you not inspect because of the foam?
- Do you have any of the papers RICS lists?
- Are you recommending removal, or only recording a limit?
What are the typical next steps?
- Get the lender’s requirement in writing before you pay for removal.
- Ask the seller for the documents RICS names.
- If both are silent and the timbers are hidden, decide whether to investigate, renegotiate, or walk away. Do not invent the lender’s rule.
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
Can the seller refuse to remove it?
Yes. Before exchange you can renegotiate or withdraw if your terms allow. The survey does not compel the seller.
Does a guarantee mean the lender must accept the foam?
No. A product guarantee is not a lender’s criteria. Show them it and ask.