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What is a Home Report?
Most properties being sold in Scotland require a Home Report which includes a Single Survey, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and a Property Questionnaire.
Sellers are usually obliged to provide a copy of the Home Report to any prospective buyer. If a seller doesn’t provide you with a home Report where required, you can contact your local council’s trading standards services
The Home Report itself is produced by a Chartered Surveyor who is a member of Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and should be a registered surveyor.
Who organises a Home Report and what's included?
The seller is responsible for arranging the Home Report where required and should provide prospective buyers with a copy. The seller will usually meet the cost of the Home Report.
The Single Survey
A Single Survey summarises the condition of most of the main aspects of a property. It will notify buyers of areas of the property that are in good condition as well as those that require urgent repairs, or that may require work in the future. The Single Survey also includes an accessibility audit for people with additional needs, and can also include a Mortgage Valuation of the property.
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
The report will indicate a property’s energy efficiency through a rating system and will provide recommendations for reducing carbon emissions and improve a property’s environmental impact. The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is valid for the ten years following the date of issue.
The Property Questionnaire
The Property Questionnaire provides a useful summary of the property for the potential buyer. Information the Property Questionnaire will includes Council tax banding, Parking arrangements, Factoring arrangements, History of flooding and Alterations to the property. Sellers have an obligation to provide an accurate and truthful account of the property.
Who carries out a home report?
For the first two parts of the Home Report, the Single Survey and the Energy Performance Certificate, you will need to employ the expert service of a RICS Chartered Surveyor.