Buying with confidence: how two surveys made the difference

• Property type: Detached residential properties
• Location: East Sussex & Surrey
• Services provided: Level 3 Building Survey & Level 2 HomeBuyers Survey
• Date: 2025

The report produced is extensive, detailed, and very clear as to what areas need action. I would recommend them without hesitation.

Claire D, 2025

Background

Claire and her husband are experienced buyers who have moved many times across the UK. After her husband took early retirement in 2020, they relocated from Wiltshire to North Yorkshire in search of a quieter life – but the move proved far more disruptive than anticipated. A surveyor failed to identify that the property’s roof needed replacing, an oversight that set in motion two years of near-constant and costly renovation work.

With the North Yorkshire house eventually sold, the couple moved to a new-build in Shropshire, configured to their own specifications. Family circumstances then prompted a further relocation: Claire wanted to be closer to her elderly father in the Southeast, near where she grew up, with good access to Gatwick and a safe outdoor environment for their five cats. They were looking specifically for a peaceful location with generous grounds, and a property that did not carry the risk of significant structural remediation.

After an unsuccessful first approach – the estate agent’s recommended surveyor was semi-retired and unenthusiastic about taking on the work – Claire searched independently for a local practice. She chose Tate Surveying on the strength of their online reviews and the helpfulness of Denise, their client contact, during the first enquiry.

How Tate Surveying Services helped

Claire and her husband found a property that they liked in High Hurstwood, East Sussex, and Jack Kingston of Tate Surveying Services carried out the inspections.

A Level 3 Building Survey was commissioned. This is the most comprehensive level of residential survey available, and was the appropriate choice given the property’s age and the fact that there were visible signs of deferred maintenance noted during the initial viewing. A Level 3 survey provides a thorough assessment of all accessible elements of the structure and fabric of the building, and is particularly recommended for older properties or those in uncertain condition.

Level 3 Building Survey results

The survey identified potentially significant issues with the roof. The buyers were reluctant to take on another costly and disruptive repair and this, alongside the broader picture that the property had not been as well cared for as they’d hoped, presented a sizeable financial risk. The sellers were not willing to negotiate and so Claire and her husband decided not to proceed with the purchase.

Level 2 HomeBuyers Survey results

Claire and her husband found a second property, this one in South Godstone, which had been recently renovated. Once again, Jack Kingston carried out the survey, this time a Level 2 HomeBuyers Survey. It confirmed that the renovation work had been carried out to a satisfactory standard and that the property was in good overall condition. The clear and detailed survey report gave Claire and her husband the confidence to proceed.

Outcomes

The Level 3 survey on the High Hurstwood property almost certainly saved them from repeating a highly disruptive and costly situation.

The Level 2 survey in South Godstone gave Claire and her husband the information they needed to commit with confidence. At the time of writing, they were in the final stages of the purchase, expecting to complete imminently and move into what they hope will be their forever home – close to family, near old friends, with space and safety for all five cats.

Key takeaways

Two independent surveys gave Claire and her husband the clarity to make two very different – but equally important – decisions: walk away from one property that carried hidden financial risk, and proceed with confidence on another. Having experienced the consequences of an inadequate survey first-hand, Claire knew exactly what professional independent advice was worth. Tate Surveying delivered it twice which meant a first-time client became a returning one.

Client testimonial

We used Tate Surveying for two house surveys this year.

The first purchase we decided not to proceed with, substantially due to the information provided by the surveyor.

We were so happy with this first experience that we chose them again to survey the next house we planned to purchase. Denise was very helpful and thorough as a point of contact and was a pleasure to deal with. They were very flexible and reasonable in fitting into our timescales, which was much appreciated.

The report produced is extensive, detailed and very clear as to what areas need action.

I would recommend them without hesitation.

Claire D

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