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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Survey on my house

12 replies

Coast28 · 02/11/2025 06:32

Due to have a survey on my house on Tuesday but the estate agent said our buyer is the surveyor.Is this a conflict of interest?

OP posts:

Backinajiffy · 02/11/2025 06:36

If you are a surveyor, why would you pay another surveyor to do the job you could do yourself?

tilypu · 02/11/2025 06:36

Do you mean the buyer is the same person as the surveyor? Not just someone doing a survey on the buyers behalf? Yeah, 100% that's a conflict of interest. I wouldn't be happy with that. What did you estate agent say about it?

EsmeWeatherwaxHatpin · 02/11/2025 06:37

you could say to the agent that as it’s the buyer themselves doing to survey that you’ll obviously let them in to look but won’t consider any report that suggests issues they seek to reduce price on as independent. So if it’s for their reference that’s fine.

If they bring up anything serious then insist on an independent survey.

But no, they can’t be impartial, and I wouldn’t trust any survey they produced as if they’ve done it they have a bias, and if they arrange another it’ll be a mate and same issue.

Mountaintopp · 02/11/2025 06:39

The survey is done (and usually paid for) by the buyer for their own interest, to check to property before they buy it. Therefore, if they want to do their own survey then I would imagine that it's only the buyers interests that are potentially conflicted.

MidnightScroller · 02/11/2025 06:45

I guess wait and see what they find - they obviously want to buy the house, and sometimes surveyors are excessively prudent finding things you don’t think are that worrying. I hope eventually surveys and searches will be done once by the seller and the whole process will be sped up as house buying is currently such a ridiculously stressful and off putting experience.

Icebreakhell · 02/11/2025 06:49

It’s fine. DH does our surveys when we move, why would we pay someone to do a job he’s qualified to do?

it’s a good outcome for you as surveyors are knowledgeable and pragmatic about any areas of concern. Unlike the panic you might see from inexperienced buyers when they see issues on a report.

Didimum · 02/11/2025 07:35

I mean, it’s allowed so not anything you can do about it. They aren’t however allowed to supply their own survey if the lender requires is, only for their own personal use.

Our surveyor on our last house purchase actually knew the vendors (complete coincidence). He had to declare it as a conflict of interest for us to either accept or decline – because in that case he could have been seen to be acting in our interest for business reasons and their interest for personal reasons.

There’s not really a conflict of interest if you’re performing your own survey as they are, by and large, personal undertakings anyway, and not required.

Original poster

Coast28 · 02/11/2025 08:04

I Think it’s a conflict of interest as I feel he will come with his buyers hat on .Thank you for all your replies .

OP posts:

Original poster

Coast28 · 02/11/2025 08:07

What I mean by buyers hat is he will bring up other things .I really did not want to meet the buyers

OP posts:

vivainsomnia · 02/11/2025 10:23

What I mean by buyers hat is he will bring up other things
It makes no difference. You can tell them to take a hike if you are not willing to reduce the price, whether they do make such a request as a buyer or surveyor.

I actually think it's a good think as they will know the difference between what is a real concern and what they would otherwise need to write in a report.

The worse buyers are those who think everything they read in he report is a serious unexpected concern that genuine believe need remedial actions as a result.

Anonomoso · 02/11/2025 10:44

Does seem silly to waste money on another surveyor, they know what's what and as the property is for themselves they don't have to cover their arse so to speak.

If they list off things which you feel they are only doing to get the property at a reduced price and are not genuine just tell them that obviously the property won't be for them then, surprisingly a change of mind can come quickly.

AlastheDaffodils · 02/11/2025 11:38

If you think it’s a conflict of interest then you’re misunderstanding the role of the surveyor. The surveyor isn’t meant to be an impartial mediator between buyer and seller. They work for the buyer and the buyer only. They have to be honest and professional but they only have one client, and it’s not you.

So a buyer being their own surveyor is fine, because they’re representing their own interests. If I were you I would just be suitably sceptical when they inevitably spot some issues and ask for a discount.

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