Please advise, how to arrange the survey?

[Cherrytree2013]

I am planning to have the full structural survey done for the house to buy, as it is an 1920's house. Should I arrange my own survey, or use the full structural survey offered by the mortgage company? Any difference? If i need to find my own, any suggestion? Thanks.

Entirely up to you of course so don't feel obliged to go with the mortgage company's service.. You could base your decision on cost I suppose but perhaps you might have friends/family/neighbours in your local area who could recommend someone to you? I would think that your best guide.

We had a survey separate to our valuation, mainly because there was such a delay in getting the mortgage valuation booked and we wanted to speed up the process. A friend recommended someone they'd used, who'd surveyed many similar properties, which was very helpful. He was available after the survey to discuss the findings with us and we could ask him in advance to look at particular things. I don't think we could have done that so much with the surveyor arranged by the mortgage company.

As you're buying an older property and intending to get the full structural,, I think I'd get my own survey done - just to have that bit more control over the process.

Your lender may insist on one from their panel for the valuation purposes. Whether you want to combine the two and upgrade to their full structural or go separately is up to you. There shouldn't be any difference but you are the prime customer in an independent one and could ask that they look at particular areas raised by the other one. Get a recommendation.

Many thanks, ConcreteElephant and Lizs. This is very helpful!