Finding a surveyor - any tips?

[Lolipoplady]

Hi, I'm a first time buyer looking to get a full structural survey done in a house in the Swindon area.

Can anyone recommend a good surveyor in this area, or does anyone have any tips for finding a decent surveyor in general? If they are RICS registered should they all be much the same in terms of their thoroughness/competence?

I have asked family and friends and had no luck in getting a recommendation, so thought I would ask mumsnet before asking the estate agents!

We found ours online - I literally put in our area/surveyor and then looked at the google reviews and their credentials. You could ask the estate agents and see if they have recommendations

I'd call the RICS they will recommend local surveyors (or did to us when we needed a party wall surveyor). You can look then look at their websites and see how experienced they are and give them a ring.

Thanks both!

I ended up putting my details into an online surveyor finder thing and got several quotes between £350-£550... All RICS certified. They all look fine tbh but I know so little about these things I am wary.

Will try giving RICS a call and also estate agents, and see what they say. Probably more reliable than an online finder.