How much does a scottish home report cost?

If you're in Scotland, you've likely heard of a Home Report. But what is it and how much could it set you back when selling your home? It's important to take all costs into account when you're entering the seller's market, so this blog is to help you forecast how much a Home Report may cost you.

In Scotland, before a property is placed on the market it must have a Home Report. A Home Report consists of 3 items:

• a Survey of the property - an assessment by a surveyor of the condition, accessibility and valuation of the property

• an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) - an assessment by a surveyor of the energy efficiency of the property and its impact on the environment

• a Questionnaire about the property - a record provided by the seller of the home, containing extra information on the property like Council Tax charges and other costs of use to the new buyer

Potential buyers may have access to the Home Report if they request it.

How to get a home report quote

Research a few surveyors and what they have to offer. It's not too likely that there will be a big difference between what they charge, but it's best to check they tick these boxes:

• The company is regulated by RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors)

• They have sound knowledge of the local area of the property

• They have an office near to the property's location

If you're able to tick all of these off, you've found a surveyor with appropriate experience who can create your Home Report.

What contributes to the cost of a home report

A Home Report doesn't have a set cost, and the cost doesn't depend solely on the surveyor who carries it out. Other variables include value of the home, it's size, age, location, and even the time of the year.

A Home Report will likely cost more if the surveyor has to travel further, and it takes longer to inspect, value and report on the property. Expect it to be higher if the property is in a remote location, large, old and of high value. If it's small, fairly new and of lower value the Home Report will be cheaper.

What you may pay for a home report

You can expect the lowest charge you'd pay to be around £290 plus VAT. This is if there is nothing unusual affecting the property, and is generally for homes valued at under £100,000 in a built-up area.

If your home is valued between £100,000 - £200,0000 (the most common value in Scotland for homes), you can expect your report to set you back between £350 and £400 plus VAT.

What's included in the cost?

A Home Report doesn't only cover a valuation of your home, as mentioned previously it also covers the condition.

This analysis includes where the buyer could need to have repairs done which would cost them and can affect how much they offer. A house repayments valuation is also carried out which is useful for the buyer's house repayments lender to gain relevant information on the property.