Why your lender wants a report
The valuation your lender commissions is a check of value, not a structural assessment. When the valuer sees something that could affect the building's stability, they pause the loan and the lender asks for an independent structural engineer's report. UK lenders normally want that report from a chartered engineer, MICE or MIStructE. Common reasons include:
- Cracking, or signs of past or ongoing movement.
- Suspected subsidence, or a history of it.
- A chimney breast or wall that appears to have been removed.
- A sloping floor, a bulging wall or distortion around windows and doors.
- Trees close to the house on clay soil.
A proper report also helps you: it lets you renegotiate the price, budget realistically for repairs, or withdraw before you commit.
What we do
Our Mortgage Structural Inspection concentrates on the points your lender's valuer has raised. We arrange access quickly, inspect those points and write a lender-ready report with photographs. Every report is reviewed and signed off by a MICE or MIStructE qualified engineer, the credentials mainstream UK lenders recognise.
Other parts of the property are not inspected unless you or your lender ask us to. If you would like a wider look at the house you are buying at the same time, a General Structural Inspection can cover both. If you book another inspection and later find your lender needs a report, tell us before the visit so it can be prepared in the right form.
We regularly prepare reports for buyers borrowing from major lenders, including Barclays, Santander and Nationwide, and have helped hundreds of clients through this stage of their purchase. Whether a report is accepted is always the lender’s decision.
Why buyers choose us
- Written the way lenders expect. Our reports follow the criteria major UK banks and building societies use, which keeps follow-up questions and delays to a minimum.
- A clear quote up front. Your price in writing before you book, with no extra charge for travel, photographs or a short follow-up call.
- Chartered review. Reports are reviewed and signed off by a MICE or MIStructE engineer with residential mortgage experience.
- Repair guidance you can use. Where there are defects, we explain the cause, the repair we recommend and an indicative cost range, which helps when negotiating with the seller. Detailed design and calculations for the repair are not included unless we confirm this in writing before the visit.
- London experience. Period terraces, conversions and blocks of flats are most of what we inspect, so we know where problems usually hide.
What to send us
- The valuer's letter or report, or your RICS survey if that is where the issue came from.
- The property address and postcode.
- The estate agent's contact details if they hold the keys.
- Your mortgage deadline, if you have one.
We will reply with a price and the next available dates.
Common questions
Will my lender accept your report?
Our reports are written for lenders and reviewed by MICE or MIStructE qualified engineers, the qualification lenders normally ask for. The final decision is always the lender's, and occasionally they come back with a follow-up question, which we will answer.
What happens if the property shows severe structural movement?
The report explains the problem with the evidence behind it, assesses its effect on stability, safety and value, and sets out the repairs or stabilisation we recommend, with an estimated cost where possible. That gives you what you need to negotiate with the seller, get repair quotes or reconsider the purchase.
Will my lender turn down the mortgage if subsidence is found?
Not necessarily. Lenders treat subsidence as a significant risk, but the outcome depends on how severe it is, whether there is a clear repair plan with costs and timescales, whether buildings insurance covering subsidence is in place, and the lender's own policy. We cannot say how any lender will decide, but a clear report gives them the information they need.
How quickly can I get it?
The report usually arrives within 5 working days of the inspection, though at busy times it can take longer. If your mortgage offer or exchange date is close, fast track brings it to within 48 hours of the inspection, from £120*.
Why is the price quoted rather than shown here?
It depends on what the valuer has asked for. One crack is a short visit; several concerns around the house take longer. Send us the valuer's letter and we will give you a price before you book.
Do I need to be at the property?
Someone needs to let the engineer in. If you are buying and access is through an estate agent, send us the agent's contact details, especially their email address, and we will arrange it with them.
