House surveys and mortgage valuations
Standard mortgage valuation
This is the main valuation that lenders need to check the property you're buying is worth the money you're going to spend on it.
It's not a detailed survey so it won't flag up details of any structural problems or maintenance work that the property needs.
Mortgage valuations can cost from £250-£1,500 depending on the value of the property.
Different types of survey
Although mortgage lenders will insist on a valuation when lending you money to buy a property, there are other types of surveys you may also want to consider when buying your second home in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Other types of report
Condition report
Homebuyer report
Building survey
If there's a problem with the survey findings
Whichever report you choose, if it reveals problems, go through it with your surveyor so you get a full picture of the issues and their implications.
If you still want to put in an offer to buy the property, get quotes from several local builders or tradesmen so you know what it will cost to fix the problems. You can use these figures to renegotiate on the purchase price.
You can read more about how to deal with minor and major problems on the Money Advice Service website.