How to Read a RICS Level 2 HomeBuyer Report: A Complete Guide
You've instructed a surveyor, paid £400–£900, and received a 40-page PDF with coloured boxes, condition ratings, and caveats you weren't expecting. Now what?
A RICS Level 2 HomeBuyer Report is the standard survey for most conventional properties in England and Wales. Understanding what it is, what each section means, and how to act on findings is essential before you exchange contracts.
The Three Levels of RICS Survey
RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) defines three survey levels:
Level 1 — Condition Report (formerly Home Condition Survey) A traffic-light overview of the property's condition. No repair recommendations, no advice, no reinstatement cost. Suitable only for new-build or recently refurbished properties in excellent condition. Cost: £200–£400.
Level 2 — HomeBuyer Report (formerly HomeBuyer Survey) A visual inspection of accessible areas, with condition ratings, repair recommendations, and legal and market comments. The most popular survey for conventional properties built after 1900 in reasonable condition. Cost: £400–£900 depending on property value and location. Available with or without a market valuation.
Level 3 — Building Survey (formerly Full Structural Survey) The most detailed inspection available. Covers all accessible areas including roof spaces and sub-floor voids where accessible, construction methods, defects and their cause, and specific repair recommendations. Essential for older properties (pre-1920), non-standard construction, or any property where defects are suspected. Cost: £600–£1,500+.
A Level 2 is not appropriate for every property — we return to this at the end of the guide.
The Condition Rating System Explained
The most important element of a Level 2 report is the condition rating assigned to each element of the property. There are three ratings:
Condition Rating 1 — No repair currently needed The element is performing satisfactorily and no action is required now. Ongoing routine maintenance is still expected.
Condition Rating 2 — Repair or replacement needed soon Defects that are not urgent but need attention. If left, they could deteriorate to a Condition Rating 3. These should be budgeted for within the next 1–5 years.
Condition Rating 3 — Urgent defects or serious faults Defects that require immediate attention or that need further specialist investigation before you can assess the full cost and implications. A Condition Rating 3 does not automatically mean walk away — it means you need more information before committing.
There is also a Not Inspected (NI) designation for elements the surveyor could not access (e.g., a sealed loft hatch, a built-in kitchen blocking a wall, a locked outbuilding). An NI finding is not a clean bill of health — it simply means the element wasn't seen.
Structure of a Level 2 Report
All RICS Level 2 reports follow a standard structure. Here is what each section covers and what to look for.
Section A: Scope of Inspection
This tells you what the surveyor could and could not inspect, what limitations applied (e.g., carpets laid, heavy furniture, no ladder access to roof), and what additional specialist reports they are recommending. Read this before anything else — it tells you how much weight to give to individual ratings.
Section B: Overall Assessment and Summary of Condition Ratings
A one-page summary table of every element with its condition rating. This is where most buyers focus first. A property with several Condition Rating 2s is normal; one or two Condition Rating 3s requires action before exchange.
Section C1–C6: The Property
The main body of the report, covering the property element by element:
C1 — Chimney stacks Pot condition, flaunching (the mortar fillet around the base of chimney pots), pointing, and whether the stack is in use or redundant. Poorly maintained chimney stacks are one of the most common Condition Rating 2 and 3 findings in Victorian and Edwardian properties.
C2 — Roof coverings Visual inspection from ground level or eaves level. The surveyor checks for slipped, cracked or missing tiles/slates, condition of the ridge tiles, valley condition, and felt (if visible). Important caveat: a Level 2 surveyor does not normally enter the roof space — they use binoculars from the boundary.
C3 — Roof structure If the loft hatch is accessible, the surveyor will look inside to check the timber structure (rafters, purlins, collar ties) for rot, beetle damage, sagging and structural movement. If it wasn't accessible, this section will be marked NI.
C4 — Walls and partitions External walls are checked for cracking, bulging, bowing, and evidence of movement. The surveyor will note construction type (cavity brick, solid brick, rendered, timber frame). Internal partitions are checked for cracking at door frames and ceiling junctions, which can indicate settlement or structural movement.
C5 — Ceilings Checked for cracks, staining (indicating leaks above), and whether they are original lath-and-plaster or later board.
C6 — Floors Suspended timber floors are checked for bounce and level (indicating rot, beetle attack or failed joists below). Solid concrete floors are checked for cracking and level. The surveyor cannot lift carpets or fixed floor coverings — any assessment is limited.
C7 — Fireplaces, chimney breasts and flues Condition of surrounds and whether the fireplaces are in use. The surveyor will not light fires or test flues.
C8 — Built-in fittings Kitchen units, fitted wardrobes and bathroom fittings — general condition only.
C9 — Woodwork External joinery (window and door frames), fascias, soffits, and bargeboards. Rot in timber window frames is extremely common in pre-2000 properties and a frequent Condition Rating 2–3 finding.
Section D: Services
This section covers the main services — electricity, gas, plumbing, drainage and heating. Critically, a Level 2 surveyor does not test services. They make a visual assessment only. Recommendations to have services tested by a qualified engineer (Gas Safe for gas, NICEIC/NAPIT for electrics) are standard. Do not assume that a Condition Rating 1 on services means the installation is safe or compliant.
For older properties, a full EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report, £150–£350) and Gas Safe boiler service are strongly recommended regardless of what the survey says.
Section E: Grounds
Garages, outbuildings, boundary walls, fences, gates and paths. Condition of drainage gullies and inspection chambers. Common findings: cracked or sunken paths (tree root movement), deteriorating garage roofs, boundary walls needing repointing.
Section F: Issues for Your Legal Advisers
Matters the surveyor has noted that your solicitor should investigate: unusual title or access arrangements, evidence of extensions that may require planning consents or building regulations sign-off, shared drains, and rights of way.
Section G: Risks
Environmental and physical risks: flood risk, radon, ground movement (subsidence, heave, landslip), and proximity to overhead cables or pylons.
Section H: Market Valuation (if instructed)
The surveyor's opinion of open market value. If this is below your purchase price, you have grounds to renegotiate. Lenders use their own valuers and may reach different conclusions.
Section I: Reinstatement Cost
The estimated rebuild cost for insurance purposes. This is not the market value. Ensure your buildings insurance sum insured reflects this figure.
Common Level 2 Findings: Costs and Urgency
| Finding | Typical Condition Rating | Typical Cost to Fix | Urgency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slipped/missing roof tiles (spot repair) | CR2 | £200–£800 | Moderate — within 12 months |
| Chimney stack repointing and flaunching | CR2–3 | £500–£2,000 | Moderate–High |
| Defective external timber window frames | CR2–3 | £200–£600 per window | Moderate |
| Damp ingress (penetrating) | CR2–3 | £500–£3,000 | High — source needs tracing |
| Efflorescence/salt deposits (possible rising damp) | CR2–3 | £1,000–£5,000 | Specialist report needed |
| Flat roof in poor condition | CR3 | £800–£5,000 | High — specialist quote required |
| Cracking to external walls (possible movement) | CR3 | £2,000–£50,000+ | Specialist structural engineer required |
| Suspended timber floor with bounce | CR2–3 | £1,500–£6,000 | Moderate |
| Outdated electrical consumer unit | CR2 | £500–£1,500 | Moderate — get EICR |
| Boiler over 10 years old | CR2 | £2,000–£4,500 (replacement) | Moderate — get Gas Safe service |
What to Do With a Condition Rating 3
A Condition Rating 3 does not mean the transaction is over. Here is the correct sequence:
- Read the surveyor's recommendation carefully. Most CR3 findings include a recommendation for a specialist investigation (structural engineer, damp specialist, roofing contractor, etc.).
- Commission specialist quotes before exchange. Do not exchange until you know the scope and cost of the remediation. Your solicitor can delay exchange if needed.
- Use the finding to renegotiate the price. If the defect will cost £10,000 to fix, you are entitled to ask the seller to reduce the price by that amount or to fix it prior to completion. The seller may refuse — but many will negotiate, especially in a slower market.
- Consider walking away if costs are disproportionate or scope is unknown. A single CR3 for a cracked chimney is very different from a CR3 for potential movement requiring structural investigation. If the structural engineer cannot rule out active subsidence, your mortgage lender will likely pull out anyway.
When a Level 2 Is Not Enough
A Level 2 HomeBuyer Report has real limitations. Commission a Level 3 Building Survey instead if any of the following apply:
- The property was built before 1920 (solid walls, original roof timbers, lime mortar — all require closer inspection)
- Non-standard construction: concrete or prefab panels (Airey, BISF, Wimpey No-Fines), timber frame, steel frame, thatched roof
- The property has obvious defects visible at viewing: significant cracking, visible damp, uneven floors
- You are planning major works — a Level 3 will identify issues that would affect your renovation plans
- The property has had extensions or alterations that may have introduced structural changes
- You suspect subsidence — past insurance claims, cracking in a diagonal pattern from door and window corners
The extra cost (typically £200–£600 more) is trivial against the cost of discovering a structural problem after exchange.
Key Takeaways
- Condition Rating 1 = fine. Rating 2 = budget for repair. Rating 3 = get specialist quotes before exchange.
- The services section (Section D) is visual only — always get an EICR and Gas Safe service report independently.
- Not Inspected (NI) is not a clean pass — it means the surveyor couldn't see it.
- A Level 2 is not suitable for pre-1920 properties, non-standard construction, or any property with visible defects.
- Use CR3 findings to negotiate — but only after you have real quotes, not estimates.
See also our guides on RICS Level 3 Building Surveys and how to find and manage tradespeople after survey for next steps once you have your findings.