Research to Inform the Five Year Review of the Home Report

Conducted to inform the five-year review of the Home Report. This research followed on from, and was informed by, the Home Report public consultation launched on 5 December 2013. The research study was conducted by Ipsos MORI and Retties and Co. and examined how the Home Report has performed over the past 5 years.


Appendix B - Buyers and sellers survey topline results

5 Year Review of the Home Report
Buyers and sellers survey topline results

Results are based on a survey of 928 respondents conducted using postal survey. The survey was conducted between 9 July and 17 September 2014.

An asterisk (*) indicates a percentage of less than 0.5% but greater than zero. Where percentages do not add up to 100, this may be due to computer rounding, multiple responses, or the exclusion of don't know categories.

A1. Are you the home owner?

Base: All respondents (928) %
Yes 95
No 4
Not Stated 2

A2. Have you bought a home since July 1st 2012?

Base: All who are the home owner (877) %
Yes 95
No 5
Not stated *

A3. What type of purchase was this?

Base: All who bought a house in the last two years (835) %
Purchased after selling previous home 64
First time home purchase 22
Purchased as a second or holiday home 6
Purchased as a rental property 2
Purchased before selling previous home 2
Purchased on relocation 1
New family home *
Future/retirement/home/property *
Part exchange *
Purchased after renting *
Purchased but retained existing property *
Purchase due to marital separation/divorce *
Purchased to rebuild in the future *
Other 1
Not stated 1

A4. Who marketed your home?

Base: All who bought a house in the last two years (835) %
An estate agent 66
A solicitor 20
House builder/developer 4
An individual marketed the property (e. g. through a website, classified ad or for sale sign) 2
Private/direct sale 2
Not marketed 1
It was sold at auction *
Family member *
New build *
Owner *
Part exchange/d *
Purchased did not sell previous home *
I marketed the property myself -
Other 1
Not stated 1

A5. How important were each of the following factors in your decision to move home?

Base: All who bought a house in the last two years (835)
%

Very Important Quite Important Not very important Not at all important Not stated

Personal/family circumstances (e.g. birth of a child, moving in with partner)
49 18 13 19 2
Personal financial circumstances (e.g. increase in salary, redundancy) 27 28 22 20 3
Benefits of a new location (e.g. school catchment area, public transport links, job opportunities) 33 31 17 17 3
General economic outlook in Scotland (e.g. house prices, mortgage rates) 15 30 28 23 4
The cost of buying a home (e.g. surveyor costs, stamp duty) 31 34 19 12 3
Availability of reliable information on properties on the market 31 36 19 11 3

A6. Before purchasing your home, did you know about Home Reports?

Base: All who bought a house in the last two years (835) %
Yes 92
No 6
Don't remember/don't know 1
Not stated 1

A7. How many properties did you look at during your property search? If you do not know, please give your best estimate.

Base: All who bought a house in the last two years %

Interim Review 5 Year

(1745) (835)
0 - 1
1 22 11
2 - 3 50 18
4 - 5 17 19
6 - 10 9 30
11+ 1 20
Not stated - *

A8. Thinking about all of the properties you looked at during your property search, how many Home Reports did you look at? If you do not know, please give your best estimate.

Base: All who bought a house in the last two years %

Interim Review 5 Year

(1745) (835)
0 48 10
1 24 20
2 - 3 19 27
4 - 5 4 16
6 - 10 2 16
11+ 2 9
Not stated - 1

A9. What was the format of the Home report(s) you received?

Base: All who looked at a Home Report when buying their house (746) %
Electronic 85
Paper 23
Don't know/don't remember 1
Not stated 1

A10. Did you decide not to make an offer for any properties because of the information in the Home Report?

Base: All who looked at a Home Report when buying their house %

Interim Review Year 5

(901) (746)
Yes 41 35
No 57 64
Not stated 2 1

A11. Which element(s) of the Home Report helped you make this decision?

Base: All who decided not to buy a property because of information in the Home Report %

Interim Review Year 5

(373) (262)
The single survey 90 85
The valuation 64 51
The property questionnaire 31 33
The energy report 35 29
Not stated - -

A12. Did you ever have any difficulty getting copies of Home Reports from the sellers' solicitor/agent?

Base: All who looked at a Home Report when buying their house %

Interim Review Year 5

(901) (746)
No 86 90
Yes 14 9
Not stated - 1

A13. What was the reason for your difficulty in getting a copy of the Home Report?

Base: All who had difficulty getting access to the Home Report (67) %
Agent/solicitor was slow in preparing/forwarding document 37
Not available/not ready 24
Agents would not allow access 9
Problems with the website/online access 9
Report was out of date/due for renewal 9
Poor communication 6
Poor administration 4
Charges/costs involved 1
Other 10
Don't know 1
Not stated 3

A14. Were you ever charged a fee for getting copies of a Home Report?

Base: All who looked at a Home Report when buying their house %

Interim Review 5 Year

(901) (746)
No 87 96
Yes 13 3
Not stated 1 1

A15. How much did you pay for a copy of the Home Report? If you have paid for more than one copy please answer in relation to the most recent occasion.

Base: All who were charged a fee to access a Home Report %

Interim Review Year 5

(116) (21**)
Up to £10 15 5
£11 to £25 37 19
£26 to £50 13 24
More than £50 12 33
Don't know/don't remember 22 19

(** Treat % figures with caution as base is very small)

A16. Did you receive a Home Report when making your most recent home purchase?

Base: All who looked at a Home Report when buying their house %

Interim Review 5 Year

(1745) (746)
Yes 57 92
No 43 7
Not stated 0 1

A17. Why did you not receive a Home Report?

Base: All who did not receive a Home Report when they purchased their property (144) %
The property was newly built 63
The sale was made privately and was not marketed in any way 15
The property was newly converted 4
It was never offered 2
Did not ask for one 1
Did not require one 1
Not available to view 1
Other 3
Don't know 2
Not stated 8

A18. How was your current home marketed at the point you expressed interest?

Base: All who bought a house in the last two years %

Interim Review Year 5

(1745) (835)
'Offers over' a price 47 44
Fixed price 32 26
'Offers around' a price 17 20
Below Home Report valuation - 7
Don't know/don't remember 1 4
Not stated 2 2

A19. How much did you pay for the property?

Base: All who bought a house in the last two years %

Interim Review Year 5

(1745) (835)
Up to £80,000 10 10
£80,001 - £120,000 25 16
£120,001 - £200,000 38 36
£200,001 - £300,000 18 24
Over £300,000 8 14
Not stated - *

A20. Did you pay...?

Base: All who bought a house in the last two years (835) %

Interim Review Year 5

(1745) (835)
The same as the valuation in the original Home Report 21 15
Over the valuation in the original Home Report 13 15
Under the valuation in the original Home Report 28 54
Don't know/don't remember 5 3
Did not have a Home Report 30 13
Not stated 2 *

A21. Overall, how helpful was the information contained within the Home Report?

Base: All who looked at the Home Report for the house they purchased (726) %

Interim Review Year 5

(991) (726)
Very helpful 35 33
Quite helpful 46 41
Not very helpful 11 15
Not at all helpful 4 7
Don't know 0 1
Not stated 4 3

A22. How helpful was the following information in the Home Report?

Base: All who looked at the Home Report for the house they purchased %
Interim Review - (991) Very helpful Quite helpful Not very helpful Not at all helpful
5 Year - (726) Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year
The single survey 46 36 35 40 9 10 6 9
The energy report 21 19 41 43 20 18 13 15
The property questionnaire 20 23 42 40 18 16 8 13
The valuation 47 38 37 43 7 10 3 6

A23. Did the Home Report affect your decision to buy the property?

Base: All who looked at the Home Report for the house they purchased %
Interim review - (991) Yes No Don't know Not stated
5 Year - (726) Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year
The single survey 61 52 23 40 4 4 11 4
The energy report 20 25 54 67 7 4 18 4
The property questionnaire 24 31 47 58 10 7 19 4
The valuation 63 59 23 35 4 2 11 4

A24. Did you think the information in the Home Report was reliable?

Base: All who looked at the Home Report for the house they purchased %
Interim review - (991) Yes No Don't know Not stated
5 Year - (726) Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year
The single survey 74 63 15 23 6 11 5 3
The energy report 61 60 18 21 15 16 6 3
The property questionnaire 55 60 20 22 17 15 7 4
The valuation 76 66 10 20 8 10 5 4

A25. Did the information contained within the Home Report affect any of the following? The price you offered

Base: All who looked at the Home Report for the house they purchased %
Interim review - (991) Yes No Don't know Not stated
5 Year - (726) Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year
The price you offered 52 50 41 45 2 1 6 3
The negotiations over the price 34 34 54 58 3 2 9 6

A26. How did the information in the Home Report affect your level of confidence in the buying process?

Base: All who looked at the Home Report for the house they purchased (726) %
It made me more confident 54
It made me less confident 6
It had no effect 36
Don't know 2
Not stated 3

A27. Thinking about the amount of information provided in the Home Report, was it...?

Base: All who looked at the Home Report for the house they purchased (726) %
The right amount 55
Too much information 8
Not enough information 25
Don't know 8
Not stated 4

A28. What changes would you have liked to see to the information provided in the Home Report?

Base: All who felt that the information in the HR was too much or too little (240) %
The single survey 50
More detailed/comprehensive/information regarding condition of property 20
More thorough/in-depth survey 10
More accurate/reliable/honest information regarding condition of property 8
More details of electrical system/boiler tests/plumbing/safety certificates/service history 8
Other single survey 6
A more professional/accountable survey 5
Fewer disclaimers/unable to access certain areas mentions 4
More detailed information regarding faults/repairs 3
Less of a tick-box exercise 2
More detailed information regarding condition of fixture/fittings 2
A single survey is not adequate 2
More details of alterations/changes made 2
Cost implications for repairs 1
Better classification of repairs *
Other faults and repairs *
General information issues 30
More comprehensive/in depth information 12
More accurate/reliable/honest report 5
More concise information 4
More basic/simple/clear information/less jargon 4
Other general information 3
More relevant information 2
Less generic information 2
More professional/accountable report 1
Should include guarantees *
Property questionnaire 10
More structural information/provide certificates for building work 3
Supporting documentation/verification required 2
The questionnaire is of no great value/not required 1
More accurate, reliable information 1
Previous history of property 1
The age of the property 1
The questionnaire needs to be professionally assessed *
Other property questionnaire 2
Energy Report 9
More thorough/in-depth energy report 3
The energy report is not helpful/not required 2
Other energy report 2
More information on running costs/bills 2
More condensed/briefer report *
More factual assessments on energy performance *
Problems not related to information 9
The report is of no/little value/should be stopped 5
Waste of money/paper 3
Waste of time 1
Unidentified problems with the home report 1
Other system was better/return to previous system *
Valuation 3
More accurate valuation of properties 2
Other valuation 1
Miscellaneous 4
Other 3
No answer *
Not stated 10

A29. How helpful was the accessibility information provided by the Home Report? The accessibility information is in section 3 of the single survey and includes an audit of accessible features useful for older and disabled people, and parents with young children.

Base: All who looked at the Home Report for the house they purchased (726) %
Very helpful 10
Fairly helpful 23
Neither helpful no unhelpful 43
Fairly unhelpful 3
Very unhelpful 3
Don't know 14
Not stated 3

A30. Did the Home Report property questionnaire identify any outstanding legal issues with the home you purchased? (Legal issues could include problems such as local authority statutory notices, building works completed without permission, boundary disputes etc.)

Base: All who looked at a Home Report when buying their house (726) %
Yes 8
No 82
Don't know 6
Not stated 3

A31. Do you think the Home Report helped to improve the speed with which these issues were resolved?

Base: All who had legal issues identified in the Home Report (61*) %
Yes 52
No 21
The issues were not resolved 7
Don't know 18
Not stated 2

A32. Did the Home Report identify any issues relating to property condition that required urgent attention (category three repairs), prior to sale or as a condition of sale?

Base: All who looked at a Home Report when buying their house %

Interim Review 5 Year

(991) (726)
Yes 21 16
No 74 78
Don't know 1 3
Not stated 4 3

A33. Did the Home Report identify repairs and improvements that required non-urgent attention (category two repairs)?

Base: All who looked at a Home Report when buying their house %

Interim Review 5 Year

(991) (726)
Yes 47 59
No 46 35
Don't know 3 3
Not stated 4 3

A34. Do you think you would have identified urgent/non-urgent repairs or replacements without the Home Report?

Base: All who looked at a Home Report when buying their house %

Interim Review 5 year

(212) (726)
Yes 56 54
No 33 28
Don't know 11 15
Not stated - 3

A35. Since purchasing the property have you undertaken the repairs and/or improvements identified in the Home Report?

Base: All who looked at the Home Report for the house they purchased %

Interim Review 5 Year

(466) (726)
Yes, those requiring urgent repair or replacement (category three repairs) 46 18
Yes, repairs or replacement requiring future attention (category two repairs) 44 42
No, I have not undertaken any of the repairs identified 27 16
No, no repairs were identified - 30
Don't know - 2
Not stated 1 4

A36. Would the opportunity to discuss the contents of the Home Report with the surveyor who inspected the property have been helpful?

Base: All who looked at a Home Report when buying their house %

Interim Review 5 Year

(291) (726)
Yes 60 65
No 22 22
Don't know * 10
Not stated * 3

A37. Did you obtain any advice on the contents of the Home Report (for example, from your solicitor)?

Base: All who looked at a Home Report when buying their house %

Interim Review 5 Year

(291) (726)
Yes 53 41
No 40 55
Don't know * 1
Not stated * 3

A38. Apart from the original Home Report, was another survey or valuation commissioned for any purpose?

Base: All who looked at a Home Report when buying their house %

Interim Review 5 Year

(991) (726)
Yes 29 23
No 66 71
Don't know 1 3
Not stated 3 3

A39. What type of survey or valuation was commissioned?

Base: All those who had another survey commissioned (166) %
Mortgage valuation report 58
Refresh of the seller's Home Report using the same surveyor 33
A full independent Home Report using a different surveyor 13
In-depth survey of a specific issue (e. g. damp, dry rot) 21
Not stated 1

A40. What was the main reason another survey or valuation was commissioned?

Base: All those who had another survey commissioned %

Interim Review 5 Year

(291) (166)
For mortgage/lending purposes 69 56
More details were required than were given in the original Home Report 26 13
Original expired/over one year old/out of date/only valid for 3 months - 8
There was concern that the Home Report was not reliable 14 7
Valuation/too low - 2
Boundary issues - 1
Damp issues - 1
Structural inspection - 1
Woodworm/survey /inspection - 1
Other - 2
Not stated - 7

A41. Who advised you to commission another survey or valuation?

Base: All those who had another survey commissioned (166) %
Mortgage lender 61
Selling agent 4
My conveyancing solicitor 22
No-one, it was my choice 19

A42. Who paid for the survey or valuation?

Base: All those who had another survey commissioned (166) %
I paid for it myself 67
The seller paid for it 19
Mortgage company/lender 12
Split between myself and the seller 1
Other 1
No answer 1

A43. How much did the survey or valuation cost?

Base: All those who had another survey commissioned %

Interim Review 5 Year

(291) (166)
Up to £200 51 26
£201 - £300 15 22
£301 - £400 9 7
£401 - £500 3 5
£501 - £600 * 4
£601 - £700 * -
£701 - £800 1 1
£801 - £1,000 * 1
Over £1,000 * 1
Don't know/don't remember 18 33
Not stated
2

A44. If there was more than one survey or valuation carried out on the property, was there a difference between them in terms of valuation?

Base: All those who had another survey commissioned %

Interim Review 5 Year

(291) (166)
Yes, the valuation increased - 8
Yes, the valuation decreased - 23
Yes (combined) 19 31
No 51 49
Don't know 29 14
Not stated 1 5

A45. If there was more than one survey carried out on the property, was there a difference between them in terms of the condition of the property?

Base: All those who had another survey commissioned %

Interim Review 5 Year

(291) (166)
Yes 18 16
No 53 66
Don't know 27 13
Not stated 2 5

A46. Did you make any complaints about any aspect of the buying process?

Base: All who looked at the Home Report for the house they purchased (726) %
Yes 5
No 92
Not stated 4

A47. Where did you make your complaint?

Base: All those who made a complaint about the buying process (34*) %
Solicitor 41
Surveyor 9
The Property Ombudsman 6
Local Authority Trading Standards Department 3
Scottish Legal Complaints Commission 3
Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) 3
Estate agent 3
Bank 3
Mortgage company/mortgage advisor 3
RICS Professional Conduct Department -
The Office of Fair Trading -
House builder -
Other 18
Not stated 6

B1. Have you sold a home since July 1st 2012?

Base: All respondents (928) %
Yes 54
No 42
Not Stated 4

B2. In which local authority is that home that you sold?

Base: all respondents who sold a house in the past two years (505) %
Aberdeen City 6
Aberdeenshire 7
Angus 2
Argyll & Bute 1
Clackmannanshire 2
Dumfries & Galloway 3
Dundee City 2
East Ayrshire 2
East Dunbartonshire 3
East Lothian 2
East Renfrewshire 3
Edinburgh (City of) 12
Eilean Siar (Western Isles) -
Falkirk 1
Fife 6
Glasgow City 8
Highland 5
Inverclyde 1
Midlothian 3
Moray 2
North Ayrshire 2
North Lanarkshire 3
Orkney Islands *
Perth & Kinross 4
Renfrewshire 3
Scottish Borders 1
Shetland Islands 3
South Ayrshire 5
South Lanarkshire 2
Stirling -
West Dunbartonshire -
West Lothian 2
Not stated 7

B3. Prior to selling this home how long was it on the market before an offer was accepted?

Base: all respondents who sold a house in the past two years %

Interim Review 5 Year

(804) (505)
Less than 1 month 25 33
1 - 3 months 25 21
4 - 6 months 18 15
7 - 12 months 19 13
Over a year 10 15
Not stated 2 3

B4. Who marketed this home?

Base: All respondents who sold a house in the past two years (505) %
An estate agent 69
A solicitor 22
It was sold at auction *
An individual marketed the property (e. g. through a website, classified ad or for sale sign) 2
Builder *
Not marketed *
Part exchange/d 1
Private sale 1
Sold to a family member *
Not stated 3

B5. How was this home marketed?

Base: All respondents who sold a house in the past two years %

Interim Review 5 Year

(804) (505)
Offers over a price 52 60
Offers around a price 18 25
Below Home Report valuation - 6
Fixed price 31 17
Don't know/don't remember 1 2
Not stated 2 3

B6. Did the way that this home was marketed change while it was on the market?

Base: All respondents who sold a house in the past two years %

Interim review 5 Year

(804) (505)
Yes 23 21
No 72 75
Don't remember/ don't know 2 1
Not stated 2 3

B7. Did the marketed price of this home change while it was on the market?

Base: All respondents who sold a house in the past two years %

Interim Review 5 Year

(804) (505)
Yes, the price went up - 2
Yes, the price went down - 31
Yes (Combined) 32 33
No 64 63
Don't know 2 1
Not stated 2 3

B8. What was the final selling price?

Base: All respondents who sold a house in the past two years %

Interim Review 5 Year

(804) (505)
Up to £80,000 11 8
£80,001 - £120,000 25 16
£120,001 - £200,000 34 37
£200,001 - £300,000 20 22
Over £300,000 7 15
Not stated - 2

B9. Before selling this home, did you know about Home Reports?

Base: All respondents who sold a house in the past two years (505) %
Yes 91
No 5
Don't remember/ don't know 1
Not stated 3

B10. Did you have a Home Report when selling this home?

Base: All respondents who sold a house in the past two years %

Interim Review 5 Year

(804) (505)
Yes 57 91
No 43 7
Not stated 2 2

B11. Why did you not have a Home Report?

Base: all those who didn't use a Home Report when selling their house (35*) %
The property was newly converted 3
The sale was made privately and was not marketed in any way 17
Part-exchange/d 9
Property in England/no home report needed/ required 54
Seller not required to provide 6
Other 11

B12. How was the Home Report commissioned?

Base: all those who used a Home Report when selling their house %

Interim Review 5 Year

(455) (458)
I approached a solicitor directly - 13
By my selling agent solicitor - 29
By my selling agent estate agent 48 55
By the house builder/ developer - *
A direct approach to me by a surveyor 16 -
By my solicitor 34 -
Don't know/don't remember 2 1
Other 1 -
Not stated - 1

B13. What did you pay for the original Home Report?

Base: all those who used a Home Report when selling their house %

Interim Review 5 Year

(455) (458)
Up to £200 13 10
£201 - £300 14 14
£301 - £400 17 15
£401 - £500 20 14
£501 - £600 10 11
£601 - £700 4 4
£701 - £800 2 4
£801 - £1,000 3 2
Over £1,000 - *
Don't know/don't remember 18 22
Not stated - 3

B14. Did your agent cover any of the cost of the Home Report?

Base: all those who used a Home Report when selling their house %

Interim Review 5 Year

(455) (458)
No - paid for it myself 95 89
Yes - agent covered some of the cost 1 2
Yes - agent covered all of the cost 2 4
Don't know 1 5
Not stated 1 1

B15. How did you pay for the Home Report?

Base: All who paid for at least some of the cost of the Home Report %

Interim Review 5 Year

(444) (414)
A single payment when the property went on the market 80 84
A single payment when the property was sold 16 11
A series of instalments when the property was on the market 1 2
The cost was added to the mortgage of a new home purchase * *
Included in the agent's fees - *
I paid for it myself - *
A single payment before the survey was done - *
Other 2 -
Not stated * 1

B16. Did you sell this home for...?

Base: All those who used a Home Report when selling their house %

Interim Review 5 Year

(455) (458)
The same as the valuation in the Home Report 32 19
Over the valuation in the Home Report 24 19
Under the valuation in the Home Report 35 59
Don't know/don't remember 7 2
Did not have a Home Report - -
Not stated 2 1

B17. Did you think the information in the Home Report was reliable? Please answer for each section of the Home Report separately.

Base: All those who used a Home Report when selling their house (458) %

Yes No Don't know Not stated

Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year
The single survey 85 80 10 14 3 5 2 1
The energy report 71 74 18 14 9 11 2 1
The property questionnaire 82 88 7 7 7 5 5 1
The valuation 72 71 18 22 6 6 4 1

B18. Did the information provided in the Home Report affect any of the following?

Base: All those who used a Home Report when selling their house (458) %

Yes No Don't know Not stated

Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year Interim Review 5 Year
The price you initially asked 40 43 53 50 5 4 3 2
The negotiations over the price 24 29 64 61 5 5 7 5

B19. How did the information in the Home Report affect your level of confidence in the selling process?

Base: all those who used a Home Report when selling their house (458) %
It made me more confident 29
It made me less confident 16
It had no effect 51
Don't know 2
Not stated 1

B21. What changes would you have liked to see in the information provided in the Home Report?

Base: All those who think there is too much or too little information in the Home Report (110) %
General information issues 37
More basic/simple/ clear information/less jargon 10
More concise information 10
More comprehensive/indepth information 6
More relevant information 6
More accurate/ reliable/honest report 5
Other home report 3
Less generic information 2
More professional/ accountable report 1
The single survey 36
More thorough/in-depth survey 12
Other property 8
More detailed/ comprehensive/ information regarding condition of property 7
A more professional/ accountable survey 5
More details of electrical system/ boiler tests/plumbing/ safety certificates/ service history 4
More accurate/ reliable/honest information regarding condition of property 4
More details of alterations/changes made 4
Fewer disclaimers/ unable to access certain areas mentions 3
Less of a tick-box exercise 2
More detailed information regarding faults/repairs 2
A single survey is not adequate 1
More detailed information regarding condition of fixture/ fittings 1
Other faults and repairs 1
Problems not related to information 15
The report is of no/ little value/should be stopped 10
Waste of money/paper 9
Waste of time 2
Other system was better/return to previous system 2
Valuation 6
More accurate valuation of properties 5
Other valuation 2
Energy Report 5
More thorough/in-depth energy report 2
The energy report is not helpful/not required 2
More condensed/briefer report 1
More factual assessments on energy 1
More simple/clearer/ less jargon 1
Property questionnaire 5
More structural information/provide certificates for building work 3
Supporting documentation/ verification required 1
Other property questionnaire 1
Miscellaneous 8
Other 5
No answer 3
Not stated 14

B22. Did the Home Report contain any information that you disagreed with?

Base: All those that disagreed with information in their Home Report (105) %
Yes 23
No 71
Don't know 6
Not stated 1

B23. What information was this?

Base: All those who used a Home Report when selling their house (458) %
Inaccurate information 27
Property valuation/too low 25
Surveyor was not professional/did not do a good job/made too many mistakes 22
Identified too many minor issues/too petty 11
Issues with windows/ double glazing/doors 7
Issues with dampness/ dry/wet/rot 6
Issues with electrics/ heating 4
Insufficient information 3
Cost/too high 2
Issues with asbestos 2
Issues with garden/trees 2
Birds'/wasps'/nest 2
The report was not useful/helpful 2
Other 7
No answer 3
Not stated 3

B24. Did the Home Report property questionnaire identify any outstanding legal issues with the home you sold? (Legal issues could include problems such as local authority statutory notices, building works completed without planning permission, boundary disputes etc.)

Base: all those who used a Home Report when selling their house %

Interim review 5 Year

(455) (458)
Yes 3 5
No 95 90
Don't know 1 4
Not stated 1 *

B25. Do you think the Home Report helped to improve the speed with which these issues were resolved?

Base: All who had outstanding legal issues %

Interim Review 5 Year

(455) (25**)
Yes 27 36
No 56 60
Don't know 15 4
Not stated 1 -

(** Treat % figures with caution as base is very small)

B26. Did you have any repairs or replacements made prior to marketing this home as a result of issues identified in the Home Report?

Base: all those who used a Home Report when selling their house (458) %
Yes, those requiring urgent repair or replacement (category three repairs) 5
Yes, repairs or replacement requiring future attention (category two repairs) 13
No, I did not have any of the identified repairs or replacements made 30
No, no issues were identified 52
Don't know *
Not stated 1

B27. What did you pay to get the repair or replacement work done?

Base: All those who carried out repairs or identified in the Home Report (77*) %
Up to £100 29
£100 - £250 21
£251 - £500 14
£501 - £750 6
£751 - £1,000 4
Over £1,000 10
Don't know/remember 12
Not stated 4

B28. Did you have any work done after the sale was negotiated or did you agree a reduced price due to issues identified in the Home Report?

Base: all those who used a Home Report when selling their house %

Interim Review 5 Year

(455) (458)
Yes, carried out work 3 5
Yes, agreed a reduced price 4 4
No, neither 91 86
Don't know 1 1
Not stated 1 4

B29. Are you aware of any repairs needed that were not picked up by the Home Report?

Base: all those who used a Home Report when selling their house %

Interim Review 5 Year

(455) (458)
Yes 7 9
No 88 83
Don't know 1 6
Not stated 1 1

B30. Did these repairs require...?

Base: all those who had repairs that were not picked up by the Home report (42*) %
Urgent repair and replacement (category three repairs) 19
Future attention (category two repairs) 83

B31. Did you make energy performance improvements to this home prior to the sale, as a result of issues identified in the Home Report?

Base: all those who used a Home Report when selling their house %

Interim Review 5 year

(455) (458)
Yes 19 6
No 80 92
Don't know * 1
Not stated * 2

B32. Which of the following energy performance improvements did you make?

Base: all those who made energy performance improvements (26**) Number of respondents
Reduce draughts (e. g. double or secondary glazing, insulated doors) 5
Improve the insulation (e. g. loft or other roof insulation, wall insulation, floor insulation) 16
Improve heating system performance or control (replace an older heating system or boiler with a more efficient one) 8
Install alternative energy sources (biomass boiler, solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbine) 1
Used energy-efficient light bulbs 7
Other -

B33. Did the changes that you made improve the energy efficiency rating of this home?

Base: All those who made energy performance improvements (26**) Number of respondents
Yes 19
No -
Don't know 7
Not stated -

B34. What did you pay to get these energy performance improvements made?

Base: all those who made energy performance improvements (26**) %
Up to £100 15
£100 - £250 12
£251 - £500 8
£501 - £750 -
£751 - £1,000 4
Over £1,000 38
Don't know/remember 19
Not stated 4

B35. Was another survey/valuation/Home Report refresh commissioned for any purpose?

Base: All those who used a Home Report when selling their house %

Interim Review 5 Year

(455) (458)
Yes 9 30
No 90 66
Don't know * 3
Not stated * 1

B36. How long had this home been on the market when you had a survey/valuation/refresh?

Base: All who had more than one survey commissioned for their property %

Interim Review 5 Year

(36*) (139)
Less than 1 month 23 8
1 - 3 months 23 13
4 - 6 months 38 32
7 - 12 months * 24
Over a year * 22
Not stated - 1

B37. Was this because an offer was made on this home?

Base: All who had more than one survey commissioned for their property (139) %
Yes 80
No 19
Not stated 1

B38. What type of survey, valuation or refresh was commissioned?

Base: all who had more than one survey commissioned for their property (139) %
Mortgage valuation report 19
Refresh of the seller's Home Report using the same surveyor 73
A full independent Home Report using a different surveyor 5
In-depth survey of a specific issue (e. g. damp, dry rot) 2
Not stated 1

B39. What was the main reason another survey or valuation was commissioned?

Base: All who had more than one survey commissioned for their property (139) %
For mortgage/lending purposes 59
There was concern that the Home Report was not reliable 4
More details were required than were given in the original Home Report 5
Buyer requested the survey 1
Original expired/over one year old/out of date/only valid for 3 months 22
Re-marketed with another estate agent 1
Repairs carried out 1
Valuation/too low 1
Other 2
Not stated 4

B40. Who advised that it was necessary to commission another survey, valuation or refresh?

Base: All who had more than one survey commissioned for their property %

Interim Review 5 Year

(39*) (139)
I made the decision 13 3
My selling agent solicitor * 23
My selling agent estate agent 21 37
My surveyor * 2
The buyer 54 40
The buyer's lender - 1
The buyer's solicitor - 1
Other - -
Don't know/don't remember - 1
No answer - 1

B41. Who paid for the survey, valuation or refresh?

Base: all who had more than one survey commissioned for their property (139) %
I paid for it myself 73
The buyer paid for it 25
Was free of charge 1
Shared with the solicitor 1
Other -
Don't know 1
No answer 1
Not stated 1

B42. How much did the survey, valuation or refresh cost? If you've had more than one survey/valuation/refresh, please answer about the most recent.

Base: all who had more than one survey commissioned for their property (139) %
Up to £200 54
£201 - £300 9
£301 - £400 3
£401 - £500 1
£501 - £600 -
£601 - £700 1
£701 - £800 -
£801 - £1,000 -
Over £1,000 -
Don't know/don't remember 30
Not stated 3

B43. As a result of the survey/valuation/refresh was there any change to the valuation?

Base: All who had more than one survey commissioned for their property %

Interim Review 5 Year

(39*) (139)
Yes 21 22
No 72 71
Don't know * 6
Not stated * 1

B44. As a result in the change of valuation, did you change the marketed price?

Base: all who had another survey with a different valuation than the original Home Report %

Interim Review 5 Year

(8**) (30*)
Yes, I increased the marketed price * -
Yes, I decreased the marketed price * 60
No * 40

B45. Were there any differences noted/recorded to the condition of this home in the survey/valuation/refresh?

Base: all who had more than one survey commissioned for their property %

Interim Review 5 Year

(39*) (139)
Yes 10 18
No 79 76
Don't know * 6
Not stated * -

B46. Did you make any complaints about any aspect of the selling process?

Base: all those who used a Home Report when selling their house (458) %
Yes 5
No 92
Not stated 2

B47. Where did you make your complaint?

Base: all who made a complaint about the selling process (25**) %
Local Authority Trading Standards Department -
The Property Ombudsman 4
RICS Professional Conduct Department -
Scottish Legal Complaints Commission 4
Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) 4
The Office of Fair Trading -
Estate agent 44
House builder 4
Mortgage company/ mortgage advisor 4
Solicitor 8
Surveyor 20
Other 8

C1. What was your age at your last birthday?

Base: All respondents (928) %
16 - 24 years 3
25 - 34 years 25
35 - 44 years 22
45 - 54 years 16
55 - 59 years 8
60 - 64 years 11
65 - 74 years 12
75+ years 3
Rather not say *
Not stated 2

C2 Which statement best describes your current working status?

Base: All respondents (928) %
Working - 30 hours or more a week (full time) 59
Working - 8 - 29 hours a week (part time) 12
Not working - looking after the home 4
Not working - unemployed *
Not working - retired 21
Not working - student *
Not working - long-term illness/disability 1
Other 1
Not stated 2

C3. How many people aged 16 or over live in your household?

Base: All respondents (928) %
1 23
2 66
3 5
4 2
5+ *
Not stated 3

C4. And how many people aged 15 years or younger live in your household?

Base: All respondents (928) %
1 14
2 12
3 3
4 *
5+ *
None 66
Not stated 5

C5. What is your household's total income from all sources (before tax) over the last 12 months? (This should include any earnings, pensions, benefits, tax credits, grants, and interest from savings etc.)

Base: All respondents (928) %
Less than £5,200 *
£5,200 - £10,399 3
£10,400 - £15,599 6
£15,600 - £20,799 8
£20,800 - £25,999 8
£26,000 - £36,399 16
£36,400 - £51,999 18
£52,000 - £77,999 20
£78,000 or more 15
Not stated 7

C6. Would you consider yourself as having any of the following impairments?

Base: All respondents (928) %
Visual 4
Hearing 4
Learning disability *
Mobility - wheelchair user *
Other mobility impairment 4
Other physical impairment 2
Mental health problem 1
Long-term illness 5
Other degenerative condition 3
Other 1
No, none 78
Refused 1
Not stated 6

Contact

Email: Ruth Whatling

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