More than three quarters of advisers recommend that homebuyers take out private surveys when purchasing or remortgaging a property, according to a new poll. 

A survey of TMA Mortgage Club’s premium advisers found that 76% advocate that borrowers take out a private survey prior to acquiring property as they offer a thorough analysis of a property and also believe valuation reports conducted by lenders are not comprehensive enough. 

This disconnect suggests that private survey provides borrowers, including many investors, with greater protection and could save them money in the long term, because aside from the fact that borrowers and lenders value a property differently, a private survey is the only way to identify any defects in the property. 

Homeowners spend an average of £5,570 on repairs once they have moved into a property, separate research from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) shows, and this was largely due to not investing in a full private survey.
 
David Copland, director of TMA Mortgage Club, said: “It’s great to see so many brokers already advising their clients to take out a survey, but we would like to see it across the board. 

“A home is one of the most expensive purchases a person makes and whilst our advisers are on hand to make sure that their clients get the best deal, we should be ensuring that they are not about to commit to a home that could cost them thousands of pounds.
 
“Going forward, we will ensure that TMA members are aware of all the surveys available and will help them to develop a strong relationship with a firm that they can refer their clients to, so they don’t have to solely rely on the lender’s provider.”