How much does a Home Report cost?
The short answer
A Home Report typically costs £585 to £820 in 2026, priced mainly by property value, and the seller pays before the home goes on the market. The fee buys all three parts - the Single Survey with valuation, the Energy Report and the Property Questionnaire - from a RICS surveyor. It's a legal requirement for most homes marketed in Scotland, so the real question isn't whether to buy one, but from whom.
What sets the price
| Property value | Typical fee |
|---|---|
| Up to £200,000 | £585 - £650 |
| £200,000 - £400,000 | £650 - £750 |
| £400,000 - £600,000 | £720 - £820 |
| Over £600,000 | £820+, quoted individually |
Value drives the fee because the Single Survey inside the report carries a professional valuation - and the surveyor's liability scales with it. Size, age and construction nudge quotes within the bands: a large Victorian villa takes longer to inspect than a modern two-bed flat, whatever they're each worth.
When to commission it, and how long it lasts
The report must exist before marketing starts - it's what buyers and their lenders rely on from day one - and it must be no more than 12 weeks old when the property goes on sale. There's no fixed expiry after that, but buyers' lenders get twitchy about reports past a few months old and commonly ask for a refresh, which most surveyors provide for a modest update fee. The practical sequencing: instruct the surveyor when you appoint your selling agent, not after the photos are done. What the three parts actually contain is covered in what's in a Home Report.
Selling in Scotland?
Verified RICS surveyors quote for your Home Report - compare fees, turnaround and lender acceptance in one place, free.
Compare Home Report quotesCommon questions
Are any sales exempt from needing a Home Report?
A few: brand-new homes sold off-plan, right-to-buy sales, some mixed-use and portfolio sales, and homes sold off-market without public marketing. Selling to a private buyer you already know, with no advertising, is the everyday exemption people actually use.
How fast can I get one?
Days, normally - booking to report is commonly under a week outside peak spring. The inspection itself takes an hour or two; the report follows once the surveyor's checks are done.
What if the report flags repairs?
Category 2 and 3 ratings go to every buyer, so you choose: fix before marketing, price the issue in, or let buyers negotiate around it. Fixing genuine Category 3 items usually recovers more than it costs - a report full of 3s reads as a project, and projects sell at project prices.
Do I need a refresh if the sale drags on?
If the report is more than a few months old when an offer lands, expect the buyer's lender to want an updated valuation - a quick, cheaper revisit by the same firm. Budget for the possibility in a slow market rather than being surprised by it.
Sources and further reading