Buyer asks whether it is fair to demand the full $1,200 structural survey before sharing it

"You could always include selected parts of it if you want to negotiate."

A U.K. homebuyer who is prepared to spend £900, or about $1,200, on investigating cracks in a house is now facing a tricky choice. The seller has said the work can go ahead only if the buyer sends over the full structural report, even though the seller’s estate agent says the home has no problems.

What happened

Writing in Reddit’s r/HousingUK community, the buyer said a completed level 3 survey had recommended more structural checks. That survey uncovered a hidden chimney breast and blocked ventilation bricks, along with a crack inside the property and cracks on the front exterior.

According to the buyer, the estate agent attributed the seller’s hesitation to the fact that she lives alone and is in her late 70s. She had first declined to allow the structural survey.

"As we're paying for this survey ourselves (and a cctv drainage survey), I'm unsure about agreeing to share the full report. Is it reasonable to agree to sharing relevant excerpts with her only?" the original poster wrote.

Additional context

One commenter said the key issue should be whether the buyers still want the house after seeing the results. In their view, simply keeping the report was not the main value of paying for it.

A relatively small outlay could prevent the buyers from going ahead with a property that might later require major work. If the £900 investigation uncovered a serious structural issue, it could spare them from a much larger financial hit.

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The commenter added that they would still order their own survey before buying, even if a report already existed. Their concern was that if the report came back positive and was shared, the seller could potentially pull out of the deal and show it to another buyer instead.

"If you wanted to negotiate the price of a house I was selling down because of a survey I would absolutely expect to see it. Nothing personal, but there are far too many chancers out there to take the risk," another commenter wrote.

What are the options?

"I personally was advised by my surveyor to not share the full report, only the conclusion. I'd encourage you to add pieces of it as supporting evidence if you are wanting to negotiate but do not send the full document. You paid for it, it is your survey. If the seller wants a copy, they can contribute towards it lol," one user wrote.

Another commenter noted that the surveyor’s terms and conditions may limit how the report can be shared. Reviewing those terms, they said, would help the buyers decide what they can provide before agreeing to the seller’s request.

"I shared the normal level three survey I had done when I bought my house, couldn't really think of a reason not to, they wanted to see it and I wanted a slight discount due to unforeseen issues. It all worked out, they agreed," another commenter wrote.

More examples

Other buyers have faced similar concerns about cracks, hidden defects, and expensive repairs. These cases range from cosmetic damage and structural issues to surprise bills after inspections.

• A U.K. buyer’s $324,000 offer was accepted before a lender valued the home at $225,000.

• In Dallas, first-time homeowners feared foundation damage, but an inspector said the cracks were cosmetic.

• After viewing seven homes, a buyer said four had serious structural problems.

• In Wales, an inspector resigned after being told to conceal a defect.

• A Maryland buyer paid $3,000 for an inspection, then faced $15,500 in repair costs.