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Thanks for relaying your experience.
I'm of the same mindset basically, that I've just got no idea of what to look for. Is your place share of freehold though?
I'll happily budget for a credible survey, if only to know what I'm dealing with as it's a 1848 build (obv later converted). I guess I see other's point that they are poor value for money, that I might just get back a few pages with tick marks on it.
What was the forum recommended surveyor you went with?
neu-
Was domestic surveys who are in Bristol. I also got a colleague's son who is an electrician to go round and check it over. If you PM me I will happily send the survey across.
I completely see the other point of view. Just personal preference I guess.
On the leasehold vs share of freehold thing, there are people better qualified to explain. Mine is leasehold, freehold owned by a guy down the road, no ground rent, the 5 flats run the management company. They pay £500 a year for a service charge (mainly building insurance comes out of that) and then split stuff as and when as not much in the pot. I will be asking my solicitor to properly explain the lease and they're checking it is okay. Effectively I think mine is quite similar to a share of freehold structure
Picked up on here that older leases (like yours will be) tend to be written more favourably than modern ones. Also picked up that share of freehold flats tend to be nicer and more desirable.
With it being listed you'll want to get your solicitor to check out what's been done and it had the necessary permissions
bobble
Need to do more of this.
@neu I just paid (literally got the 180 page report yesterday) 855 for a full survey on a 2 bed first floor flat I am hopefully buying from a forum recommended surveyor. Building was built in 1840. Maybe didn't need it but I am a FTB, don't know much and wanted the peace of mind.
Kept tonight and tomorrow free to read and re read it before the debrief with the guy who did it.
My view was it is a tiny % of the purchase cost and could save me money in the long run too/possibly pay for itself.