The Sellers Single Survey pilot scheme in Scotland is now halfway through its trial period. It was hoped to attract 2,000 commissions over a 12 period with the results to be analysed in July 2005. While an interim report has not been prepared, the pilot scheme, which is entirely voluntary, has been used by just 73 people to date. Most of these surveys were carried out in Glasgow with just 1 in Edinburgh, 5 in Inverness and 3 in Dundee.

The Single Survey pilot scheme means that the house vendor pays for a comprehensive assessment of the condition and valuation of their property with the eventual purchaser picking up the bill. The sceme was introduced to avoid multiple surveys on a property but it would also give sellers the chance to fix problems before the 'For Sale' board went up and aims to discourage artificially low asking prices as the valuation will be known beforehand. However with no shortage of buyers there has been little incentive for the seller to pay several hundred pounds for a detailed report.

Professor Stewart Brymer, a Senior Partner in a Dundee law firm speaking on the issue for the Law Society of Scotland said 'I think the change to a Single Survey, in principal, is quite sound. In future we will have something akin to the Single Survey, whether it will be the Single Survey in its present format, I don’t know.' While not a great believer in legislation for legislation's sake, he continued 'However, it may be that if the Single Survey or some other scheme like it is to be introduced in Scotland that an element of compulsion will be the only way for it to work. I think the pilot demonstrates that, given the voluntary uptake is low and will continue to be low for the remainder of the pilot. '

John Bennett of J & E Shepherd in Dundee said one of the drawbacks for homeowners was that surveys would expose their house to the world – warts and all. He thinks it was a good concept but the scheme appeared to have been 'rushed'.

This claim was unsurprisingly rejected by the Executive, which said the proposals had been drawn up over several years. The forthcoming Housing Bill will contain powers to introduce a mandatory system of some sort and if the Executive uses those powers then it would ensure that housebuyers have access to a Single Survey system.

Ewen Sparks : e.sparks@shepherd.co.uk