SAVA Home Inspectors

Here you can find out about the role of a Home Inspector, what their duties and responsibilities are, and what they should and shouldn't do when undertaking an inspection.

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Background | Duties & Responsibilities | What Does a Home Inspector Do?

Background
The Housing Act 2004 is the key piece of legislation that reforms the way homes will be bought and sold in England and Wales. Every home must now have a Home Information Pack prepared for it when sold.

The Home Information Pack contains the following documents:

• Evidence of title
• Terms of sale
• Replies to standard pre-contract enquiries
• Standard local searches
• Copies of any planning consents and building control certificates
• Copies of guarantees and warranties
• An Energy Performance Certificate and optional Home Condition Report

SAVA Home Inspectors are given instructions by Home Information Pack providers to compile a Home Condition Report or an Energy Performance Certificate. All SAVA Home Inspectors have undergone rigorous training and are subject to constant monitoring checks to ensure that their work is meeting quality standards. [Back to top]

Duties & Responsibilities
All Home Inspectors are required to adhere to the Duties and Responsibilities of Home Inspectors. This is an over-arching document that applies to all licensed Home Inspectors, and it covers topics such as personal and professional standards, skills and ability, confidentiality, and complaints procedures.

You can download the document here. [Back to top]

What Does a Home Inspector Do?
SAVA Home Inspectors compile Home Condition Reports and Energy Performance Certificates. The Home Condition Report is an objective report on the condition of the property that can be relied upon by buyers, sellers and mortgage lenders. It is written in Plain English in a standard format and describes the general condition of the property taking account of its age, character and location; how energy efficient it is; and any defects or other matters requiring attention. The Energy Performance Certificate is a component of the Home Condition Report and is subject to the same standards.

The Home Condition Report is designed to be a 'mid-range' survey, similar in its technical content to the current Homebuyer Survey and Valuation - not as detailed as a Building Survey (sometimes known as a 'full structural survey') but a lot more extensive than a mortgage lender's valuation inspection. Note that the Home Condition Report does not include a valuation.

A Home Condition Report details the construction and condition of the property on the date when it was inspected. It also includes whether and where further enquiries are needed - for matters that are considered serious or in need of urgent attention. It also tells you about matters that require further investigation to prevent damage to the fabric of the building.

It does not tell you about any minor matters that would not ordinarily have any effect on a buyer’s decision to purchase. Also, the report does not warn you about any health and safety risks to occupiers or visitors to the property except where the risks are such that repairs or building works are required.

Similar to appliance efficiency ratings, the energy performance ratings on the Energy Performance Certificate will provide prospective purchasers with an assessment of the property's energy consumption rating, together with a list of practical measures that can be taken to cut their fuel bills and carbon emissions. [Back to top]

SAVA & NHER Registered Members

Home Inspectors: 489
DEAs: 1814

Last updated:
13 March, 2008