Home Report Jargon Explained: A Plain-English Glossary

Home Report — the pack of three documents (Single Survey, Energy Report, Property Questionnaire) that Scottish law requires sellers to provide to prospective buyers before marketing most residential properties.

Single Survey — the core survey document: a RICS-qualified surveyor's assessment of the property's condition, element by element, plus their valuation.

Category rating (1, 2, 3) — the condition score given to each element of the property. See our full explainer — in short, 1 is fine, 2 is normal wear, 3 is urgent.

Energy Report — the property's EPC: current and potential energy efficiency ratings, plus estimated running costs.

Property Questionnaire — filled in by the seller, not surveyed. Covers council tax band, factoring/common repair arrangements, alterations, disputes, and any existing specialist reports.

Valuation — the surveyor's opinion of market value, and the figure your mortgage lender lends against. In Scotland it usually sits above the advertised "offers over" price, and in competitive areas properties often sell above the valuation too — see our guide to what that means for your offer.

Factoring — a management arrangement (common in tenements, flats, and some estates) where a company maintains and repairs shared parts of the building or grounds and recharges owners. Check the Property Questionnaire for current factor and any outstanding common repair costs.

Further investigation recommended — surveyor shorthand for "I can see a possible issue but can't confirm the cause or extent without a specialist" — usually damp, timber, or structural. Treat as unresolved, not as reassurance.

Offers over / Fixed price / Offers around — how the property is being marketed, not a Home Report term. An "offers over" figure is typically set below the Home Report valuation to attract competing bids, so don't read it as what the property is worth.

Closing date — when several buyers are interested, the selling agent may set a deadline for best offers. Offers are usually sealed, so you get one shot at your number.

Home Report validity — there's no statutory expiry date; the report stands while the property is being marketed. But if it's more than around 12 weeks old when the property goes under offer, the buyer's lender will usually want the Single Survey refreshed, normally at the seller's cost.

This is general information, not professional advice on your specific report or transaction — for anything that changes your offer materially, it's worth a conversation with your solicitor.

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