Take the stress out of moving home through Ayrshire Home Report

Feb 4 2009 By Lorraine Waddell

NEW legislation means that from December 1, 2008, all homes for sale in Scotland must be marketed with a full home report.

This comprises three separate documents - a single survey, an energy report and a property questionnaire.

The single survey must be carried out by a chartered surveyor who is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyor (RICS).

This gives information about any problems the property has and how urgently it needs to be repaired.

It will also state its current value and how accessible it is for disabled people.

The second section - the energy report - shows how green the property is and gives it a rating.

It will also recommend improvements to the energy efficiency of the home.

The property questionnaire - filled out by the home owner - will ask questions such as who the electricity supplier is and council tax banding among other aspects.

More information and examples of all three documents are available by logging onto www.ayrshirehomereport.co.uk.

This website has a comprehensive round-up of everything you need to know about the home report and its implications for you.

By booking your home report through our site you can also defer payment for up to nine months, saving you an extra cost at what can be an expensive time.

Home reports generally cost between £300 and £800 so deferring payment can free this money up for other fees associated with buying a new home or selling your own.

Our website is easy to navigate around and you will be able to find all of the information you need in one place.

You will also be able to download multiple copies of your home report for free and can access it online.

Through the site you will be able to make free changes to your home report, when you make changes to your home, for the length of time you are in the property.

WE are pleased to join forces with Ross Professional and Shepherd Surveyors to bring you this one-stop shop website for home reports.

Both chartered surveyors can offer all you need to get your house ready to put on the market and we can arrange for them to contact you through our new site - www.ayrshirehomereport.co.uk.

Mr Ross from Ross Professional is a home reporter and fully trained in all aspects of the documentation.

He talks us through the process.

Mr Ross said: "A home report inspection and valuation can only be carried out by a chartered surveyor. The surveyor brings with him the property questionnaire and the owner fills it in.

"Once the home report has been completed there are 12 weeks to take the property to the market following which the report has unlimited shelf-life.

"The home report validates entry to the market."

You can organise a free consultation with Ross Professional through our website.

Mr Ross continues: "The home reporter also initiates the conveyancing process by alerting the solicitor to any conveyancer issues which may need to be checked out prior to marketing. This can be updated in the report free-of-charge."

"From us, you can get a free consultation. We come out and do the whole thing and get the home report ready.

"It is all about giving people better information upfront."

Graeme Stewart, managing partner for Shepherds in Ayrshire, said: "Our home report service is based on direct contact with our client customers and as well as providing an immediate and reasonably priced service our surveyors will be pleased to spend time guiding sellers through this new process.

"Our clients have the option of deferring payments for the survey for up to nine months and we will be pleased to provide updated reports if required at no additional charge.

"Neither do we charge for viewing completed reports on-line. Our home reports will also include a mortgage valuation which will be accepted by all major lenders on behalf of the purchaser."