The Home Report is one of the most important documents you'll see when buying or selling a property in Scotland — and one of the most useful, once you understand what to look for.
This guide gives you an overview of what a Home Report contains, who needs one, and how mortgage lenders use them when assessing a property for lending.
What is a Home Report?
The Home Report was introduced in Scotland in December 2008. Since then, anyone putting their property on the market for sale in Scotland has had to obtain one.
Sellers must have the Home Report carried out before the property goes on the market, and it's then made available to all prospective buyers for the duration of time the property is for sale.
There are a few exceptions to the rule — for example, new-build properties and any properties where the sale isn't on the open market.
What's in a Home Report?
A Scottish Home Report is a pack containing three legally required sections, set out by the Scottish Government:
- The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
- The Single Survey
- The Property Questionnaire
Here's what each one covers.
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
The EPC states the energy efficiency of the building, based on a standardised assessment of how the building is used. It gives the property a rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient).
Single Survey
The Single Survey is a detailed report on the condition and value of the property, prepared by a qualified surveyor. It's intended to give both the buyer and seller detailed information before any offers are submitted.
The condition of each part of the property is graded on a three-category scale:
- Category 1 — No immediate repair is needed
- Category 2 — Repair or replacement requiring future attention
- Category 3 — Urgent repairs or replacement are needed now
The Single Survey also includes the surveyor's valuation of the property — which becomes important when you're making an offer, since lenders base their maximum borrowing on the lower of the property value or the agreed purchase price.
Property Questionnaire
The Property Questionnaire is completed by the seller and covers practical information about their ownership of the property — things like council tax band, existing service providers, alterations made, parking arrangements, and so on.
Who arranges the Home Report?
If you're selling and using an estate agent, they'll typically arrange the Home Report on your behalf, getting a qualified surveyor in to carry it out. You'll be responsible for filling out the Property Questionnaire yourself.
If you're selling without an estate agent, you'll need to arrange the surveyor directly.
The seller pays for the Home Report, not the buyer.
How lenders use Home Reports
When you apply for a mortgage on a Scottish property, the lender will generally request a copy of the Home Report to assess the property's suitability for lending. The Single Survey valuation in particular is what they'll work from.
As long as the Home Report has been done within the last 3 months, it should be sufficient for most lenders' criteria. If it's older than that, the lender may require a fresh valuation. For more on what your lender does with this information, see our guide on the mortgage process.
The bottom line
Whether you're buying or selling, the Home Report is a genuinely useful document — once you know what to look for, it can save you time, money and surprises.
If you'd like guidance on Home Reports — interpreting one as a buyer, or arranging one as a seller — get in touch with the team. We can help on both the mortgage and estate-agency sides.