RICS Scotland (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in Scotland) has announced that the elements provided by RICS members for a Home Report for an average property in an average condition will cost between £500 and £700. This will be a cost borne by the seller when their property goes on the market once the Home Reports come into effect on 1 December 2008.

This anticipated cost is in the region of £100 more than a current Scheme 2 survey, yet also includes an energy report and Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which the seller would in any case be legally required to produce to comply with European legislation.

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RICS Scotland director, Graeme Hartley, said: "Using a chartered surveyor who is a member of RICS Scotland means that sellers will have the peace of mind that they are hiring the services of a fully qualified professional, with a redress system and an independent surveyor ombudsman service should there be any problems.

"Likewise, buyers can trust the report as it is carried out by an independent and impartial professional - and a Home Report means that buyers won’t have to commission two or three, or more, surveys themselves."

Douglas Sinclair, Chair of the Scottish Consumer Council (SCC), added: "The fee for a Home Report is a small price to pay for peace of mind when buyers are making the biggest purchase of their lives. At the moment most of us buy our home on the basis of very limited information, and many people end up paying out for unexpected repairs after they buy.

"Now they will have much more detailed information before they make an offer, and while sellers will pay for it, they will benefit as buyers. First-time buyers who are struggling to get onto the property ladder will benefit most of all, as they will pay nothing for their Home Report."

(GK/JM)