One of the big differences that struck us when we were buying our gite in Brittany was that there wasn’t a concept of “Subject to Survey” as a standard clause in the Compromis de Vente. If there is something very specific with the building you are buying that you want to check out then the vendor will usually allow a specific clause in the contract but it is very unusual just to have a general “Subject to Survey” clause. This is, I suppose, due to the legal status of the contract and the whole buying process and the results of a survey can be viewed quite differently, depending on your point of view. This could lead to long protracted legal arguments about whether the roof being in need of minor repair is reason enough to pull out of the sale.

So if you want a general survey doing then you need to organise it to happen during the seven day cooling off period. This will then allow you to pull out without reason if you are uncomfortable with the survey results.

So who do you get to do the survey. Well that depends on what you are worried about. If it is something specific it is usual to get a specialist in that field to conduct the survey. If there are any disputes over the boundaries of the property then use a Géomètre. Often an architect/structural engineer is used for a report on the general condition of the building or you can use an English surveyor.

There are plenty of ex-pat surveyors who have set-up business in France providing a UK style survey to UK buyers. Just search on Google or ask your estate agent if they know anybody locally (hopefully you trust them seeing as you are buying a house through them!). Some are members of RICS, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, some are not. In the UK, using a surveyor who is a member of RICS provides you with certain services in the event of disagreement or anything going wrong, backed up by RICS themselves. However I do not know if this extends to surveyors working in France who are members of RICS and this is worth checking out if you wish to use a surveyor for this reason. Other Surveyors are people who have been in the building trade for a long time and have a wealth of real world experience. Check out with your surveyor what qualifications they have for the job (not just the academic ones!!), making sure they are experienced in French construction techniques and in the sort of construction type of the property you want to buy. If you’re happy then use them, if not, there are other people out there who will do a survey for you.

As for the cost, well as usual that depends. In our experience, ex-UK surveyors who are members of RICS are more expensive, people with lots of experience in buildings in France but are not official surveyors in the UK sense are cheaper. A survey for a small property in reasonable condition could cost between 600-1200 Euros depending on who conducts the survey. You pay your money, you take your choice. Get who you are comfortable with and with the level of experience you want depending on the condition of the house you are buying. That’s about the only advice I can give.

 2 Bedroom Cottage / Gite near Dinan, Brittany, France

Buying, Owning and Running a Gite in Brittany Blog

©Derek Arkwright 2007

Your response: