Views on the new single surveys

Debate continues among professionals and their representative organisations about the introduction of home reports.

The Law Society of Scotland met with the Scottish Government last week.

Among the issues discussed was how long before a review should be carried out on the progress of the single surveys and energy reports.

Here, the BBC Scotland news website sets out some of the views and comments from the property business on what has happened over the past two months.

Ian Ferguson, a senior partner with Glasgow firm Mitchells Roberton and SLAS spokesman, said solicitors had asked for the home report to be postponed for two years to allow the economic downturn and housing crisis to ease.

He said: "It is very significant in itself so many people voted with their feet and decided to put their properties on the market before 1 December and not get a survey report.

"That they rushed to get a property on the market before that date was a vote of no confidence.

"Solicitors had asked for the home report to be deferred for two years, or be introduced as a voluntary scheme which would have been a test to see if people used them or not."

Mr Ferguson said there were concerns that those facing repossession could not afford to sell their properties themselves because of the cost of having to get a home report.

Graeme Hartley, director of RICS Scotland, said: "The home report was introduced in December because traditionally this is one of the quietest months for the housing market.

"However, the market was even quieter than previous years due to lack of mortgage funding, the general economic downturn and lack of business and consumer confidence.

"There are no statistics to suggest that the introduction of the home report had an adverse affect on the market. In the first three weeks of December over 300 home reports were carried out.

"According to the latest RICS housing market survey, buyer inquiries are at their highest in years. This is probably due to the fact that cash buyers and those able to get a mortgage are checking out what's available, but the fact they get a copy of a home report for those properties may be an additional temptation for some potential buyers.

"Anecdotal evidence suggests that home owners are choosing to improve the condition of their property before they put it on the market, within reason, and to ensure their property is well presented to the market.

"The whole concept of the home report was to encourage home condition improvement and give buyers more comprehensive survey and valuation information. Buyers are certainly supporting it as we knew they would".

"The market is currently too volatile to draw any firm conclusions, but, I believe that in a year's time, we will be witnessing the many benefits of the home report"

Richard Henderson, president of the Law Society of Scotland, said: "We are continuing to discuss home reports with the Scottish Government.

"Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell confirmed to us in a recent meeting that while any government review is unlikely to take place before the end of the year , officials would engage with the various parties on the Home Report Implementation Group on the parameters, methodology and data requirements for the review, including quantitative and qualitative evidence.

"The society is also continuing to monitor the impact of the reports and intends to carry out its own research."

The Scottish Government said: "It is not possible to assess the impact of the introduction of the home report at what is traditionally the quietest time of the housing market.

"Even in these times of economic recession, key property professionals have advised us that they expect the home report to have no effect on supply and demand in the housing market.

"It is essential that those buying a house, one of the most important decisions that they will ever take, receive the best information possible. The home report is providing buyers and sellers with this information.

"A significant problem in the housing market at the moment is the relative lack of first time buyers, but this initiative is helping hard pressed first-time buyers by cutting the costs of bidding for a house.

"It is giving them sound, vital information before they make a binding offer - which did not happen in 90% of cases before the introduction of home report."

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