Do I need a Home Report to sell ?

As of the first of December 2008 all newly marketed properties in Scotland required a Home Report. If you are selling a property that does not fall into one of excepted categories such as a newly built house, you will need to have a completed Home Report before your property can be marketed for sale.
Your Home Report must be no more than 12 weeks old when the house is put on the market. This ensures that potential buyers get the most up-to-date information.

You can take your house off the market for up to four weeks on any number of occasions and put it back on the market without having to get a new Home Report, as long as it has not been sold in that time. This can be useful if you want to go on holiday or if you want to make repairs to your home.

Providing Copies Of The Home Report To Prospective Buyers

You or your agent must provide, upon request, a copy Home Report to a prospective buyer within 9 days. You may charge a reasonable charge to cover the costs of copying and postage.
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It is possible for you to refuse to provide a copy Home Report if you reasonably believe that the buyer:

• is unlikely to have sufficient means to buy the house in question
• is not genuinely interested in buying the house;
• is not a person to whom the seller is likely to be prepared to sell the house, but this does not allow you to act in a discriminatory manner.

The Home Report Documents

A Home Report must include:

a Single Survey which is a report prepared by a survey provider on the condition and value of a house;
an Energy Report (likely to be prepared by the surveyor who has inspected the house) which will provide you will an energy efficiency rating (including an Energy Performance Certificate) of a house together with useful advice to cut fuel bills and increase the home’s energy efficiency; and
a Property Questionnaire that contains further information about the house such as alterations that have been made, factoring costs and council tax banding.

Home Report Costs

You should check with your selling agent to determine what the cost will be and whether there are any payment options available. You should shop around to find the best available product for your needs.