Get the structural engineer’s report your lender or insurer has asked for

A structural report with a house drawing beside a lender’s valuation letter, and a shield with a tick above a brick house

For buyers, owners and sellers whose mortgage valuer or insurer wants a structural opinion before they proceed. Share what was asked and compare quotes from engineers who write reports for lenders.

A mortgage valuer or insurer will sometimes stop short of approving a property until a structural engineer has looked at it. Typical triggers are cracking, signs of movement or past subsidence, a bowing wall, wall ties or an alteration with no paperwork. The valuation may carry a “retention”, which means part of the loan is held back until the issue is dealt with, or the offer may depend on a satisfactory report. The engineer’s task is to answer the specific question the lender or insurer has raised, in a form they will accept, so the first job is to find out exactly what they need.

How a professional can help

Pinning down what the lender wants: They read the valuer’s or insurer’s wording and work out what the report must say, such as whether movement is ongoing, what caused it and whether repairs are needed, before the visit takes place.
Inspecting the specific concern: The engineer focuses on what was raised, whether cracks, a bulging wall, a removed chimney breast or a roof alteration, and also checks the rest of the property for related signs.
Giving a clear opinion: The report gives a clear opinion on the cause, whether movement appears to be continuing, and what, if anything, needs doing, in terms the lender can act on.
Alterations without paperwork: Where walls have been removed or an extension added without documents, the engineer can inspect the structure, say whether it looks adequate, and recommend steps such as calculations or opening up that building control may ask for.
Insurance questions: Where an insurer wants to know about past subsidence or underpinning, the engineer reviews the evidence and states whether there appears to be ongoing movement, and whether monitoring is advised.
Following up conditions: If the report recommends repairs or monitoring, the engineer can design the repair or check later that it is complete, so the lender’s condition can be closed.

Is this right for you?

Your mortgage valuer has said they need a structural engineer’s report before the full loan can be released.
Your insurer wants an engineer’s view on cracking, past movement or underpinning before offering or renewing cover.
You’re selling and a buyer’s lender has asked for a report, and you would like to provide one.
You bought or inherited a property with alterations that have no structural drawings or certificates, and need its status made clear.

How the project usually runs

Get the exact request in writing: Ask the lender, valuer or insurer for their wording, and whether the report must be addressed to them, so the engineer can plan the visit and the report around it.
Share the background: Pass on the valuation, any previous survey, the history of repairs or insurance claims and what you know about alterations, so the engineer is not starting from scratch.
Inspecting the concern: The engineer inspects the area of concern and the wider building, taking photographs and measurements and, where helpful, readings for levels or crack widths.
Report issued: A signed report goes to you, with a clear conclusion on the cause, whether movement is ongoing, and any recommended work, such as monitoring, repairs or further investigation.
Back to the lender: You send the report to the lender or insurer. If they have follow-up questions, or require repairs and a later check, the engineer can reply or inspect again.

What affects the cost

How much the lender or insurer expects the report to cover, and whether they need specific wording.
The size and age of the property, and how many areas of concern there are.
Whether the engineer can reach the roof space, cellar or outside walls to inspect the area properly.
Whether the lender will accept an opinion based on one visit, or wants further evidence first, which adds time.
How quickly the lender’s offer or retention conditions need a response.
Whether repairs or a follow-up inspection are needed once the report has been accepted.

Lenders, insurers and approvals across the UK

Lenders and insurers set their own requirements, and they differ. Some specify the engineer’s qualifications, insurance or the wording of the report, so get the details in writing before you instruct anyone.
If the report leads to repairs, the approvals depend on where the property is. England and Wales use Building Regulations approval, Scotland a building warrant, and Northern Ireland has its own system. Engineers cover the whole UK: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
If a property has had alterations without approval, building control can sometimes consider work that has already been done, and an engineer can help produce evidence about it.
A report is an opinion on the day it was written, so a lender may only accept a recent one. Ask how recent before you instruct anyone.

Questions people ask

Why has my lender asked for a structural engineer’s report?

The valuer has noticed something they cannot judge, such as cracking, movement, a bulging wall, an extension without paperwork or past subsidence, and the lender will not proceed until a specialist has looked. It does not necessarily mean there is a serious problem, but the lender needs reassurance.

Can any structural engineer write the report?

Not always. Some lenders and insurers only accept reports from chartered engineers, such as members of the Institution of Structural Engineers or the Institution of Civil Engineers, and may ask that they hold professional indemnity insurance. Ask the lender what it needs, then check with the engineer before booking.

What does a lender’s “retention” mean?

It is an amount of the loan held back until a problem raised by the valuer is dealt with, for example repairs or an engineer’s report. Once you show the condition has been met, the lender releases it. How it works depends on the lender, so ask them for the details.

Can my lender rely on the engineer’s report?

Some lenders ask for the report to be addressed to them, or for confirmation that they can rely on it. Tell the engineer when you first ask for a quote, so they can say whether this is possible and what it involves.

What happens if the report finds a problem?

The report will say how serious it is and what to do, which might be monitoring, repairs or more investigation. The lender or insurer will then decide what it needs, such as the repair being carried out and checked. An engineer can often design the repair and check it afterwards so the matter can be closed.

What if the engineer finds nothing wrong?

Then the report says so, and that is a useful result. Send it to the lender or insurer, who can usually clear the condition or release a retention once they accept it. The decision is theirs, so ask how long they need to review it.

Available across the UK

Professionals cover the whole of the UK: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Planning and Building Regulations differ between the four nations, and your professional will work to the rules that apply where your property is.