Selling an unoccupied house; surveyors want extended access

[NiceCupOfTea]

Currently selling my late parents' house - it's under offer subject to probate and the usual. The estate agents have been dealing with viewings and accompanying people for energy assessments etc, as both my brother and I (executors) live 3hrs+ from the property.

Just had a message from the estate agents saying the surveyors want to visit but that they are unable to accompany them due to the length of time the surveyors want to be there; are we OK for them just to hand them the keys?

Now, I appreciate that a survey needs to be done, and I appreciate that the estate agent may not want to hang around all day, but am I reasonable to be a bit uncomfortable handing over the keys to complete strangers with whom I have no contract? Whilst it's largely empty there are still things of value in the property and I have no idea how the insurance company would view us handing over the keys.

Advice appreciated. Selling a house at a distance can't be hugely rare can it?

[benjipeg]

I work as a timber and damp surveyor and when a property is vacant it is perfectly normal to pick keys up from the estate agent, sign them out and back in on return but i can hang onto them over a weekend etc if its not convenient to take them back and they are not needed etc
a simple survey can take at least an hour, bigger properties can take 4 hours plus
hope that helps

[TA14]

benjipeg said:

I work as a timber and damp surveyor and when a property is vacant it is perfectly normal to pick keys up from the estate agent, sign them out and back in on return but i can hang onto them over a weekend etc if its not convenient to take them back and they are not needed etc
a simple survey can take at least an hour, bigger properties can take 4 hours plus
hope that helps

Yep. Standard.

[Mark V GTD]

Architect here - yes I agree, its quite normal for EA's to hand keys to professionals for extended periods. I normally need them to do measured surveys which can take four or five hours.

Ask your EA for the name of the surveyor if you're concerned.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Thanks guys - I didn't realise it was standard practice. That does make me feel a bit better about it. What sort of things does it involve? Is it particularly invasive? I feel a weight of responsibility on my shoulders as it was my parents' place and now as executor...

Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Wednesday 28th January 19:43

[timberman]

We're currently going through the same with selling our other house,

it's over 200 miles away so we've also left the estate agent to take care of things who tbh have been brilliant

we've had the keys handed out to people (always agreed by us after a phone call from the EA) carrying out surveys and also to the buyers, who wanted to spend some time at the property with a builder friend looking at the feasibility of extending and home improvements they want to make and we've had no issues whatsoever

the house is mostly empty now but there is still some expensive gardening equipment there so we can maintain the grounds plus a few essentials in the house so we can stay over when we visit and nothings gone missing.

[TA14]

You need permission to do any sort of invasive survey so:

Lifting carpets or floorboards that are not loose
Opening loft hatches that are screwed shut
Knocking off perished plaster
etc.

are all out. This leads to the famous "unable to access" phrase that the buyers (who commissioned the survey) hate