RICS Level 2 Homebuyer Survey in Croydon

A RICS Level 2 Homebuyer Survey gives a detailed look at all accessible parts of the property, from the roof space, where safe and accessible, to walls, floors, windows and doors, chimneys, and extensions. Our surveyors work through the building methodically, checking construction and condition and picking up defects that can be seen and reached. We also look at the main services, including plumbing, electrical installations, and heating systems, although these are not tested and a specialist electrician or plumber should be brought in for fuller testing.

Croydon’s housing market covers a wide spread, from period homes built on London Clay to new high-rise schemes, so our inspectors keep a close eye on the risks that matter locally. The report uses a simple traffic-light system, red for serious issues needing urgent attention, amber for defects that may affect negotiations, and green for a satisfactory condition. We also include market valuation and insurance rebuild costs, so you get a fuller sense of the property’s real worth. Those figures are based on current Croydon market data, which helps with mortgage and insurance purposes.

We usually recommend the Level 2 survey for Croydon properties built before 1980, because these homes are more likely to bring damp, older electrics, and original plumbing that may need replacing. There is a large stock of Victorian and Edwardian housing across Croydon, especially in South Croydon, Purley, and Kenley, where solid wall construction is common. It also works well for modern homes, including the new apartment schemes in East Croydon and Purley, where we look at shared areas and any issues linked to modern methods of construction.

Buying in one of Croydon’s 21 designated conservation areas, including Chatsworth Road, The Waldrons, and Kenley Aerodrome, brings extra planning controls into play, and our surveyors are familiar with those constraints. We can talk through how the property’s condition sits alongside its heritage status, and what that may mean for future maintenance and improvements.

• Structural integrity and walls
• Roof condition and insulation
• Damp and moisture assessment
• Windows, doors, and joinery
• Chimneys and flues
• Plumbing and drainage
• Electrical installations (visual)
• Outbuildings and boundaries

The geology across the London Borough of Croydon creates its own set of headaches for property owners. The southern part of the borough, including areas around Purley and Coulsdon, sits on chalk bedrock as part of the North Downs, while much of Croydon is built on London Clay. That clay carries a high shrink-swell risk, so properties can suffer subsidence as moisture levels change and the ground expands and contracts. Climate change is making matters worse, with longer dry spells followed by heavy rain, adding pressure to foundations, especially on Victorian and Edwardian properties with shallow foundations. Croydon has been identified as a hotspot for subsidence risk in London, with homes on London Clay especially exposed.

Signs of subsidence and movement are something our inspectors are trained to spot in Croydon properties. Diagonal cracking around windows and doors, cracks that open wider at the top or bottom of walls, and doors and windows that stick or fail to close properly can all point to movement. The borough also has 168 statutory listed buildings, with examples including Croydon Clocktower, Croydon Town Hall, and Shirley Windmill. For a listed property, we can give specialist guidance on the extra points to consider for heritage buildings, including the need for Listed Building Consent for any work that could affect the character of the building.

Flood risk matters in parts of Croydon too. Surface water and groundwater flooding can affect the borough, particularly near the River Wandle and where the Caterham Bourne and Coulsdon Bourne emerge after heavy rainfall. Parts of Purley and Brighton Road, together with areas around central Croydon, are classed as high-risk locations for surface water flooding. Groundwater flooding is especially common in the south of the borough, with South Coulsdon, Reddown Road, and railway infrastructure near South Coulsdon Station all seeing significant flooding in 2014. Our surveyors note these environmental pressures and explain any flood resilience measures that may suit the property.

Croydon’s mix of housing stock, ground conditions, and ongoing regeneration makes a RICS Level 2 survey a sensible step for almost any purchase. The borough’s homes are remarkably mixed, with 32.7% terraced properties, 32% flats, 21.8% semi-detached, and 13.5% detached homes. That covers everything from Victorian terraces with original features to modern high-rise apartments, and each type needs a different eye. Our surveyors understand those differences and adjust their inspection to suit.

Across Croydon, regeneration has been reshaping the skyline, especially around East Croydon station, with schemes such as Morello, New South Quarter, and College Road bringing in modern methods of construction, including volumetric modular building techniques. Ten Degrees and College Road, two of the world’s tallest modular buildings, sit close to East Croydon station. New builds may look straightforward, but our experience has shown that recent developments can still carry serious defects. The Fold in Croydon town centre, for instance, was found to have major fire safety defects that required extensive remediation and the relocation of residents.

For buyers looking at Shirley, South Croydon, or homes along Brighton Road, where inter-war (1930s) semi-detached houses and bungalows are common, our surveyors pay close attention to original features, the possibility of asbestos in pre-1960s construction, and flat roofs that may have gone beyond their expected lifespan. A Level 2 survey gives the sort of grounded assessment needed to make a clear decision in Croydon’s varied market.

Years of surveying across Croydon mean we know the local housing stock well and know what tends to crop up. Damp and mould is one of the defects we find most often, especially in the many Victorian and Edwardian properties that make up a large part of the borough’s homes. Those period houses commonly have solid wall construction, which is more prone to penetrating damp than modern cavity wall builds. We also see flat roof problems on properties from the 1960s and 1970s, where roofs have reached, or gone beyond, their expected lifespan of 15-20 years. Felt and similar coverings can break down, leaving pooling water, blistering, and cracking that let water in.

Cracking around windows and doors is another issue we regularly pick up in Croydon properties. Sometimes it is little more than cosmetic movement from thermal expansion, but it can also point to something more serious, such as roof spread in Victorian homes or lintel failure. Our surveyors know how to separate minor movement from structural defects that need quick action. We also keep a close eye on homes with shallow foundations on London Clay, where shrink-swell movement can create ongoing problems, especially where large trees sit close to the property.

Deficiencies in electrical installations turn up often enough too, especially where properties have not been updated for 30 or more years. Old wiring, dated consumer units, and a lack of proper earthing can all raise safety concerns. Plumbing issues are common as well, including original lead pipework or corroded galvanised steel pipes, both of which can affect water quality and pressure. In newer developments around East Croydon, we assess the shared parts of the building and look for construction quality issues that have been reported in several recent new builds across the borough.

Older Croydon properties can also bring pest issues. Woodworm and other insect infestations may affect accessible timber elements, while rats, mice, and cockroaches can get in through structural defects or poor sanitation. Where we can see signs of pest activity, we note them in the inspection, though a specialist pest control survey may be sensible if the problem looks significant.