Property transaction platform Gazeal has secured sign-ups from over 200 estate agents for its upfront seller survey service, which provides buyers with accredited surveyor reports before offers are made.
The service, described by the company as the first of its kind in England and Wales, operates through a network of more than 1,000 surveyors covering nearly all UK postcodes. Reports comprise nine sections addressing property condition, material information, conveyancing matters and associated risks.
Payment structure and insurance coverage
Under the payment model, sellers incur no upfront costs, with fees settled at completion. If a sale falls through due to circumstances beyond the seller’s control under a Gazeal Reservation Agreement, the fee is waived. Both vendors and buyers can utilise the survey, with the surveyor’s professional indemnity insurance extending coverage to both parties.
Bryan Mansell, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Gazeal, stated: “One of the biggest reasons sales collapse is that buyers discover a property’s condition weeks after agreeing to buy it. Moving the survey to the front of the sale means the offer is made on the truth, not on hope.”
Alignment with government proposals
The service launch coincides with government proposals for upfront sales packs containing information on property condition, leasehold costs and chain status, alongside earlier binding agreements. The measures aim to reduce transaction fall-through rates, which have historically affected the UK property market alongside persistent stock shortages impacting buyer demand.
Cooper Adams, a three-branch independent agency in West Sussex, has become the first firm to implement the service operationally, marketing properties with surveys completed prior to listing. Shaun Adams, Managing Director, said: “Instead of discovering problems weeks into the transaction, both seller and buyer know the property’s condition from the start. Sellers benefit from fewer surprises, fewer renegotiations and fewer buyers pulling out.”
The initiative represents a shift in the traditional UK property transaction timeline, where surveys are typically commissioned by buyers after offers are accepted. Whether the model gains broader market adoption will depend on seller willingness to commission reports upfront and buyer confidence in pre-arranged assessments, particularly in a market where transaction transparency remains a priority for industry reform.
