Duty of inspection and surveying a house
What the law requires you to investigate, what a survey does and does not cover, and how to handle defects found before and after the purchase.
Applies to: Sweden. Reviewed 2026-09-18.
Key takeaways
- The buyer has a far-reaching duty of inspection when buying real property. Defects you should have discovered cannot normally be claimed afterwards.
- A transfer survey is visual. It does not open up constructions and does not guarantee the house is free from defects.
- Signs such as moisture, odour or settlement extend your duty, you are then expected to investigate further.
What the duty means
Under chapter four of the Land Code, a buyer may not invoke as a defect a deviation that they should have discovered in such an investigation of the property as was called for having regard to the condition of the property, the normal condition of comparable properties and the circumstances of the purchase. The duty is therefore relative: an older house demands more of you than a newly built one.
The seller is liable for hidden defects, that is, matters not discoverable in a careful investigation and that the property could not be expected to have. A complaint must be made within a reasonable time after discovery, and there is an outer limitation period for property purchases.
The survey
- A transfer survey is visual and based on what can be seen without intervention.
- Moisture and radon measurement, electrical and plumbing checks and crawl-space sampling are ordered separately.
- A survey ordered by you works for you. A survey ordered by the seller is not yours.
- Read the whole report, not just the summary, and follow up every risk construction.
Documents you should request
- Property extract: title, mortgages, easements and other encumbrances.
- Energy performance certificate.
- Permits, notifications and final approvals for extensions and conversions.
- Radon measurement if one exists, and when it was carried out.
- Survey reports, receipts and professional certificates for completed work.
- Maps of property boundaries and any joint facilities.
Constructions that need extra checking
Some parts of a building are known to be hard to judge visually. Their presence does not mean something is wrong, it means a visual survey is not an answer on its own, and you should order a further investigation before committing.
| Part of the building | What needs checking |
|---|---|
| Crawl space | Moisture and odour in the space, ventilation, ground conditions and drainage away from the house. |
| Finished basement with internal insulation | Moisture at the base of the external wall, drainage and how long the finish has been in place. |
| Slab on ground with a battened floor | Moisture measurement in the floor construction, not only a visual assessment. |
| Wet rooms | Age, waterproof layer, floor drain, and whether the work was carried out and documented by a professional. |
| Roof and external wall | Age and remaining life, penetrations, flashing details and signs of leakage. |
| Electrics, heating and water | Age of the consumer unit and installations, plus private well and drainage where there is no municipal network. |
Questions to ask
- Which parts of the house could the surveyor not access?
- When were the roof, façade, windows, drainage, electrics and pipes replaced?
- Is there a moisture reading in wet rooms and the crawl space or attic?
- Are there permits and final approvals for all extensions?
Red flags
- The survey report has many "could not be inspected" entries with no follow-up.
- Recently painted or boarded surfaces in the basement, crawl space or around windows.
- Renovations with no receipts, professional certificates or permits.
- The seller refuses any survey condition in the contract.
Sources
- Land Code (1970:994) (Sveriges riksdag)
- Buying, owning, selling or gifting property (Lantmäteriet)
- About energy performance certificates (Boverket)
- Building permits and notifications (Boverket)