Article: https://olivertighe.co.uk/the-importance-of-a-survey-before-purchasing-a-property/

Property surveys are performed by licensed surveyors (from the RPSA or RCIS) in order to determine the value of a property and its condition. It is the duty of the surveyor to highlight any property damage, such as dampness, and estimate the cost of repairs or rebuilding. However, property surveys are not a legal requirement in order to purchase a property, and because of this, many homebuyers try to save a penny and avoid having their prospective properties surveyed, which can lead to expensive surprises, that the homebuyer may be unable to afford.