What to do When a Vendor Disagrees With Your Survey Report

You're wrapping up a report and get a call from the estate agent: “The seller’s not happy.” Maybe it’s a complaint, a bit of pushback, or a full-blown rant about what’s in your report. It’s frustrating. You acted with care, your client is the buyer, and legally, the seller has no right to complain… and yet, here we are.

This happens more than many surveyors expect, and how you respond matters. So where do you begin? Here are my thoughts on how to protect your business, uphold professional standards, and stay out of unnecessary trouble.

Understand the Seller’s Reaction

Most sellers don’t understand how surveys work - they just see a report that suggests their house isn’t perfect, and naturally, they’re upset. They may not have commissioned a survey when they bought the property. They may be relying on an estate agent’s advice. They might even think you’re deliberately trying to knock down the price. The reality is, they’re probably stressed, disappointed, and scared of losing the sale. A little empathy goes a long way, but you must also hold firm on process.

Follow Your Complaints Procedure – Even If They’re Not Your Client

Here’s the tricky bit: even though you owe no duty of care to the vendor, their complaint may still raise questions about your conduct or competence. And that’s within RICS jurisdiction.
So, you treat it seriously, and that means that you should review and double-check your report and advice - sometimes we do get things wrong or things can be misunderstood.

Please send your complaints procedure and explain that you're unable to discuss the contents of the report with them, as they are not your client. Confirm that, unless they wish to raise a formal complaint, you cannot escalate further.

It’s important that you do not discuss the content of the report unless you have written consent from your client. Doing so could breach your client’s confidentiality – and your professional obligations.

Let Your Client Know What’s Happened 

If the seller contacts you, your first job is to inform your client. Why? Because if the seller has a copy of the report, chances are your client shared it – and that often means the deal is off. It’s disappointing, but not unusual. The report raises concerns, the buyer shares it with the seller, negotiations fail, and the sale collapses. 

Your role is to support your client. Let them know you’ve been approached, confirm whether they’re still proceeding, and if not, file the case appropriately.

Understand the Seller’s Options (So You Can Say ‘No’ Confidently)

A seller has no right to challenge your report – unless you’ve extended liability to them, which is rare. They are not entitled to see your report. You cannot speak to them about the findings without your client’s consent. And if they don’t like your conclusions? Their recourse is to commission their own survey or walk away from the sale.

If sellers want to avoid surprises, they can commission their own survey before listing – a proactive move that helps manage expectations and support pricing.

Be Empathetic, But Professional

It’s easy to get defensive when your work is questioned. But being kind and clear – while sticking to your process – helps protect your integrity and professionalism. These situations can be a learning curve for admin teams too. Ensure they understand the protocol and know when to escalate.

Prevention is Better than a Cure

The reality is that you can never prevent a complaint, enquiry or expression of dissatisfaction - there are just too many variables, but you can reduce the risk of a vendor complaining by making sure that they understand your role, speaking to your client about what they will do with your report and advice and help them by supporting your client to provide evidence if they want to renegotiate rather than hand over the whole report and loose their bargaining power.

If situations like this leave you unsure how to respond, you’re not alone. My workshops are designed to help surveyors handle tricky complaints and communication scenarios with confidence and clarity.
Check out my latest training sessions on complaint handling and client communication.