A complete inspection pack can still lead to an awkward first draft if the writer and surveyor have different ideas about the report template. One may expect paragraphs in a document; the other may expect narrative, ratings and summary fields populated separately. Agreeing where each item belongs makes the instruction clearer before the writing begins.
For a practice trying outsourced Level 2 report writing, a short template handover is worth preparing alongside the inspection notes. Its purpose is to explain the working format and responsibilities. The inspecting surveyor still determines the findings, assessment and advice.
Start with the current blank template
Identify the template name, revision and report level, then supply the current blank version through the agreed sharing method. Check for text left from a previous instruction, including property details, default recommendations and selected ratings. An old completed report can contain both confidential information and wording that does not apply to the new property.
Explain which parts can be edited and which are controlled by your reporting system or practice. Include the section order and your preferred terminology. If you have separate templates for different instructions, make the selected version explicit on the job brief.
Map the fields that behave differently
A paragraph box, a rating selector and a summary entry are different tasks. Make a small field map showing the destination, required input and person responsible. The following is a fictional working example; it does not describe a particular platform or promise that a supplier can access it.
| Destination | What to agree | Surveyor check |
|---|---|---|
| Element narrative | Where the paragraph belongs and any text-box constraints. | Findings, limitations and advice match the inspection. |
| Condition rating | How the surveyor’s selected rating is supplied and entered. | The displayed rating agrees with the confirmed assessment. |
| Summary or risk field | Whether it is separately written or generated from another field. | Advice and timing remain consistent with the element text. |
| Declaration and issue details | Which entries remain for the surveyor at approval. | The correct details are completed before issue. |
Where a field has a character limit, establish that before drafting. Do not solve an overflow by silently losing a restriction or recommendation. Agree how longer content will be accommodated, with any change to the advice returned to the surveyor.
Check repeated and automatically generated content
Some workflows repeat a selected rating in a summary or generate a contents page at export. Others require separate entries. Explain what your own template does, rather than expecting the writer to infer it from the appearance of a PDF.
For example, a fictional template might show a rating in the element section and repeat it in a separate summary table. If only the paragraph is returned, the surveyor needs to know that the table still requires completion. If both are included in the instruction, check that the final values agree. A populated field is not evidence that the underlying assessment has been reviewed.
Agree the returned format before sending a live pack
Confirm how your template can be supplied, what editable material will come back and who will enter or export it in your reporting system. Ask how photographs, captions and cross-references will be handled. Compatibility with a named system needs confirmation for the actual workflow.
Use the three-section drafting example to discuss the wording you expect, then test a representative section in the agreed format. Keep unresolved field questions in the drafting query log. This is a preparation check; the live report still needs its full review.
Keep template preparation separate from professional approval
A tidy template does not establish that a report meets the applicable standard. The RICS Home Survey Standard page, checked on 6 November 2026, directs members to continue using the first edition until the second takes full effect. Check your service and report against the requirements that apply to the instruction.
Once the template is agreed, identify it on the handover and control later changes. Our amendment and version-control guide covers revisions, while the final PDF checklist covers the exported document.
The Survey Edit prepares Level 2 drafts from your notes, photographs, supplied template and instructions. You review the complete draft, resolve queries, confirm the professional advice, amend and approve it before issue. Tell us about your template and first drafting instruction so the handover can be agreed before you send the pack.
You inspect. We write.