As any responsible lender will tell you, a Mortgage Valuation is not a survey. Instead, it is a brief inspection of the property to tell the lender whether it is safe to approve the mortgage. Even if problems are detected with the building, they won’t necessarily be mentioned if they don’t affect the security of the investment. For your own peace of mind, every house purchase should be accompanied by a proper survey carried out by an experienced firm of Chartered Surveyors.