SURVEYS are worth their weight in gold, according to a report by BBG Surveyors, part of Bradford & Bingley. According to the survey, 69 per cent of people in the South East who use one as a bargaining tool to renegotiate the price they pay for a property saving between £500 and £5,000.

Costly repairs face 70 per cent of people who move in the South East. Some of these knew about them in advance by having a survey, but others rely on a basic mortgage valuation and some do not take any professional advice at all. Most of these repairs cost between £1,000 and £5,000. Only 20 per cent of people renegotiate the price, this means that either there is more scope for more people to do so or that today's buyers are finding that hard bargaining is difficult.

The BBG Surveyors' report also found that men, rather than women, drive a harder bargain when it comes to using the results of a survey as a negotiation tool. Five per cent more men than women said they had managed to knock down the price of a property as a result of a survey.

Damp is the most significant problem found by surveyors in the South East when assessing the condition of the property. Other problems include roofing and electrics. Damp can cost £1,500 to put right, roofing can cost from £4,500 and electrics from £2,000 in a three-bedroom semi detached house.

The report found that consumers perceive new kitchens, windows, bathrooms, conservatories and internal redecoration as the five top home improvements that add value to their homes. Take note though, as these things may make a property more "saleable" but not necessarily add value to the full extent of the cost paid.

Despite the popularity of garden makeover programmes, only 24 per cent of the people researched said they thought it added value.

Dean Wood, regional director for BBG Surveyors, said: "The information we provide is not to put people off buying property but to reassure them that they are buying at the right price."