DIY Lease Plan vs Professional Survey

Choosing the right route

A DIY lease plan from £99 + VAT is suitable when you can supply accurate, up-to-date scaled drawings that match the property as built. Choose a professional survey from £199 + VAT (residential) or £299 + VAT (commercial) when drawings are missing, outdated, incomplete, or the building has been altered. A survey reduces the risk of Land Registry rejection.

When DIY works well

DIY is a good fit for new builds with reliable architect as-builts, recent measured surveys already on file, or commercial units with clear CAD plans that show walls, openings and demised external areas. Measurements must be trustworthy and the layout must still match what is on site.

We still draft in AutoCAD to Land Registry standards — “DIY” means you supply the measured information, not that you submit a hand sketch to the Registry.

When a survey is the better value

Instruct a survey for conversions, older stock, properties with loft or basement additions, unclear garden or parking demises, or any case where two sets of drawings disagree. The cost of a survey is usually far less than the delay from a requisition mid-transaction.

What we need from you either way

For DIY: PDF or CAD drawings with a stated scale, north indication if possible, and notes on which areas are demised. For a survey: access contacts, any lease extract describing the demise, and known quirks (shared stairs, flying freeholds, courtyard parking).

If DIY drawings prove insufficient after we start, we will pause and quote a survey rather than guess measurements that could fail examination.

Cost is not the only metric

The cheapest path is the one that is accepted first time. Compare DIY and survey options against the quality of your source information and your transaction timetable, then instruct accordingly.