A survey is an inspection of a property before purchase on the part of the purchaser and/or lender by a surveyor, to advise whether the inspection reveals any issues concerning the condition of the property, from minor to significant structural problems.
In the UK, the surveyor should be a member of either the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or the Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA). There are different types of survey from the most basic to a full structural survey.