Does he need a flat survey

Better safe than sorry with all things to do with property I feel. A survey will look at things like the cladding and the internal airducts that aren't obvious to the eye.
The valuation is just to reassure the lender that the price being paid is about right for that particular property.

If he's taking out a mortgage the lender will want one and lixy's right, better safe than sorry.

Definitely get a full structural survey done, they will also check the roof, if something is wrong up there everyone in the block will have to pay for it to be repaired. A lot of plumbing is concealed , often going through or via other peoples flats, this should also be checked.

Quite emphatically, YES.

I would agree, especially the cladding

I have always felt it was money well spent, better to be safe than sorry.

It would be false economy not to get a survey done. Better to fork out for one now than to regret it later should some large expensive maintenance issues loom up in the future. His flat might seem ‘ok’ but there may be an issue with the roof etc. My DD recently pulled out of purchasing a flat because of this as fixing the roof would have seen the original service charge of £1700 PA go up to £5k!! It’s not money wasted should the surveyor not find anything problematic, it’s peace of mind. Plus you should have some recompense should something that wasn’t picked up in the survey raises its head (depending on the type of survey chosen of course).

Thank you all for replying and confirming what I thought. DS has been told by a couple of people that it’s not necessary as the flat is relatively new, doesn’t have cladding and the grounds are well maintained. Your replies will help me convince him.

Can I just put in a word for not having a survey. I've bought about 10 houses (not all at once!) and have had a survey done every time. I've never, ever had one tell me anything useful. Surveyors don't lift carpets or even move furniture to see what's happening behind the scenes and their reports are peppered with comments like "I couldn't access the loft space so can't comment on the roof timbers or insulation" so you pay your money and are left with huge holes in your knowledge if not your house.

One poster recommended a full structural survey which seems crazy on a flat which is still under the ten year NHBC certificate. I think of full structural surveys as being done on older rambling homes or properties that look like they could have serious problems.

If there is no cladding, the property is well maintained and there is an active management company with a maintenance schedule and a sensible amount in their sinking fund then a survey is extremely unlikely to be enlightening unless it's required to obtain a mortgage. If I buy another house I won't be having a survey.