Blog Post

Tips on Choosing a Chartered Surveyor

Simon Levy Associates • Jan 23, 2019
Chartered Surveyor

Buying a new home can be a challenge. What if there’s something wrong with it? What if you need to make a bunch of repairs that you only find out about after the purchase? To avoid this issue, you need to have your future home surveyed.

Most lenders will have a list of surveyors on hand to use. You aren’t obligated to use the list, however, and can choose your own. Many people prefer to select someone of their own so they can be sure the findings are unbiased.

What to Look for in a Chartered Surveyor

It’s a good idea to choose your own chartered surveyor to avoid problems and bias. However, finding the right one requires more than simply selecting the first surveyor you find.

Local Interest

The home or land surveyor should be familiar with the area you plan to move to and should have a working knowledge of the potential issues that might arise there. For example, some areas will be damper than others and that can result in mould. They will also be familiar with the value of the homes in the area and will be able to better give you an idea of the true value.

Online Reviews

This is particularly important if you’re moving across the country to an area that you don’t know well. You may not be able to spend much time talking to the surveyor before you have them look at the house, so check for reviews online. These will give you a good idea as to whether others had success with the surveyor or not.

RICS Regulated

Ideally, the professional you select will be registered with RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), which has a rather strict code of conduct. Anyone registered with them will have to answer to those rules. This gives you a measure of protection, since you can always resort to talking to RICS if you are not happy with the service received.

Timing

How fast can the survey be done? This will also factor into your decision, since there are often tight deadlines for these surveys. If the chartered surveyor you choose is booked for several weeks or months, you’ll probably want to find someone who can do it sooner.

Right Survey Type

Not all surveys are the same, so be sure you find out what options you have and then choose the right one. For example, you might have to get a building survey, or you may need a HomeBuyer’s report. Either way, you should be sure you get all the information that is required, since some surveys don’t include valuations.

Easy Contact

It’s essential that your surveyor stay in contact with you. They should be easy to reach and happy to answer any questions you might have. This is part of the job and a service provider who is difficult to contact will be even more difficult later on.

Types of House Surveys

There are two main types of property surveys, which are the HomeBuyer Report and the Building survey. These two surveys serve different purposes, so which one you need will be dependent on the project you’re undertaking.

The HomeBuyer Report

This survey is best for properties that have been recently built and is in good condition. The home should be in the same condition as when it was built, including minimal alterations since then.

The surveyor will look at reasonably accessible areas, but will not dig into everything. They will create a report based on visually analyzing everything, without checking services and such. You’ll also get a report on any outbuildings.

Essentially, this is a light inspection, which, if the house is relatively new, will be more than enough to identify trouble spots that might be an issue in the future.

The Building Survey is more detailed and involves checking on the roof, under floors, and other visible and non-visible components. You’ll be notified of any property hazards, like trees that are too close to the building, as well as potential structural problems like termites and dry rot.

In this type of report, you’ll have information on all the different problems that were found, and whether or not they need to be addressed immediately, as well as how to fix them. You’ll learn more about the materials used on the property, as well.

The Building Survey is best for older home that have fallen into a state of disrepair, since they can help you figure out exactly what needs to be done. The surveyor will offer you a suggestion for each problem, and what you can do about it. Then it’s up to you to decide if you will be able to take on the necessary repairs of if you want to leave that to the seller. You may also prefer to look for another home, if there are too many issues with the one you’ve been hoping to buy.

The main reason for hiring a chartered surveyor is to determine whether or not you are up to the challenges that the home will offer. Every house will have some issues, but how severe they are really depends on the house and its age and often these problems are hidden to the buyer.

How to Get Planning Permission

Depending on what you plan to do for your home, you’ll probably need planning permission. If you’re building onto your home or building the actual house, you will most likely need permission. However, it’s possible that you will also need permission in order to renovate or make other large changes to the property you’re currently on.

Getting the permission requires the following steps:

1. Talk to your local planning authority. This will let you know just how much space you’re allowed to use and what changes you can make. If you do need planning permission, this is where you’ll find out if that’s necessary.

2. Apply for a permit online. The planning authority site will let you apply online, and once you have your permit, you can go ahead and start building. These permits may take a little time to come through, but once in hand, you’re clear to build.

3. Appeal against an enforcement notice. If you are issued an enforcement notice, which is basically a denial of your permission, it’s possible to appeal and possibly get permission. If you’re dealing with needing to make some adjustments, these simple changes could require applying again.

If you are only making a few minor changes, you probably won’t need to do much in the way of getting planning permission, but of course, makes sure of that before you do anything. Keep in mind that it is illegal to ignore an enforcement notice.

This is another reason to hire a professional, since they know how to manage the paperwork and help you navigate the difficulties of getting planning permission for the local space. It can be a hug help to have someone who is familiar with the process working with both you and the authorities.

Why You Need a Property Survey

When you go to buy a house or flat, you need to know exactly what you’re getting into. There are often hidden issues that even the current home owner may not know about. It’s best to go into a home purchase with your eyes open, knowing exactly how much work needs to be done and what the current price evaluation is.

If extensive repairs or changes are needed in order to fix something, you can ask the seller to deduct this from the price. Some may choose to resolve the problem before you purchase, while other home owners will leave the issues for you to solve, but will discount the repairs.

On the other side of the coin, we have the homeowner who may order a valuation of the house. The buyers can either believe this evaluation or they can go ahead and do their own, with their own surveyor.

If you are selling your home, it’s a good idea to know exactly what it’s worth. You can also take steps to improve the value once you know what issues are lowering the value. This lets home owners boost the value of their home with a fairly simple survey and then some changes, directed at improving the home valuation.

Are you planning on buying or selling a home? Do you need a chartered surveyor to do a survey of your home or future property? If so, contact us today to find out how we can help.

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