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When Stock Condition Surveys are performed, they serve to assess a portfolio of properties across multiple classes, located in various geographic areas. The surveys record current conditions and make determinations of what is necessary now and what should be included in long-term plans. A vast amount of practical information on property maintenance is contained in the database and assists in costing up services related to upkeep.
When a property is rented to a tenant, it is the responsibility of the tenant—through the contractual obligations imposed by the lease—to maintain the property in good order. If repairs are needed, the tenant must arrange for them to be made. The lease will typically specify which repairs the tenant is contractually obligated to make and which ones the landlord must take care of. Should the landlord fail to do what he is contractually obligated to do and should that failure cause harm to the tenant through damage or even personal injury, the tenant may invoke common law and take legal action.
Specialising in surveys of property assets and large portfolios, the surveyors in Notting Hill carry out stock condition assessments. These professionals can adjust the levels of service and detail nicely to address either a single specific item or an entire block of flats, making their results quite versatile. Moreover, they can marry the stock condition assessment with other defect reports, such as a Specific Defect survey. This combination is worth considering because it saves you from incurring the expense of multiple visits to the same site while also addressing any non-conformities that might show up in those parts of the assessment. One of those parts is the pick-up of any Health and Safety concerns and if those show up on the survey, then what they can’t help you with is on the grounds of the HSE (Health and Safety Executive).
It is very important for any property owner or landlord to allow the surveyors to find and flag any absence of building regulations compliance.
Local authorities, landlords, and some social housing providers might also find data on the SCS useful for future asset management. That is an obligation for any property manager to fulfill, and avoiding the issues that could arise from a failure to uphold it makes good commercial sense.
Additionally, the surveyors are able to identify health and safety concerns and any deviations from the Decent Homes Standard. The standard is the minimum that housing must meet; anything below it is a legal issue.
Surveyors have a lot of freedom and responsibility in their work. Allowing them to survey properties thoroughly and report any issues—especially concerning health and safety, and the legalities of the decent home standard—is essential to maintaining good property management practices.
Mainly public sector bodies, private landlords, commercial enterprises, and charitable organizations constitute our client base. Our Notting Hill panel of stock condition surveyors is currently preparing reports on a cyclical basis for local authorities and councils and for various educational institutions, including schools, colleges, and universities.
These Chartered Surveyors work on projects of all sizes and types. They have the appropriate experience to manage large-scale projects, but our clients also know they can turn to the panel for assistance with residential home buyers or commercial building projects.
A surveyor might not be able to see everything, such as concealed wiring and plumbing, and so is somewhat limited by what is visible. Because property surveys are done non-invasively of the property, a surveyor can not see all hidden defects.
It could spare you thousands of pounds in very expensive maintenance and repair bills, if it uncovers hidden defects or shoddy construction practices that a routine mortgage evaluation wouldn’t catch. The surveyor doesn’t, however, pull up floorboards or move carpets unless they are loose and you opted for a Level 3 survey.
RICS recommends a Home Buyer’s Survey for fairly new, conventionally built properties that are in good condition. For older homes, more expensive, non-standard construction, and/or more run-down properties, they recommend the more detailed Level 3 Building Survey.
The Full Building Survey report includes the following:
When it comes to the detail that the surveyor will go into concerning defects, repairs, and maintenance, the Homebuyer Survey is fairly standard. Full Building Surveys, however, are more refined and go into more detail about possible and likely defects. Repairs and maintenance are covered in more detail. The Survey cost depends on the age, size, and value of the property.
The analysis they undertake is a visual inspection. This means that, for the most part, the building components that can be seen will be looked at and assessed in accordance with the surveyor’s remit. The Home Survey Report will show you the visible defects and then go on to discuss the kinds of partially hidden or totally hidden defects that the surveyor thinks you should be aware of. It will also try to clarify what kinds of repair work need to be done and the nature of the repairs. The survey is effectively a way to consider “defects” and their potential impact on the building.
A Building Survey Report contains the most important information for understanding the condition of a property. The surveyors that undertake the work follow a set procedure. The first part of the report contains a general overview of the property and its surroundings. The second part details the major and minor problems with the property’s components, inside and out. These problems range from serious structural defects to issues with doors or windows that don’t close properly, and everything in between. The report is written in clear English, complemented by diagrams and photographs. If any of the problems found are what a surveyor might consider important, that’s what the report indicates—using clear and unambiguous language.
Surveyors usually use a tick box to indicate methods of repair when drafting a building survey report. They are also required to comment on the timescale of any repairs. A condition rating is typically included: what needs to be addressed immediately, what is in the process of deteriorating but is in reasonable condition, and what has not deteriorated at all.
A building surveyor is responsible for a variety of checks and tests during a building inspection. These could be checks or tests for damp and woodworm, or they could be visual inspections of the building’s structure. In building surveying, there are visual inspections of roofs – checking for tiles and slates (if applicable) and also checking for leadwork (if applicable) and looking at the junctions between roof and wall. If the wall structure has brick in it, the surveyor will visually check for any “spalling” (brick breaking apart visibly) and any bulging (brick failing to hold its place visibly), for example.
If defects need fixing immediately, then the options recommended for this survey specify what to repair and give some idea of how long the problem has existed. For the most part, this survey describes recommended repair approaches that are standard in the industry and that do not require excessive expenditure. Future maintenance is also discussed, including what to expect when the problem being surveyed is not repaired and what to expect with repairs that are made but with questionable methodology.
Your surveyor will explain some of the legal aspects of purchasing the building, covering—in as much or as little detail as you desire, and their implications, but this is subject to your solicitor verifying.
You might consider having a separate market valuation done to determine whether the property’s asking price is warranted. You’ll also need a reinstatement cost valuation for insurance reasons.
RICS’s industry guidelines suggest building surveys for properties that are large, very old, in some disrepair, or have unusual features. Building surveys are also recommended if you plan to do any significant renovations or extensions.
If you’re purchasing a relatively modern home that’s in decent shape and built to ordinary standards, then a Home Buyer Survey is an acceptable choice. If you want the assurance of an inspection and report that are pretty much guaranteed to turn up any issues that might be hidden or just hard to see, then you should go for a Full Building Survey instead.
The Full Building Survey is more detailed; it is more specifically tailored to the property your surveyor would be inspecting. It also comes with more advice on the visible defects found and on the potential hidden defects that they suspect may be present. Your surveyor will illustrate reports with photographs so that you can clearly see what has been discovered. Both the Home Buyer and Full Building Surveys describe the repairs needed, the order in which the repairs should be done, and the kind of “maintenance measures” that will be required to keep the property in good condition.
A HomeBuyer Report does include a market valuation as well as reinstatement costs. However, a Full Building Survey does not. The main reason for the differences in what is and isn’t included in the two types of reports is how focused the reports are on the condition of the property. The Full Building Survey is the most in-depth and comprehensive survey of a property that you can have done.
In today’s economic atmosphere, where many organizations are focused on achieving cost savings, the information communicated to you from a stock condition survey can be vital for making sound, strategic decisions that relate to your property portfolio. For many organizations today, the forecast calls for trying to save and stretch funds. Consequently, it is now even more critical to employ and ensure something as basic as the regular maintenance of the building. Anything less exposes the organization to significant risk. Poor maintenance can lead to defects that will be costly and dangerous in the long term. Moreover, as with many things in property management, regular maintenance is also a key factor in effective property planning and budgeting.
The professional team stands ready to assist the landlords of residential property in England and Wales. The surveyors help them meet the requirements of the recent legislation by carrying out Stock Condition Surveys and these detail the state of repair of properties across the portfolio and identify their maintenance needs. Surveyors can also prepare a Schedule of Works for the remedial work to be done, along with a budget that enables the landlord and managing agent to control maintenance costs.
Looking for a Chartered Surveyor? If you are buying a property, contact us for a building survey. Our panel of CIOB, RPSA and RICS surveyors will help you with the Level 2 or Level 3 property survey you need in Notting Hill. We can also assist you in Red Book Valuations, Party Wall Awards and other services. Reach out to us today for building surveyors, valuers and party wall surveyors in London!
