Unable to afford surveyors fees in one go - where do I stand?

amilotte

Hi

I am wondering whether anyone has any advice....

Basically we have been issued with a bill from the party wall surveyor who was appointed by our neighbours. Initially we were quoted £500 but unfortunately these escalated to £1700 just for their surveyor, our surveyor has been very good and kept the bill as quoted at £500.

We have now been issued with the bills for both parties and whilst our surveyor is being very kind, knowing we are now struggling to find the money has offered to accept payment over two months (£250 per month) , the other surveyor is being less accommodating and refuses to accept anything other than two payments (£850 per month).

We were always on a very tight budget (this is a mostly self build to keep costs low) and we are now having to use our wages to pay the remaining bills but have no where near the amount we would need to pay these fees over two months.

We have contacted him and requested that he consider four payments which was instantly refused. As far as he is concerned it is two payments and if he does not receive the first installment on Monday then he has a place booked at the court for the Tuesday (excuse me if I am wrong but I don't think we can just be hauled up in court this easily!!!).

Unfortunately we never could have envisaged the bill being this amount. By the surveyors own admission residential fees are never this high (we have had difficult neighbours who we feel have delighted in calling the surveyor round over the smallest issues just to cost us).

I wonder what others would do Should we just stick it on a credit card and deal with it that way or push to agree a more feasible payment arrangement...... Any advise re our rights would be much appreciated.

Amilotte

4743hudsonj

amilotte wrote: »

Hi

I am wondering whether anyone has any advice....

Basically we have been issued with a bill from the party wall surveyor who was appointed by our neighbours. Initially we were quoted £500 but unfortunately these escalated to £1700 just for their surveyor, our surveyor has been very good and kept the bill as quoted at £500.

We have now been issued with the bills for both parties and whilst our surveyor is being very kind, knowing we are now struggling to find the money has offered to accept payment over two months (£250 per month) , the other surveyor is being less accommodating and refuses to accept anything other than two payments (£850 per month).

We were always on a very tight budget (this is a mostly self build to keep costs low) and we are now having to use our wages to pay the remaining bills but have no where near the amount we would need to pay these fees over two months.

We have contacted him and requested that he consider four payments which was instantly refused. As far as he is concerned it is two payments and if he does not receive the first installment on Monday then he has a place booked at the court for the Tuesday (excuse me if I am wrong but I don't think we can just be hauled up in court this easily!!!).

Unfortunately we never could have envisaged the bill being this amount. By the surveyors own admission residential fees are never this high (we have had difficult neighbours who we feel have delighted in calling the surveyor round over the smallest issues just to cost us).

I wonder what others would do Should we just stick it on a credit card and deal with it that way or push to agree a more feasible payment arrangement...... Any advise re our rights would be much appreciated.

Amilotte

im sorry can you be more precise on why one was your surveyor and why one was your neighbour but your getting charged?

also what was the issue

and do you have a confirmation of cost or a quote or anything?

IAIN

Amilotte

The adjoining owners surveyors fees seem very excessive for a domestic scheme. Part of your surveyors duty is to agree the fee of the adjoining owners surveyor, which forms part of the Party Wall Award.

You need to ask your surveyor to try and resolve this. Your surveyor needs to ask the adjoining owners surveyor, to provide a break down of his time expenditure. If it is unreasonable, then this could be referred to the third surveyor, although this may end up costing you further in professional fees.

Let me know if you need any further assistance.

Iain

robnye

if you dont have any luck with getting the cost reduced..... (why one person would charge nearly 4 times the amount of another, seems odd)

the court date is a bluff..... put your offer in writing....... then show it as proof if it goes to court..... they will look silly at having turned a payment offer down

KILL_BILL

no way will a court date be drawn up within a week

proceedings are issued - you get 14 days to file an acknowldgement and the a further 14 days to file your defence

if a quote was initiall issued for £500 which has now become £1700 then he has to justify the increase and should have given a further quite if any cost is going to increase.

Fire_Fox

If you got a quote for £500 then the bill should be £500 unless you agreed extra work along the way. Did you get an estimate instead? Do you know what the extra charges are for? You may be able to get some advice from the RICS website.
http://www.rics.org/