Misplaced Survey

wickyt

I'm after a bit of help! We've recently discovered some movement of our property which is a terrace built in 1900. Having called the insurers they have sent out their own surveyor who has confirmed it is subsidence to the front of the property.

They have requested a copy of the Full Structural Survey which was taken out when we brought the house in 2005 which we agreed to however despite a thorough search, we do not appear to have a copy anywhere.

I've contacted our original Mortgage Providers who were less than helpful but stated that they didn't retain copies. I then subsequently contacted the estate agent who marketed the property. They have since gone bust. I've contacted the estate agent that they handed things over to however they only took on the existing clients and nothing historic.

I have a handwritten name of a surveyor and a number however the number is no longer in use. When calling the number it gives a further number which also appears dead.

I'm really struggling to think of who else would be likely to have a copy. I'm pretty sure my solicitor wouldn't have ever received a copy and my current mortgage provider certainly never asked for a copy. If anyone has any further ideas about possible routes of tracking this down I would very much appreciate it.

Many Thanks in advance!

MrsManda

It may be worth you contacting your solicitor as for our report we got given two copies, one for ourselves and one for our solicitor.

Zelie

Google search the name of the surveyor? They might well still be in business at a new location.

Milliewilly

Don't be fobbed off by the mortgage company. When I started legal action against a surveyor they had copies of my survey from 3 years previously (that had been doctored since but that's another story). You may need to send a solicitors letter to them to get them to take notice.

Aren't you covered for subsidence on your insurance? Your insurer may class it as pre-inception damage and in that case you claim off the previous owner's insurance not yours. In either case that would be the quickest and cheapest route for you I think.

It is possible that there wasn't any subsidence at the time of inspection and thats why it wasn't noted on your full survey report?

wickyt

Thanks for the responses. Have googled the surveyor name and have come up with a few possible matches so will give them a try.

Also will give the solicitor a try to see if they retained/ever had a copy.

Finally Millie, yep, it's all covered by my insurance. I believe they want to see the survey to understand if they believe the surveyor was negligent with the intent of potentially reclaiming some of the repair costs.

Thanks for all your replies!

G_M

Try the RICS for the surveyor. He may be working for a new firm.

Try your solicitor.

Hastle the morgage lender further. They may have it if they look! Did you instruct the surveyor yourself (in which case how did you choose/find them?), or was it arranged by the lender at the same time as they did their valuation of the property? If so they will know who did it.