Not impressed by RICS Homebuyer's Report survey...

PhylPho

the_realist wrote: »

trouble is he is not your surveyor but one of the diks that work for the lender. Take it up with them and demand a refund or reinspection.

Hopefully the OP will respond to such sensible advice and post here before September 2015 otherwise the suspense is just too much. . .

madnessofBruno

siteinspector wrote: »

Fair comment in a lot that has been written on the subject of Homebuyer Surveys but I'd like to make a few comments..

I began my construction career as a Carpenter & Joiner and progressed through the ranks to Senior Site Manager and onwards becoming a Project Manager, in charge of a number of development projects and then I joined a Chartered Surveying practice and have, over the past twenty odd years, undertaken hundreds of property condition reports.

I would agree that some of the reports that I have read are misleading to say the least and in a lot of cases, the 'buck-passing' when advising and I quote: " Have the electrics tested by a specialist, Have the heating / plumbing checked by a specialist, Flat roofs need replacing every 5 to 10 years and you should budget for replacement." WHY?

During my inspections, if I notice anything untoward or perhaps non-compliant with the regs, I say so in my report explaing my reasons and, if whatever I am reporting on requires - say the services of an NICEIC qualified sparks to confirm my report statement or a CORGI / Gas Safe heating engineer to check the boiler, I say so.

The problems as I am seeing them today are, we have for some reason become a nation of form fillers rather than relying on individual initiative and that's where it has all gone wrong.

I would most certainly agree with Debt-Free-Chick when She says and if the property is occupied "NEVER allowed the surveyor to inspect the property without being present. This way, you can discus anything you have spotted and also talk about anything that the surveyor notices. You learn far more this way and also learn about what to look out for "next time".

Since my Surveying Practice days and due to the downturn, I have been undertaking Homebuyer Reports independantly and whilst I have the utmost respect for the RICS, providing people with an accurate condition report is perhaps much more beneficial than simply filling out a standard form?

Ok confusion over the OP, however a good post. Would like to read your views on the housing market in your own thread.

siteinspector

The thing is realist, when one is asked to say 'Condition' inspect a property one does just that, Recently I undertook a mass of inspections for a health trust organisation and took an M&E Clerk of Works out on the road with me. I was inpressed by his undeniable knowledge but at the same time, I questioned a great number of observations asking him if had noted them to be answered "I hadn't noticed that" and that is why I tend to note each and every observed fault or departure. When I get back to my office, I then trawl through my notes and dication and with the photo's taken, I research possible answers.

I fully appreciate that I am not qualified to inspect gas or electrics but at the same time, if I see or note, through previous Site Management / Project Management experience, something that I feel requires further investigation, I say so and I have never written a report where I have not, if I feel that further investigation is justified, recommended that an experienced and qualified Mechanical or Electrical Man (NICEIC or Corgi / GasSafe) be bought in to assess my queries.


There is a very serious and damaging misconception languishing in the thought processes and offices of many, if not all, legal organisations and with ‘Joe-Public’ in general, believing that all Surveyors have to be chartered and / or have to be members of the RICS the fact is, they do not have to be either.

They do however, have to be knowledgeable, experienced, proficient, articulate, honest, organised, be construction experienced, client friendly and cost effective and, in the case of independent surveyors, be PI insured and reliable and that’s about it.

The RICS President Peter Fall stated in an article "You don't have to be a member of the RICS to do the job of a surveyor," He said " It is merely our guarantee of quality, but you can provide your own guarantee of quality without the RICS badge as many independant surveyors out there are doing"

siteinspector

I inspected a home last Tuesday in East Sussex and wasn't too impressed with the making good that had been done in the living room and the dining room following wall lights installations so, I noted for the client my concerns that possibly the cables might not have been chased sufficiantly deep enough into the wall and perhaps more important, the cables may be unprotected i.e. not conduited or cover capped and therefore would be a risk should the photo of the mother-in-law be fixed below one of the lights!

We are all aware that we have a duty of care to each other and I believe that any doubts whatsoever should be noted within condition reports to safeguard those who are to occupy the property.

I will only recommend that 'specialist' investigation be sought / bought in if I am myself unsure of what it is that I'm looking at. I did a Homebuyer Report on a grand apartment within an equally grand country House a few weeks ago and on that two bedroom apartment, I noted around seven issues that in my opinion required specialist input, all now investigated and all now resolved.

siteinspector

The newly installed boiler requires a installation compliance certificate, I note that. I check the distribution unit to assess the circuits and ratings and, if there's a roof conversion within the property, I check designated smokey supplies, general appearance of the wiring and if in any doubts, I recommend, that a sparks be bought in to check.

So the answer would be no, so far and in over the twenty five years I've been doing the job, apart from a few section 106 projects I have always had some questions that requires 'specialist' advice be it a telephone call or a further site visit.