Surveyor Negligence - Huge Roofing Bill

doberman100

Hi,

Having just purchased a house on the back of a clean bill of health in the form of a Homebuyer Survey, we found that the roof was leaking very badly, and has damaged plaster in all upstairs rooms quite badly.

I went up into the loft to see wet and mouldy beams, ripped felt, and I could actually see daylight through a hole in the roof.

Sure enough, two roofing companies so far have given me quotes ranging between £3,500 and £4,000.

I am furious.

Lines from the Homebuyers Survey report include:

"Overall, the roof is considered to be in a generally reasonable condition for a roof of this
type and age. Some ongoing maintenance should be anticipated but no more than what I
would normally expect to encounter in a property of this type and age"

"The underside of the roof has a secondary felt lining. This was inspected wherever possible
and is considered to be in a generally acceptable condition with no significant rips or tears
being noted in any one part.
No sign of water ingress was noted in any one part of the roof void."

This is laughable.

I have sought legal advise, and have been instructed to obtain another valuation to judge what the valuation should have been had these major defects been taken into account.

I have also been advised to assemble roofing quotations, and take photographic evidence of the damage.

One surveyor, on the Expert Witness Panel of RICS, has offered to produce an Expert Witness Report for me.

I can easily assemble a dossier against the original surveyors, and argue a case for compensation towards the cost of urgent repairs.

The plan would be:

1. Obtain another valuation
2. Obtain Roof Quotations & Written Statements
3. Obtain photographic evidence
4. Complaint to original Surveyors via complaint procedure

My worry is that I will have to get the roof fixed BEFORE the complaint procedure concludes. Waiting 28 days is going to mean even more damage to the plaster in the property, already representing in excess of £500.

Therefore an Expert Witness statement by a RICS surveyor would seem sensible, but that would cost me about £350 instead of just £160 for the valuation.

Anyone with previous experience here on winning back money from dodgy surveyors would be welcome. It's a nightmare. Where is the money going to come from?:eek:

Thanks in advance!

kingstreet

Have you actually made a complaint to the surveyor?

DannyboyMidlands

Hmm, something weird about this.

If the problem is so serious I can't see how the surveyor (or you) missed it.

What was the access like at the time of the survey?
What was the weather like at the time of the survey?
What needs to be repaired?
What is the type and age of property?
When did you buy it?

Surely if this was an existing defect all the signs you mention would have been visable at the time and to everybody.

teneighty

If the problem is so serious I can't see how the surveyor (or you) missed it.

How many buyers go snooping around in the loft space during the viewing? There are plenty of cases where surveyors/valuers miss far worse.

Get the complaint into the surveying company pronto and give them 7 days notice that urgent repairs will be undertaken after that time.

You have a legal obligation to mitigate your losses so something like a roof leak should be attended too urgently. As long as you give the surveyor 7 days notice I would think that is reasonable.

Good Luck

phoebe1989seb

It does beg the questions 'how deeply do surveyors really investigate?' and 'his much us guesswork?'

The guy (esurv) that did a Homebuyers Report for our buyers in 2011 spent three and a half hours at our house, declined to go into the attic despite coming equipped with ladder (we had one too, but the hatch was precariously positioned over very steep stairs so he elected not to bother ), then reported a 'woodworm infestation' based upon his venturing into a walk-in eaves cupboard where admittedly there were a total of three (old, treated) worm holes.......

That said, it does seem very odd that such apparently obvious issues as those retrospectively discovered by the OP were not spotted before purchase.

teneighty

Most Homebuyers Reports only require a "head and shoulders" inspection from the loft hatch. Very easy to miss defects if there are boxes in the loft.

When are people going to realise they are a waste of time and money?

maninthestreet

Didn't you spot the damaged plaster in the bedrooms when you viewed the house?

propertyman

phoebe1989seb wrote: »

declined to go into the attic despite coming equipped with ladder (we had one too, but the hatch was precariously positioned over very steep stairs so he elected not to bother ),

Well hang on a few £100 for survey doesnt entitle you to ask the Surveyor to put his life and livelihood at risk. You could have and other arrangements to ensure access was safe.

And on the woodworm in many houses up to 80% of the timber is not accessible........if you see woodworm you have to at least recommend that there is enquires about old treatment or investigation.

jaybeetoo

If you are going to claim against the surveyor then be prepared for a very long wait before it is sorted out. Some friends of mine had a dispute with their surveyor and it went on for years before it came to a conclusion.

G_M

Your priority is not 'another Valuation' - it is 'another survey'.

You need a professional written opinion to counter the original survey.

If you can get this free, fine, but you should be prepared to pay for this - and given the amount of money involved, you should do this.

I imagine any new survey will also recommend 'immediate action to prevent further damage' or similar. You therefore go ahead with the repairs and rely on the new survey in your complaint.

However, in parallel with getting a new survey done, write to the original surveyor (check if its a firm with a complaints procedure? otherwise write to the Senior Partner), outlining the problem and asking them for their reaction.

Chances are they will pass it to their professional insurers, but they might simply say "Sorry guv, get it fixed & send us the bill"......

propertyman

teneighty wrote: »

Most Homebuyers Reports only require a "head and shoulders" inspection from the loft hatch.

No they dont a mortgage valuation will allow that, but in any form of survey and valuation the maxim has been for nearly 30 years has "been follow the trail" .

In most cases it not negligence but purchasers expecting an all seeing assessment which is not always possible, and opting for the sausage machine conveyancer and sausage machine s/v which relies on exclusions and generalities to get to dot eh work on target.

Buyers are far better off choosing a local chartered surveyor with local knowledge who is acting for you working and discussing issues with you, not fending off texts "saying hurry up hurry up meet your targets"

Buyers should not wake and see they "are a waste of time", but realise they are cheap for a reason, expertise costs money and even if it costs a bit more isnt it worth it to safeguard your hope and dream and the roof over the families head?