Surveyor anger!

jibbyboo

I'm really annoyed:

My mortgage provider enlisted a surveyor for me for the purchase of my new home, and due to being over £100 less than a homebuyer's report, I requested a valuation; it's a newish property (1970s), and having had some building expert friends look at it, there were no obvious problems.

It was instructed for today, and I called the surveying company earlier this week to request that I was called 30 minutes before it took place so I could be there and ask any questions/ receive any comments. (I read Martin's home buying guide, and this was recommended). It was in fact confirmed twice that I would definitely receive a phonecall allowing me to be there, because I was worried that they would ignore the request on my file.

When it went past the time frame today, I called the company and was told that the surveyor had already been out to the property, and because it was a basic valuation, he wouldn't be obligated to answer any questions/ provide info anyway. The woman I spoke to blamed her colleagues for informing me that I would be called beforehand, and told me that the surveyor wouldn't have been allowed to let me in. Frankly, I would have been happy to wait outside and ask him questions afterwards.

I'm fuming at the moment :mad:!! Don't know who I should be annoyed with, and if I have a right to complain, who I should complain to - being as it was the mortgage company that organised it, whether I should report it to them, or write a letter of complaint to the surveying company directly.

Whatever happened to customer service??!

Thanks for your support MSEs!

G_M

jibbyboo wrote: »

I'm really annoyed:

My mortgage provider enlisted a surveyor for me for the purchase of my new home, and due to being over £100 less than a homebuyer's report, I requested a valuation;
Not very clear but I assume you mean you decided not to have a survey done.
You did not request a Valuation - your mortgage lendr did this. It is for their benefit, not yours - and they are the surveyor's client.

It was instructed for today, and I called the surveying company earlier this week to request that I was called 30 minutes before it took place so I could be there and ask any questions/ receive any comments. (I read Martin's home buying guide, and this was recommended).
if you are having a survey done which as said above I get the impression you are not.
It was in fact confirmed twice that I would definitely receive a phonecall allowing me to be there, because I was worried that they would ignore the request on my file.
OK - you were misinformed.

When it went past the time frame today, I called the company and was told that the surveyor had already been out to the property, and because it was a basic valuation, he wouldn't be obligated to answer any questions/ provide info anyway. The woman I spoke to blamed her colleagues for informing me that I would be called beforehand, and told me that the surveyor wouldn't have been allowed to let me in.
Probobly correct
Frankly, I would have been happy to wait outside and ask him questions afterwards.
He probobly would not have answered as you are not his client

I'm fuming at the moment :mad:!! Don't know who I should be annoyed with, and if I have a right to complain, who I should complain to - being as it was the mortgage company that organised it, whether I should report it to them, or write a letter of complaint to the surveying company directly.

Whatever happened to customer service??!

Thanks for your support MSEs!

The only error seems to be that someone in the surveyor's office mis-advised you about your right to access to the surveyor. OK. A mistake. But you have lost nothing except a bit of your time, since if you had been advised correctly you would not have been given any additional information.

Starjust

Sounds like you want a homebuyers report for the price of a mortgage valuation...
I paid for a homebuyers report however a valuation would have been free. Do you think I would have been entitled to go round and see the valuer for advice had I opted for just the valuation?

nakiwala123

It seems to be that even with a HomeBuyers the surveyor might not be too receptive either. We paid for a Homebuyers Report to be conducted next week on Tuesday. DH called today to try and see if he or I could be present to ask any questions during the survey and they came across as not very keen on that idea. Like they don't want to be watched while they are doing their job!

ILW

jibbyboo wrote: »

I'm really annoyed:

My mortgage provider enlisted a surveyor for me for the purchase of my new home, and due to being over £100 less than a homebuyer's report, I requested a valuation; it's a newish property (1970s), and having had some building expert friends look at it, there were no obvious problems.

It was instructed for today, and I called the surveying company earlier this week to request that I was called 30 minutes before it took place so I could be there and ask any questions/ receive any comments. (I read Martin's home buying guide, and this was recommended). It was in fact confirmed twice that I would definitely receive a phonecall allowing me to be there, because I was worried that they would ignore the request on my file.

When it went past the time frame today, I called the company and was told that the surveyor had already been out to the property, and because it was a basic valuation, he wouldn't be obligated to answer any questions/ provide info anyway. The woman I spoke to blamed her colleagues for informing me that I would be called beforehand, and told me that the surveyor wouldn't have been allowed to let me in. Frankly, I would have been happy to wait outside and ask him questions afterwards.

I'm fuming at the moment :mad:!! Don't know who I should be annoyed with, and if I have a right to complain, who I should complain to - being as it was the mortgage company that organised it, whether I should report it to them, or write a letter of complaint to the surveying company directly.

Whatever happened to customer service??!

Thanks for your support MSEs!

Get what you pay for.

ValHaller

Whose survey is it anyway?

People are forgetting that the survey belongs to the mortgage lender (even though the borrower pays for it) - it is done to allow the lender to decide whether the property is a good security for the loan. The surveyor will be very clear in his own mind that his client is the mortgage lender

If you want to accompany the surveyor, appoint your own (in addition to the lender's valuation) and agree your attendance as part of the surveyor's instruction.

jibbyboo

I arranged my day around being present at the survey (@G_M and of the options presented to me, I requested the valuation).

Fair enough if other people don't want to go to their valuation and see if they can glean any further information that's their choice (isn't this website all about money saving?).

I've still paid £300 to have the valuation conducted, even if it is for the mortgage company's primary benefit.

ILW

jibbyboo wrote: »

I arranged my day around being present at the survey (@G_M and of the options presented to me, I requested the valuation).

Fair enough if other people don't want to go to their valuation and see if they can glean any further information that's their choice (isn't this website all about money saving?).

I've still paid £300 to have the valuation conducted, even if it is for the mortgage company's primary benefit.

And that is what you have got.

jibbyboo

ILW wrote: »

And that is what you have got.

In addition to poor customer service ILW.

mrsmchapman

You only paid for a valuation not a survey, so whether you were present or not they would not have given you any further information. Had you paid for a homebuyers then maybe you would have been given a little more info, but if its anything like the surveyors ive had they try not to give to much away!

You paid for a valuation, you will get a valuation, you cant expect to get a verbal survey and not pay for it!

jibbyboo

I wouldn't have received a survey, nor would I have been expecting a verbal survey.

A survey would have required written evidence of any problems with the property.

Verbally, I may have been provided with some insight into problems in more detail than the duty of care report that will be presented with my valuation will provide.