Conned by firm of Chartered Surveyors

oldcarpenter

I paid for a RICS full building survey with a RICS registered Chartered Surveyors firm. I have discovered the surveyor was not a chartered surveyor. The survey and valuation was signed off by a RICS Valuation Chartered Surveyor (his boss) . Is there misrepresentation here? I expected the house to be inspected by a chartered surveyor, it was not and the house has structural problems missed in the survey. A quote from RICS web page
In an RICS Home Survey an RICS member conducts an in-depth visual inspection of the property. Their report provides an expert account of the property's condition and highlights any problems in clear and easy to understand 'traffic light' ratings.

w00519772

What type of survey did you pay for? Mortgage valuation, home buyers report or full structural survey?

I assume that you paid for the full structural survey? With this information, more people may answer.

oldcarpenter

Full structural survey was paid for

Thrugelmir

What issues were missed?

DaftyDuck

You've started a number of threads over the last few months, alluding to problems with surveyors and expert witnesses, but I haven't seen details of what the complaint actually is....

G_M

Goodness! You are having bad luck! In your last thread you had to change solicitors as well as chase the surveyor..

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/65357767#Comment_65357767

And in the thread before that your "old friend" also had a problem with a surveyor!!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/64966874#Comment_64966874

and in the thread before that you had a disagreement (interesting one this!) with an estate agent.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/55359755#Comment_55359755

oldcarpenter

Suspended floor ventilation in house blocked by extension. (no ducting under solid floor of extension)
Load bearing support knocked down under trimmer/bressumer supporting first floor bay window.
Failed to comment on RSJ, that replaced stud wall knocked down. The RSJ was put in place to support failing roof frame.
Gave no reference in survey that solicitor should make sure all above had planning and building regs. (they had no planning or regs))
Failed to inspect drains because manhole covers were heavy duty with paving bricks set in. OK could not be expected to lift, but should have said in survey needed to be investigated by specialist that would have discovered drains in poor condition.
Chimney stack taken down but left first floor heavy hearth in a dangerous unsupported state between floor joist.
Failed to warn outside recent rendered wall had blocked lime mortar walls to breathe. There are more problems but you get the gist.

propertyman

It is permissible for a non MRICS or FRICS staff to carry out these inspections under direction and supervision particularly as in order to obtain the gong, inspections have to be done as part of the post academic qualification, on the job training called the APC, which takes 18 months to 2 years on average to complete.

I did that a long time ago and it was a god send as it transpired the partner who supervised me was drunk a lot of the time :eek:

I also dealt with one chap who was qualified at the time as a BS but he had never done a domestic survey in 3 years and was used to looking at commercial units. The sorts of issues you identify were ones he fell over, being unfamiliar with older buildings.
I in turn did one schedule of condition/dilaps on an industrial unit "cos I had to " but would never willing accept instructions on one beyond that.

I suspect that given what you have said that it is not the inspectors field of expertise or familiarity.... but without seeing the whole report....

If there is a genuine concern and affect on costs affect on value then you follow this up as all RICS firms must have a complaint procedure, and this can go in the end to the ombudsman or litigation. Which path you take depends on the circumstances and the affect on you.