Connell's HomeBuyer Report - waste of money survey

Beta_Block_Party

I just wanted to share my recent experience buying a homebuyer survey from Connell's (via my mortgage provider) as a warning for others.

Among the inaccuracies:

- Survey said house was built in 1950
In fact it was built 1923.

- Survey said the loft was obstructed by items so wasn't viewed
In fact the loft was completely empty.

- Survey said a few 'old' windows were hard to open
In fact there are no old windows whatsoever. The house was newly double glazed throughout four years ago.

- Survey said boiler flue was concealed
It's not.

The survey cost £600. I made a complaint – the response was that the survey is an 'economy' product and not expected to be completely accurate.

bmunky7

I could accept the approximate year built being a bit out but it seems they've just lied as they couldn't be bothered doing the work properly, or they've mixed up this property with another. Poor show though.

eddddy

Connells Survey & Valuation Limited are Chartered Surveyors and are therefore regulated by the RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors).

The RICS define the scope of a HomeBuyer Report - and I don't think they would describe it as an 'economy' product, and I don't think they would agree that it doesn't have to be completely accurate.

(The information it contains may be limited, but that limited information should be accurate.)

Regarding the roofspace, the RICS HomeBuyer Report Practice Note states that:

F1 Roof structure
The roof space is entered using a ladder where there is safe and reasonable access via hatches not more than 3 metres above floor level. If this is not possible, then physical access to the roof space
may be taken by other means, if the surveyor deems it is safe and reasonable to do so. The roof structure is visually inspected from within the roof space. Secured panels are not removed, and insulation material, stored goods and other contents are not moved or lifted.

http://www.inspection4.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/hbr-pn-4th.pdf page 48

So you have paid the surveyor for inspecting the roof, and if the roof was completely empty, he should have done so. (By saying the loft wasn't viewed, the surveyor can deny liability if there are any obvious problems with the roof.)

If what you say is accurate, I'm not sure that I would accept the report.

princeofpounds

Some grounds may be covered by the RICS process, but I notice they don't include consumer protection amongst those, so you have to be pretty sure on what basis you are complaining to them.

http://www.rics.org/us/regulation/complaints/complaints-procedure/

The survey cost £600. I made a complaint – the response was that the survey is an 'economy' product and not expected to be completely accurate.

They are talking out of their backsides, so there is a good possibiity you can recover some of the expense here.

mgarl10024

I once received a report (not from these guys) stating that the terraced house I was buying was in fact semi-detached.

I was somewhat astonished that they could fail to notice the entire house either side of the property.

princeofpounds

With homebuyer surveys, I think a lot of this comes from misuse of software (may or may not be the case here).

Typically it's just a checklist, and the responses from the checklist are fed into a computer program that automatically generates a report from stock paragraphs.

If the surveyor has been lazy, they may leave in passages which are clearly not correct but have little impact.

Beta_Block_Party

Thanks all - I didn't know there was a code of practice with these, will check that out some more.

mgarl10024 wrote: »

I once received a report (not from these guys) stating that the terraced house I was buying was in fact semi-detached.

LOL. Surveying sounds potentially like a nice earner. "Make $$$$ working from home"

Alias_Omega

We are not having a HomeBuyers report.

I am a former Electrician, so pretty much can wander around the house and look at "things". The valuation gave the age of the house, and we have a specialist tradesman for the areas we have of concern.

I suspect that you can complain, complain that things are not right and even supply pictures to the company.

Our valuation guy was not on the RICS website, however he uses the logo in his signature. I sent RICS an email.!