Pip, our employee of the month. September 2017
Property Maintenance
Property Maintenance When carrying out Building Surveys we often find that similar problems exist whether we are carrying out a Building Survey in Bristol, a Building Survey in Bath, a Building Survey in Swindon or a Building Survey in Cheltenham. One problem that is often encountered is dampness in chimney stacks. In the past, chimneys […]
HINTS AND TIPS FOR MOVING HOUSE
As soon as your offer has been agreed : Instruct a solicitor. Instruct a surveyor. Moving house can be a stressful time. Planning in advance will help ensure all tasks are covered and the day of moving goes smoothly. 6 – 7 WEEKS BEFORE THE MOVE a) Will you do the removal yourself? If not […]
What Happens When I Book A Survey?
When you use our automated booking service or call us to instruct us to carry out a Building Survey or HomeBuyer Report we will do the following: 1) Call you if there are any additional details we require. 2) Ring the estate agent to organise an appointment to access to the property. 3) Send you Terms of […]
Structural Survey – Building Survey
Many clients contact us after being advised to have a Structural Survey carried out prior to purchase. The term “Structural Survey” has now been changed on recommendation from The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The current “Building Survey” replaces the old “Structural Survey”. It was felt the term “Structural Survey” did not adequately describe the work […]
Non Traditional Housing Construction
Over the years a number of properties have been built which are deemed to be “non traditional construction”. Most of these properties were developed and built by local authorities. Non traditional construction can cause problems with mortgage finance. Where properties are designated as non traditional construction and defective no mortgage finance is likely to be […]
Alarm signal for buy to let landlords.
Landlords in England should be aware that regulations requiring both smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms must be installed in residential accommodation. These regulations came into force on 1st October 2015. These new regulations apply both to houses and flats. Failure to comply can lead to a civil penalty of up to £5000 imposed on […]
Property Surveys should be carried out early in the legal process.
Tip: Getting a Building Survey post offer could enable you to negotiate a price reduction once the legal work is underway. Either way, the survey should be carried out before exchange of contracts, i.e. once you have legally committed yourself to the purchase. Unfortunately, the seller might pull out at any stage before exchange of […]
What is an EPC and who needs one?
An EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) is essentially a certificate rating of a building’s energy efficiency on a scale from A to G, also showing what changes could be made to improve this rating. Since implementation, landlords and property owners in England & Wales have been required to provide Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) to any prospective […]