Building Surveys (formerly known as Structural Surveys), RICS Homebuyer Reports (HRB's) and Structural Appraisals.
A property purchase is usually the largest financial investment you will make so it makes sense to obtain peace of mind and/or to be able to be informed of any possible and future ‘pitfalls’ that may await you once contracts are exchanged.
The finding of a survey can also be used to negotiate upon price which is often the case when unforeseen items of expenditure have been identified by the surveyor to the client.
As RICS accredited surveyors we are bound by the regulations or our overseeing body and are obliged to carry the required level of professional indemnity insurance as well as the appropriate and correct level of expertise and knowledge.
Our surveys and investigation service includes:
- Full building surveys (Residential and Commercial) for all property types
- RICS Homebuyer Reports.
- Structural Investigations / Appraisals (normally on the back of Mortgage Valuations and/or previous reports undertaken)
- Commercial acquisition surveys
- Asbestos Surveys – Residential and Commercial
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Schedules of Condition/Dilapidation
If you are a commercial landlord or commercial tenant, you will enter into a lease on the property you lease out or occupy.
The vast majority of commercial leases contain tenant covenants to repair, decorate, comply with statute, and to yield up the demised premises at the end of the term. Many also include covenants to reinstate alterations at the end of the term (or obtain landlords consent to carry out alterations). Generally this is what is known as a Fully Repairing and Insuring Lease (FRI), so for a tenant it is vital that you fully understand your potential liabilities before signing the lease.
If you wish to leave the premises before the end of the lease, you will need to surrender your lease via your solicitor. Whatever the reason for the surrender and whatever the outcome, there is little doubt that if you have a fully repairing and insuring lease, that you will have considerable additional expenses.
Landlords make money at the end of every repairing lease and though we act for many landlords, we also act on behalf of tenants. When you surrender a lease, you are not in the strongest of negotiating positions and your landlord’s surveyor and legal team will know this.
Failure to comply with the terms of the lease can lead to a claim for Dilapidations, for the costs of returning the property in a reasonable state of repair. Even though the lease may say “keep” in good repair, in practice that means “putting” it into good repair. Settlement of dilapidations can either be the tenant paying the cost of those works to the landlord, or the tenant undertaking the works before the end of the lease.
A Schedule of Condition is a record of the condition when the tenant takes occupation, and is appended to the lease and used to mitigate the level of dilapidations. At the end of the tenancy (and sometimes in the middle of the tenancy), a Schedule of Dilapidations is drawn up by the landlords surveyor, and served on the tenant.
Many commercial tenants do not bother with a Schedule of Condition because they think it is too expensive. That is false economy, as a good surveyor can potentially save you thousands of pounds. As long as you maintain the property in accordance with the terms of your lease, a schedule of condition will pay enormous dividends when you come to vacate the premises.
Schedules of Condition
A schedule of condition survey is commissioned before the signing of a lease in order to determine the condition of the building so that any existing defects and their repair costs are identified prior to any commitment being made.
The schedule of condition survey includes a report on the condition of the building together with notes concerning potential future defects that might need attention.
Often a schedule of condition survey can be used to negotiate with your landlord to have immediate defects corrected prior to your taking over the lease and thus save you considerable sums of money. For example, if you are taking over an existing lease, the chances are that you will inherit the repair liabilities from the outgoing tenant.
A properly prepared schedule of condition survey, properly agreed with the lessor, will in most cases, limit your liabilities to future deterioration only. Our own approach in producing a schedule of condition is to compile a meaningful register of photographs that will adequately record the true condition of the property (and it’s grounds) in a way to counter an aggressive landlord’s dilapidation claim at the end of a lease.
The longer the lease, the more detailed the schedule of condition should be, simply because buildings deteriorate over time.
Party Wall etc. Act 1996
The Party Wall etc. Act covers three distinct types of work, alterations to a shared (party) wall, the construction of new walls on the boundary and excavation work close to neighbouring properties. The third category is often overlooked by owners planning to extend their property.
Where work falls within the scope of the Act it is necessary for a Building Owner to serve notice and obtain the affected Adjoining Owner’s consent; if that consent is not forthcoming the parties are deemed to be ‘in dispute’ under the Act and surveyors must be appointed so that the dispute can be resolved by way of a Party Wall Agreement (technically called an ‘Award’).
We have detailed knowledge of The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 and experience of working with our clients to resolve party wall matters, saving them time and money.
We will also deal with your neighbour in a clear, calm and friendly manner, ensuring that relations on both sides remain positive. We have dealt with a wide range of party wall matters and will provide expert guidance to both individuals and developers with a varied portfolio of properties.