The Survey
Date Published 11 August 2021
So you have agreed a sale and now it's time for the surveyor to visit and look over the property. Sounds simple enough, however how can you be sure the advice you are about to get is accurate and will lead you to make the right decisions?
With 15 years industry experience I am pleased to pass on some of the lessons I have learnt, and the advice to both buyers and sellers over the years;
Ask someone what's wrong and they'll usually think of something!:
This is a particularly true concept when hiring any expert to investigate something on your behalf, in so much as you are paying someone to specifically tell you as many negatives about the item you are buying as possible. If you asked Kim and Aggy from 'How clean is your home' to come in and swab for potentially dangerous bacteria they will likely find some. Does that mean you should evacuate? Of course not, such tests must be taken in context and a survey is no different. With properties built thirty, fifty or eighty years ago it's not surprising that at least something should come up as every home needs to be loved. Maintaining and repairing a home is as much a part of home ownership as checking its condition when you first buy.
Horses for Courses:
I often think of surveyors as doctors, that way it keeps things in perspective. If you go along to your local GP, and have an issue with your eye, you want them to check it out. Often they can tell you their opinion on it, but ultimately without further investigation they don't know for sure in most cases as despite all of their qualifications and experience, its impossible to be an expert in every section of a particular field. At this point usually they will refer you to see (no pun intended) a local eye specialist. Does that mean they expect you to get further investigations by an expert and find something sinister, often no, they simply want to give you the best advice. Surveyors are very similar as they are not qualified electrical, drainage, roof or damp experts, so if they suspect something or cannot be sure, they will still recommend further investigation by a specialist. The recommendation is often taken out of context by many buyers and sellers. If the surveyor has suggested the drainage should be checked as they know of a recent drainage issue in the area, then it's easy as a buyer to think there is a major issue with the drainage without any further investigation. When in actual fact a drainage expert may just advise some remedial works or find that nothing is wrong.
Homebuyers Can Jump The Traffic Lights:
Following the change in 2010 to how a homebuyers report is presented you will notice the green, amber and red traffic light system. This can be very confusing at first as most sensible people would assume that something in red is a very serious problem and need repairing. This is true, however the traffic light assigned relates to the worst possible part of whatever section of the property is in discussion. For example, if you have just had your roof replaced in the last week with a brand new one all singing and dancing, and the day before the survey three tiles were accidentally damaged by your next door neighbours window cleaner, then you would know that the roof is absolutely sound save those three tiles that need replacing. You and I might argue that the roof is therefore a green light overall, but a note should be added to say three tiles need immediate repair. This sadly is not how a homebuyers is required to be rated, as those three tiles are totally smashed, they represent the worst part of the finding, and therefore the traffic light must be red, as a tiny part of that brilliant roof, needs immediate repair. For this reason reading the surveyors notes, is crucial to understanding the report. It may surprise some buyers to learn that rarely do you find a report where the gas fittings, and electrical fittings are not in red. This does not mean every house in the UK is uninhabitable, it simply means that because the surveyor is not qualified in gas and electric checks, and there is no certificate available they must mark it as red and suggest further investigation. Again both systems could have been replaced in the last year, but if the documentation was not at hand on the surveyors visit, then they get marked red. This again highlights how crucial a conversation, this time with the seller of their agent is to establish the actual state of the fittings, and then you can sensibly decide if further investigation is in fact needed.
Surveyors Are People Too:
Despite most of your communication being through formal written reports and third party messages your surveyor has actually been to the property, and despite having to produce a formal written report with many guidelines and specifications most surveyors are happy to have a chat with their paying client to put a more personal, and straight talking perspective on their findings. This conversation is often vital in getting to the real crux of what a report is trying to say without the use of the formal jargon or the industry constraints on how a survey has to be written up.
Look at the Steak Not the Peas:
When negotiating with a buyer or seller on something which was not expected in a survey, it can often become a matter of pride and principal. I have seen sellers who have achieved thousands more than they initially expected, loose a buyer as they were not willing to reduce by £500 for some minor repairs, and buyers who secured a property for a great price walk away from a property as it had suspected woodworm and the vendor refused to pay for the treatment, even though the buyer had got a great price and could have paid for it themselves at a cost of £200 they ended up losing the house!
Overall the survey is one part of the transaction and the best advice is to always take multiple opinions so speak to your lawyers, mortgage broker, estate agents and local tradesman before making any decisions.
Written By
Lee Whitelaw
Plymouth Property Professional
