London Based Independent Residential Surveyor

You may not be thinking about buying a house like the one in the picture but you may be surprised to find what is lurking beneath the surface of the property you are hoping to buy. If you are thinking of buying a flat or house you need independent professional advice. If your proposed purchase is in or around London or you have queries on any residential property related issues in this area I shall be pleased to be of assistance.

Buying a residential property is probably the biggest financial commitment most people make during their lifetime and surprisingly few people take the necessary precautions to ensure this decision is soundly based. In times of rapidly increasing property prices such as we have previously experienced such advice would have been regarded by many as unnecessary on the basis that whatever was wrong with it really would not have mattered because its value next year would be so much higher and the next buyer would be in such a hurry to buy that the property would sell regardless of its condition or any other deficiencies.

But things have changed! There is no longer the rush of buyers desperate to purchase anything regardless of condition and other deficiencies and even if willing buyers do exist the lack of readily available finance means that they no longer need to rush into a purchase without first obtaining all the necessary information.

It is unlikely that property prices will increase considerably in the foreseeable future and they may fall even further before doing so. It is therefore unlikely that you will be able to pay for essential repairs out of your capital gain. You therefore need to know a property's condition and its effect on the property's value. You also need to be made aware of other detrimental factors such as a short lease term and the effect this can have on the value of your proposed investment.

Major defects such as subsidence are usually covered by household Building Insurance as a condition of a mortgage although this will be subject to an excess which will need to be paid by the property owner and more significantly the settlement of a subsidence claim is a long drawn out process during which a property may be difficult or impossible to sell other than to a cash buyer and at a substantial discount.

Dry rot is a particularly destructive fungus that attacks mainly concealed timbers and the cost of remedial work can seriously affect the value of your investment. A qualified surveyor can identify the conditions in which a dry rot attack is likely to occur and ensure that necessary action is taken to prevent such an occurrence.

Other defects which may be less serious also need to be taken into account in the price you pay for your property and this will not be possible unless you obtain the correct professional advice.

Surveyor Profile

I qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1983 having studied by way of a full time degree course in Nottingham and thereafter gaining practical experience working for a professional firm of surveyors and a public property company. Since qualifying I worked for a lending institution and a large firm of London surveyors carrying out surveys and valuations of residential property for all purposes before setting up as a sole practitioner in 1988. In 1995 I was appointed a Fellow of the RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors).

During my professional career I have gained considerable local knowledge of Ealing and West London. I am totally independent with no ties to any lender or estate agent and I am pleased to offer impartial advice on any aspect of residential property. I am a member of The Independent Surveyors Association (ISA) and fully support their aims and objectives.

I regularly carry out surveys and valuations on residential properties within the Greater London area. I am on approved panels to provide valuations for Abbey, the Lloyds C&G Group and a small number of Housing Associations. I provide expert witness survey and valuation reports for court proceedings and valuations for divorce and probate purposes. I also provide lease extension and freehold valuations for leaseholders wishing to extend their lease or purchase a freehold interest.

Competitive Rates

Homebuyers Survey and Valuation from £325.00

Building Survey from £600.00

Leasehold Extension / Freehold Valuation from £375.00

 

Last Updated: 29th March 2009