Practical advice about property and market comment from a Chartered Surveyor
Tree Planning
Walking along a street, I passed a flint wall with a tree behind it. Then I did a double-take, and came back and took out my camera. Close behind the wall was a tree; the tree had been growing quietly, as trees do, and had recently got to the point where its pressure...
Advice for conveyancers from a Surveyor
The conveyancing process will usually involve the input of a chartered surveyor, often carrying out a simple mortgage valuation or a more detailed report. Here are a few facts that will help the conveyancer guide their client. A Valuation is not a Survey! A...
A message for mortgage brokers and their clients from a sensible surveyor…
Ok so you or your clients need a survey and, sensibly, they know they should not rely on the mortgage valuation. It is so easy to let the client simply tick the box that ‘upgrade’ the valuation, but that tick could have massive implications for everyone...
Boom, Bust or Beyond your Means? A Debate on the Future of London Housing
I attended the Economic Research Council debate 'Boom, Bust or Beyond your Means? A Debate on the Future of London Housing' at Deloitte Real Estate in the City on Thursday. I was surprised the discussion focused mainly on build-to-rent market but this could go some...
Whatever you do, don’t ask the surveyors what it’s worth…
About 5 years ago I wrote a blog about the sometimes impossible task of valuing a house. Today, the exercise is even more complex. The seemingly never ending housing shortage, in combination with an apparent over supply of the wrong sort of...
Grenfell
As soon as the morning news of this apparently inexcusable tragedy broke, surveyors here began digging, driven by professional interest. Soon - based on news reports and on publicly available information – we formed the view that many shortcomings had arisen; before...
Attics and Lofts, Secrets and Lies
Surveyors love a loft! They are so revealing. Most properties undergo continuous updating, and Victorian or earlier houses may have substantially altered interiors but the loft tells much. In here, the surveyor can find features that allow him...
Dont panic, woodworm wont make your house fall down!
Have you ever wondered why old wood worm holes are often visible in floor boards yet there is no history of treatment?
Listed Buildings no longer require EPCs
EPCs are no longer required for listed buildings, the full details are as follows…
Taxes and the home; could this be the big one?
Unlikely as it seems, after the election, we might find our homes are taxed, and I’m not talking about the trusty old council tax…
10 Top Tips For Extending Your Home…
Considering Extending your home or making use of that dusty loft full of long forgotten belongings in old cardboard boxes ?
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