JOB REFERENCE: Jxxxx/xxx.xxx/xxxxx

RESIDENTIAL BUILDING SURVEY

OF

Notting Hill GateLondon

FOR

Mr & Mrs Top Floor Flat with liabilities for the other apartments

Prepared By:

1^st Associated Limited

INDEPENDENT CHARTERED SURVEYORS

FOR ANY HELP OR ASSISTANCE CALL FREE PHONE: 0800 298 5424

or visit our website:

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

REPORT FORMAT

SYNOPSIS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

SUMMARY UPON REFLECTION

EXTERNAL

CHIMNEY STACKS AND PARAPET WALLS

ROOF COVERINGS AND UNDERLAYERS

ROOF STRUCTURE AND LOFT SPACE

BOX GUTTERS AND DOWNPIPES

WALLS

EXTERNAL JOINERY

EXTERNAL DECORATIONS

INTERNAL

CEILINGS, WALLS, PARTITIONS AND FINISHES

CHIMNEY BREASTS, FLUES AND FIREPLACES

FLOORS

DAMPNESS

INTERNAL JOINERY

TIMBER DEFECTS

INTERNAL DECORATIONS

THERMAL EFFICIENCY

OTHER MATTERS

SERVICES

ELECTRICITY

GAS

PLUMBING AND HEATING

BATHROOMS

MAIN DRAINS

OUTSIDE AREAS

PARKING

EXTERNAL AREAS

POINTS FOR LEGAL ADVISOR

APPENDICES

LIMITATIONS

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE PROPERTY MARKET

INTRODUCTION

Firstly, may we thank you for your instructions of xxxxxxxxx; we have now undertaken a Building Survey (formerly known as a Structural Survey) of the aforementioned property. This Survey was carried out on xxxxxxx.

The Building Survey takes the following format; there is an introductory section (which you are currently reading), which includes a synopsis of the building, and a summary of our findings.

We then go through a detailed examination of the property starting with the external areas working from the top of the property down, followed by the internal areas and the buildings services. We conclude with the section for your Legal Advisor and also attach some general information on the property market.

We are aware that a report of this size is somewhat daunting and almost off-putting to the reader because of this. We would stress that the purchase of a house is usually one of the largest financial outlays made (particularly when you consider the interest you pay as well).

We recommend that you set aside time to read the report in full, consider the comments, make notes of any areas which you wish to discuss further and phone us.

We obviously expect you to read the entire report but we would suggest that you initially look at the summary, which refers to various sections in the report which we recommend you read first so that you get a general feel for the way the report is written.

As part of our service we are more than happy to talk through the survey as many times as you wish until you are completely happy to make a decision. Ultimately, the decision to purchase the house is yours but we will do our best to offer advice to make the decision as easy as possible.

REPORT FORMAT

To help you understand our Report we utilise various techniques and different styles and types of text, these are as follows:

GENERAL/HISTORICAL INFORMATION

This has been given in the survey where it is considered it will aid understanding of the issues, or be of interest. This is shown in ’Äúitalics’Äù for clarity.

TECHNICAL TERMS DEFINED

Throughout the Report, we have endeavoured to define any technical terms used. This is shown in ’ÄúCourier New’Äù typeface for clarity.

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

ORIENTATION

Any reference to left or right is taken from the front of the property, including observations to the rear, which you may not be able to physically see from the front of the property.

ACTION REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDATIONS

We have used the term ACTION REQUIRED where we believe that there are items that you should carry out action upon or negotiate upon prior to purchasing the property.

Where a problem is identified, we will do our best to offer a solution. However, with most building issues, there are usually many ways to resolve them dependent upon cost, time available and the length of time you wish the repair/replacement to last.

SYNOPSIS

SITUATION AND DESCRIPTION

This apartment is set within a Georgian property which we are advised has been sub divided into five apartments.

The apartment is situated on the top floor and has the benefit of a balcony terraced area. As far as we are aware there are no parking facilities other than the road parking permit.

From our discussions with the present vendor (during our question and answer session) we are advised this property was converted into a multi occupied building in 1989 ’Äì which is the era of the last property boom in England. We also believe based upon these discussions that the property is on a 125 year lease from this date (although we have not seen the lease) and that there is a shared freehold (not a freehold from what we understand). For any repair work to the whole building and surrounding area you will have a twenty percent responsibility/liability for ’Äì your legal advisor should confirm this.

The present vendor is the Chairperson of the leaseholders association and advises that there are meetings, although they do not tend to be well attended unless there is a problem! which is fairly typical from our experience.

This property was built in the Georgian era which is generally considered to run from the early 1700’Äôs to the 1800’Äôs (King George I reign from 1714 to George IV in 1830). If the age of the property interests you your Legal Advisor may be able to find out more information from the Deeds.

Putting Life into Perspective!

Some of the things that were happening around the time the property was built:

1783    Britain recognised American Independence

1750    The start of the Industrial Revolution

1793 ’Äì 1800         The Grand Union Canal was built

EXTERNAL PHOTOGRAPHS

ACCOMMODATION AND FACILITIES

Top Floor Apartment

The accommodation consists of:

¬…      Entrance and Access Area

¬…      Lounge

¬…      Kitchen

¬…      Two Bedrooms one with an en suite bathroom

¬…      Shower Room

Outside Areas

We would refer you to our earlier comments and we would add that the only outside area to this apartment is the terrace which will help for drying washing etc. This is a good bonus in London as there are views as far as the eye could see!

Parking may be a problem some days with the nearby Portobello Road market, made famous in the film Notting Hill and attracting a large number of shoppers.

INTERNAL PHOTOGRAPHS

The following photos are of the internal of the property to help you recall what it looked like and the general ambience (or lack of). We have not necessarily taken photographs of each and every room.

SUMMARY OF CONSTRUCTION

EXTERNAL

Chimneys:   One painted render chimney

Main Roof:  A zinc covered mansard style roof with a flat roof covered with timber decking to the terrace area

Gutters and Downpipes/Soil and Vent Pipes:         All Plastic

Walls: Forming part of the mansard roof clad with slates. Some of the original decorative slates still remain.

External Joinery:   Plastic sliding sash windows with timber surrounds

INTERNAL

Ceilings:      Plasterboard (assumed)

Walls:         A mixture of solid and studwork with a modern gypsum plaster finish (assumed)

Floors:        Top Floor: Joist and Floorboard construction (assumed)

SERVICES

We are advised there is a mains water supply, drainage, electricity and gas (assumed).

The above terms are explained in full in the main body of the Report. We have used the term ’Äòassumed’Äô as we have not opened up the structure.

Summaries are dangerous as they try to prˆ©cis often quite complex subjects into a few paragraphs. This is particularly so in a summary about someone’Äôs future home when we are trying to second-guess what their priorities are, so it is important the Report is read in full.

It is inevitable with a report on a building of this nature that some of the issues we have focussed in on you may dismiss as irrelevant and some of the areas that we have decided are part of the ’Äòcharacter’Äô of this property you may think are very important. We have taken in the region of 100 photographs during the course of this survey and many pages of notes, so if a comment has not been discussed that you are interested in/concerned about, please phone and talk to us before you purchase the property (or indeed commit to purchasing the property), as we will more than likely have noted it and be able to comment upon it. If we have not we will happily go back.

Having said all of that, here are our comments:

Generally we found the apartment overall in average condition. However the apartments as a whole considering the property’Äôs age, type and style is below average condition. Considering you have the maintenance responsibility/liability for this, this is very important. However this is a sweeping statement so we would also, in addition, draw your attention to the following and also recommend that you read the report in full. We have divided the Executive Summary into ’ÄòThe Good’Äô, ’ÄòThe Bad’Äô and ’ÄòThe Ugly’Äô, to help distinguish what in our mind are the main issues.

The Good

Survey reports often are full of only the faults and general ’Äòdoom and gloom’Äô, so we thought we would start with some positive comments on the property.

The property also has good natural light as is often the case with Georgian style properties.

Externally the property has many of the original features which add to the overall character of the property, such as the location and the view from the terrace.

We are sure you can add others to this list.

The Bad

Problems/issues raised in the ’Äòbad’Äô section are usually solvable, but really need negotiation upon. However, a number of them or a combination of them may however put us off the property which is explained below.

1)   Chimney

The chimney is allowing dampness into the small bedroom. However this is not visible and was only protected by our electronic damp meter. We believe this may be due to the covers to the chimney pots that have come off and possibly the felt around the top of the chimney.

ACTION REQUIRED: You are best off repairing the existing chimney tops that are on the roof if at all possible and replace the one at the top of the chimney pots, this should reduce dampness getting into the chimney.

If it doesn’Äôt and you should be aware here we are talking about dampness that you cannot physically see, it may be worth then adding vents to the chimneys but you must be certain that no one is using the chimneys!

Please see the Chimneys Section of this Report.

2)            Mansard Roofs and Parapet Walls

The apartment is formed within the mansard roof. There are parapet walls surrounding this with box gutters to take the rainwater away. Parapet walls are the walls that surround the top of the roof, they are rendered with a painted finish (the white covered areas). Due to the design of the box gutters some dampness is getting in through them. From our discussions with the owner this is a long outstanding problem, to resolve it now requires a different approach as we discuss in the next section.

An additional problem is that the coping stones are allowing dampness into the property too, although this is relatively minor at present. We do suggest that a capping is added on top of the existing coping stone. Please see our drawing.

ACTION REQUIRED: We recommend that a capping is put on top of the coping stone to stop any possibly of dampness getting down through this.

ANTICIPATED COST: Please see our comments in the Ugly section on ’Äúparapet walls and box gutters’Äù.

Please see the Parapet Walls Section of this Report.

3)BoxGutters

In this instance we noticed that some of the box gutters do not slope particularly well and allow the water to sit in them, particularly the rear box gutter. What this then does is allow water to seep through the box gutter and also allows water to build up over and above the flashing detail and also into the property, which appears to have been an ongoing problem for many years. Please see our suggested solution in the next section.

Other Box Gutters!

There are various box gutters to this property. There is a large box gutter for example to the front of the property. These are fairly renowned for having problems. In this instance we didn’Äôt have access into the apartment below so we can’Äôt be certain whether any dampness is getting through. From what we could see it looked in reasonable condition, but the most minute crack within the lead can cause dampness to get into the property below.

Please also see the Box Gutters and Downpipes Section of this Report.

4)                              Render

The render around the property has blown or lost its key or come unstuck, however you wish to describe it, from the main wall structure. It was hollow when tap tested as demonstrated to you by simply tapping the render. This means that repair work will be needed within the next five to ten years and redecoration within the next few years. This will be at a considerable cost as scaffolding is likely to be needed for the render work.

If you consider that in 1996 a major repair programme on the property cost ¬£40,000 you are probably talking in the region of double, possibly treble this amount (we know that we said 40k to 60k when we spoke to you originally but having slept upon it we feel the figure will be higher). This is not a cost that you want to be burdened with as soon as you move into the property. We suggest that you learn from the existing vendor’Äôs experience who moved in, only to have to pay out ¬£9,000 on the major repair programme that was carried out in 1996.

5)                     Leasehold/Share of Freehold

With this property you may or may not have shared responsibility for work to common areas. Some of these are fairly obvious such as the access stairway and entrance hall and the less obvious such as the redecoration and repair of the rendered wall and any shared drainage and indeed any shared gutters.

ACTION REQUIRED: Your solicitor should contact the Landlord or the Landlords agents to establish if there are any future proposed works.

We often find that these types of properties have problems where there is no formal agreement for maintenance work to be carried out.

We also like, in multi occupied or shared accommodation, for there to be a build up of the sinking fund which is a fund of money for any large emergency works that are required.

6)   Integrated Fire Alarm/Smoke Alarm System

We always recommend that a fire alarm/smoke alarm system is used that is interconnected throughout the entire property, so that you are aware if there is a fire on the ground floor for example. We discusses this with the existing owners who advised that they did not know if the fire alarm/smoke alarm system was integrated, we assume it isn’Äôt!

ACTION REQUIRED: You need to set up a meeting with the other owners to see if they are interested in such an installation.

The Ugly

7)            Parapet Walls and Box Gutters

Although we have covered these two areas in the previous section the combination of them together makes things much worse and the combination of a poorly detailed box gutter and parapet walls can cause problems, unless you are prepared to regularly clear the leaves, keep the render, the flashings and the roof in general in good order. Having said this we don’Äôt want to blow it out of all proportion. The roof is only slightly worse. In addition some of the detailing to the box gutter is poor, which is due to the box gutters not being large enough.

Having given this due thought and consideration we believe the box gutter detail is simply too narrow ’Äì as well as of course not having a fall. A simple solution is to make the box gutter wider. This will involve reducing the length of the roof area, we feel this is the only way to stop it getting blocked up with leaves etc.

The new box gutter will of course need to have a fall on it towards the head drainage outlet. We also recommend that the lead flashing that the box gutter detail has fallen from is brought up to just below the coping stone and also as already mentioned that a capping is added.

ACTION REQUIRED: As above.

ANTICIPATED COST: Between £5,000 to £10,000 (five thousand to ten thousand pounds) for this work to be done properly. We recommend you obtain a quotation before you proceed with this purchase.

As a final comment this type of roof will need general maintenance, particularly during the autumn and winter months when leaves will tend to block the box gutters. Therefore you will need to get onto the roof from time to time to clear them.

Please see the Walls, Box Gutters and Downpipes Sections of this Report.

DIY/Handyman Type Work

There are numerous other items that we would class as DIY or handyman type work such as clearing of leaves to the box gutter!! Also organising the leaseholders association would be a good way to spend your time, ensuring there is a properly managed maintenance programme and a budget to cover it via sinking fund and day to day maintenance fund.

Purchase Price

We have not been asked to comment upon the purchase price in this instance, we have however referred you to sources of general information on the housing market within the Information on the Property Market Section, which can be found in the Appendices at the end of the Report.

Every Business Transaction has a Risk

Every business transaction has a risk, only you can assess whether that risk is acceptable to you and your circumstances. You should now read the main body of the Report paying particular attention to any ’ÄúACTION REQUIRED’Äù points.

Estimates of Costs

Where we have offered an estimate of building costs please remember we are not experts in this area. We always recommend you obtain quotations for the large jobs before purchasing the property (preferably three quotes). The cost of building work has many variables such as the cost of labour. For unskilled labour we currently use between £50 and £75 per day (the higher costs in the city areas) and for tradesmen we use between £100 and £200 per day for an accredited, qualified, skilled tradesman. Other variations include the quality of materials used and how the work is carried out, for example off ladders or from scaffold.

If you obtain builders estimates that vary widely, we would advise the work is probably difficult or open to various interpretations and we would recommend a specification is prepared. It would probably be best to supervise the work if it is complex, both of which we can do if so required.

The Summary Upon Reflection is a second summary so to speak, which is carried out when we are doing the second or third draft a few days after the initial survey when we have had time to reflect upon our thoughts on the property. We would add the following in this instance:

The main issue here is with regard to the roof, the box gutters and the parapet walls as explained above, providing these are done correctly we don’Äôt see any reason why this problem shouldn’Äôt be resolved. Probably a bigger area of concern is the amount of render and the redecoration that will be needed on this property within the next few years, of which you will have a twenty percent share of the cost from what we can understand.

As a general comment for any work required we would always recommend that you obtain at least three quotations for any work from a qualified, time served tradesperson or a competent registered building contractor prior to legal completion.

If you so wish we can prepare specifications and obtain quotations for the work, whatever you do don’Äôt allow the estate agent to organise the quotes as he will utilise people he regularly uses who know they have to keep in with him/her to get further work and therefore are very keen to please the estate agent, as opposed to you the real client and at the end of the day it doesn’Äôt take long to organise.

We would ask that you read the Report and contact us on any issues that you require further clarification on.

MORE ABOUT THE REPORT FORMAT

Just a few more comments about the Report format before you read the actual main body of the Report.

TENURE ’ÄìLEASEHOLD (OR AS GOOD AS)

We have assumed that the property is to be sold Leasehold or Long leasehold, with no unusual or onerous clauses and that vacant possession will be available on completion. Your Legal Advisor should confirm that this is the case.

ESTATE AGENTS ’Äì FRIEND OR FOE?

It is important to remember that the estate agents are acting for the seller (usually known as the vendor) and not the purchaser and are therefore eager to sell the property (no sale ’Äì no fee!). We as your employed Independent Chartered Surveyor represent your interests only.

SOLICITOR/LEGAL ADVISOR

To carry out your legal work you can use a solicitor or a legal advisor. We have used both terms within the report.

TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT/LIMITATIONS

This report is being carried out under our terms of engagement for Residential Building Surveys, as agreed to and signed by yourselves. If you have not seen and signed a copy of our terms of engagement please phone immediately.

OUR AIM IS ONE HUNDRED PERCENT SATISFACTION

Our aim is for you to be completely happy with the service we provide, and we will try and help you in whatever way possible with your house purchase - just phone us.

THE DETAILED PART OF THE REPORT FOLLOWS, WORKING FROM THE TOP OF THE PROPERTY DOWNWARDS

We believe this property is in a Conservation Area, we are not certain whether it is listed or not. Your legal advisor should confirm this for you.

Chimney Stacks

Chimneys developed originally from open fires placed within buildings. From this, the chimney has developed to its present day format where it is used as an aesthetic feature and focal point rather than purely just to heat the room.

There is one rendered finished chimney to this property located on the right hand side. It needs some work to the chimney pots to stop dampness getting in. Please see our comments in the Executive Summary.

Here you can see a close up of the chimney with the three pots, two of which had no lids. We also noticed the felt to the flaunching section which may be allowing some water in.

Flaunchings Defined

A low, wide cement mortar fillet surrounding the flue terminal on top of the chimney stack to throw off rainwater.

Parapet Walls

Parapet walls are usually walls that are above roof level and often sit on the boundary of the property.

There are rendered finished parapet walls around the rear and side of the property and they are in slightly below average condition.

We noted for example areas where render had been repaired and some flaking paint, although this is minimal. Please see our comments in the Executive Summary.

The Far Right Hand End of the Property to deterioration to the front of the Parapet Wall

Render Defined

A sand and cement external coating applied in two or three coats or layers.

Finally, we have made our best assumptions on the overall condition of the chimney stacks and parapet walls from the parts we could see. The inspection was made from ground level within the boundaries of the property (unless otherwise stated) using a x16 zoom lens on a digital camera. A closer inspection may reveal latent defects. Please also see Chimney Breasts, Flues and Fireplaces Section of this Report.

Zinc sheeting has been used since the Industrial Revolution and has generally been used as an acceptable substitute for lead. It is a non-ferrous metal. A 14’Äù gauge zinc sheet will typically have a life of some 40 years from new.

We will consider the roofs in two areas, the mansard roof and the terrace roof.

Main Roof

The main roof forms part of a mansard roof and clad in metal, we believe this to be zinc. Sorry to use the same sketch again.

The roof is on a shallow pitch from the centre of the property giving discharging rainwater both to the front and rear. To the front there is a large box gutter detail and to the rear there are smaller box gutter details which we have gone into in great detail within the Executive Summary!

Generally the main roof looked in reasonable condition although we did note several areas where there were patch repairs previously taken place, this is nothing unusual.

.

Terrace Roof

The terrace roof has a wood decking. Beneath this is a pavier tile, we believe onto a felt finish, although we could see very little of this. What we could see looked in average condition, there were various repairs carried out to parts of it in flashband. We think the deterioration is occurring to these areas due to the water discharging from the adjoining roof. There may be some deterioration to the decking beneath it, we cannot see without opening it up.

Flashband Defined

Flashband is a sticky backed felt which is best used for temporary repairs only.

Finally, all the roofs were inspected from ground level with the aid of a x16 zoom lens on a digital camera.

ROOF STRUCTURE AND LOFT SPACE

ALSO KNOWN AS ROOF SPACE OR ATTIC SPACE

The roof structure or framework must be built in a manner which is able to give adequate strength to carry its own weight together with that of the roof covering discussed in the previous section and any superimposed loads such as snow, wind, foot traffic etc.

Main Roof

As mentioned this is a mansard roof where effectively the rooms are formed within the roof, therefore we had no access to the roof structure. We would expect it to be on a metal frame or, given the age of this particular property, on a timber frame.

BOX GUTTERS AND DOWNPIPES

The function of the gutters and downpipes is to carry rainwater from the roof to the ground keeping the main structure as dry as possible.

Defective gutters and downpipes are a common cause of dampness that can, in turn, lead to the development of rot in timbers. Regular inspection and adequate maintenance are therefore essential if serious problems are to be avoided.

The property has a mixture of box gutters and downpipes and some hopperheads too. We have discussed the box gutters earlier in this report.

The downpipes and hopperheads are formed in plastic and are fairly typical of what we see; they are in average condition. There may be some minor leaks but most people would be happy to live with these. We find that the modern plastic hopperhead is often too small.

ACTION REQUIRED: We would recommend that the hopperheads are replaced with larger hopperheads.

Finally, gutters and downpipes have been inspected from ground level. As it was not raining at the time of the inspection it is not possible to confirm 100 per cent that the rainwater installation is free from blockage, leakage etc. or that it is capable of coping with long periods of heavy rainfall. Our comments have therefore been based on our best assumptions.

External walls need to perform a variety of functions. These include supporting upper floors and the roof structure, resisting dampness, providing adequate thermal and sound insulation, offering resistance to fire and being aesthetically presentable.

Render is a mixture of sand and cement and in older renders also lime. As a surveyor we are always concerned when we see render finished properties as the render can hide a multitude of sins, particularly if it has been recently repainted. We generally would steer people away from rendered properties. In more modern renders a waterproof additive is applied in two or three coats

The property predominantly has a white painted render finish with the exception to your apartment which has slate finish walls.

Render

We believe that the white painted render finish is predominantly cement render therefore it is relatively new (in surveyor’Äôs speak that’Äôs the past fifty or so years). We carried out a tap test; this is literally where we hit the render with the back of a hammer to try to establish if there are any hollow areas in it. In this instance we carried out a test to the render at the lower sections of the property and we found these to be in poor condition. Please see the Executive Summary.

ACTION REQUIRED: Your legal advisor to check to see whether the render is a shared cost or not. If so you can anticipate some repair work within the next few years and fairly major repair work within the next five to ten years.

ANTICIPATED COST: Please see our comments in the Executive Summary.

Slate Walls

Part of the mansard roof also forms the walls to your property. These are clad in slate. Slates may be fixed directly to battens, or indeed the counter battens. It is necessary to nail all slate and it is also good practice to use underfelt and lap the slate to approximately two inches (30 mm). In this instance we couldn’Äôt see how the slates were fixed.

We did note that a decorative slate has been used which are missing; these are hard to replace which we assume is why they have not been replaced in some instances and in other instances they have been replaced with a standard slate.

We could see nothing to be overly concerned about where there are a few slates missing. There are a few with tingles holding them replaced by plastic tingles and the traditional lead tingle.

Tingles or Lead Slaps Defined

These are usually strips of lead about 25mm wide although in more modern times they are available as a zinc clip or in plastic, as in this instance.

Work carried out in 1996

We had a brief look through a specification that we were given. We noted that some of the work required replacement of slates. If you recall during the course of our inspection of the property we explained why different slates had been used ’Äì its basically down to the cost of them.

Finally, the external walls have been inspected visually from ground level and/or randomly via a ladder. Where the window and door lintels are concealed by vertical slates or render and plaster, we cannot comment on their construction or condition. In buildings of this age timber lintels, concrete lintels, stone lintels or metal lintels are common, which can be susceptible to deterioration that is unseen, particularly if in contact with dampness.

Our comments have been based upon how the vertical slates/render has been finished. We have made various assumptions based upon what we could see and how we think the render would be if it were opened up for this age, style and type of construction. We are however aware that all is not always at it seems in the building industry and often short cuts are taken. Without opening up the structure we have no way of establishing this.

FOUNDATIONS

The foundations function is, if suitably designed and constructed, to transfer the weight of the property through the soil. As a general comment, many properties prior to the 19th Century have little or no foundations, as we think of them today, and typically a two-storey property would have one metre deep foundations.

Typically, with a property of this period, we would expect to find a stepped brick foundation, approximately half a metre deep of the base of the property. We were advised that there are basement apartments in this building.

This property stands on London Clay as with the majority of properties in London. It is therefore more susceptible than most should drains leak or trees be allowed to overgrow etc. It is not unusual to have some settlement in London properties. However, from our inspection of the walls we have found nothing unusual.

Building Insurance Policy

You should ensure that the Building Insurance Policy contains adequate provision against any possibility of damage arising through subsidence, landslip, heave etc.

Finally, we have not excavated the foundations but we have drawn conclusions from our inspection and our general knowledge of this type, age and style of property.

As no excavation has been carried out we cannot be 100 percent certain as to how the foundation has been constructed and we can only offer our best assumptions and an educated guess, which we have duly done.

Trees within influencing distance of a property can affect the foundations by affecting the moisture content of the soil.

There are no trees within influencing distance of the main house.

Influencing Distance Defined

This is the distance in which a tree may be able to cause damage to the subject property.

Please also refer to the External Areas Section.

DAMP PROOF COURSE

The Building Act of 1878 required a damp proof course to be added to all newly built properties within the London area. It also required various other basic standards. These requirements were gradually taken up (or should that be grudgingly taken up) throughout London and then the country as a whole, although this took many for it to become standard practice.

All modern properties should incorporate a damp proof course (DPC) and good building practice dictates that a differential of 150mm (6 inches) should be maintained between the damp proof course and ground levels. We would add that there really would be a problem if you had rising damp on the top floor! as it normally only rises just a few feet high. Your attention is drawn to the section of the report specifically dealing with dampness.

Finally, sometimes it is difficult for us to identify if there is a damp proof course in a property. We have made our best assumptions based upon our general knowledge of the age, type and style of this property.

The external joinery part of this section covers fascias and soffits, windows and doors, and any detailing such as brick corbelling etc.

Fascias and soffits offer protection to the rafter feet and also allow the securing of the guttering. Windows primary functions are to admit light and air, but they also have thermal and sound properties. The doors allow access and egress within the property.

Windows

The property has plastic double glazed windows in modern sliding sash style, which are from the poor end of the market. We would draw your attention to the fact that sealed double glazed units can fail, particularly as a result of poor workmanship during installation. Failure of the seal leads to condensation between the two panes of glass and simply replacing the affected units may not provide a satisfactory long-term solution. In this case we would mention the broken spring in the main bedroom.

Enquiries should be made as to the existence of any transferable guarantees. Generally it is considered that double glazed units have a life of about ten years.

This is the corner of one of the bedroom windows. You can see here the effects of water getting in through the window. We assume it is wind driven rain it may alternatively be condensation. Redecoration is required.

Doors

As you would expect with this age of property the doors are purpose made and therefore non-standard. They would be difficult/expensive to replace today ’Äì and certainly not available in the average DIY store. The entrance door has a single lock on it and a security spy hole.

Finally, we have carried out a general and random inspection of the external joinery. In the case of the fascias and soffits it is typically a visual inspection from ground level. With the windows and doors we have usually opened a random selection of these during the course of the survey. In this section we are aiming to give a general overview of the condition of the external joinery. Please also see the Internal Joinery section.

The external decorations act as a protective coat for the building from the elements. Where this protective covering has failed, such as with flaking paintwork, the elements will infiltrate the structure. This is of particular concern as water is one of the major factors in damage to any structure.

The entirety of the render will need to have redecoration in the next few years. You should not underestimate the costs associated with redecorating a property such as this, particularly as you are likely to have to scaffold the property.

ACTION REQUIRED: Your legal advisor should confirm whether you do have to share the costs with regard to redecoration and also when the property is next due to be redecorated. We would anticipate within the next two to three years.

ANTICIPATED COST: We would expect costs to be in the region of £10,000 to £20,000 (ten thousand to twenty thousand pounds). This really depends upon the amount of render that needs renewing. We believe that the management company should have already obtained a quotation for this work.

Finally, ideally external redecoration is recommended every four to five years dependent upon the original age of the paint, its exposure to the elements and the materials properties. Where painting takes place outside this maintenance cycle repairs should be expected. Ideally redecoration should be carried out during the better weather between mid-April and mid-September.

INTERNAL

CEILINGS, WALLS, PARTITIONS AND FINISHES

In this section we look at the finish applied to the structural elements such as the plasterwork applied to the ceiling joists, walls or partitions, together with the construction of the internal walls and partitions.

Ceilings

From our visual inspection of the ceilings and our general knowledge of this age and type of construction we believe that the ceilings are likely to be plasterboard.

We noted hairline cracking, which is not uncommon in plasterboard ceilings. This will need filling in due course and we suggest you use a filler that allows for movement, although we would add that where plasterboard sheets join cracks may open up again.

Plasterboard Defined

The usual name for Gypsum plasterboard which is building board with a core of aerated gypsum, usually enclosed between two sheets of heavy paper, used as a dry lining.

Water Damaged Plaster

There are also various areas of water damaged plaster. Please see our comments with regard to the parapet wall, box gutter and the roof section within the Executive Summary and the main body of this report. We also noted there are ceiling mounted lights. Please see our comments within the Electricity section of this report.

Internal Walls and Partitions

We have carried out a tap test to the internal walls (this is not rocket science, it is literally tapping the walls and listening for the sound made) and found them to be a mixture of solid walls and hollow/studwork walls. Generally the solid walls (likely to be brickwork) will be the structural walls with the studwork walls being dividing walls.

Perimeter Walls

The majority of these are dry lined or false walls as is usually the case within a mansard roof.

Finally, ceilings, walls and partitions have been inspected from floor level and no opening up has been undertaken (unless permission has been obtained by yourselves). In some cases the materials employed cannot be ascertained without samples being taken and damage being caused.

We cannot comment upon the condition of the structure hidden behind plaster, dry lining, other applied finishes, heavy furniture, fittings and kitchen units with fitted back panels.

With the advent of central heating fireplaces tend to be more a feature than an essential function in most properties.

The chimney breasts are located on the right hand side of the property (all directions given as you face the front of the property). When we took an electronic damp meter reading we found dampness to the chimney in the front bedroom, this is due to the lack of pots and the lack of ventilation to the chimney. Please see our comments in the Executive Summary and also in the Chimney section.

This property is the top floor apartment within a multi occupied block. We would usually like to access the other properties to check that the chimneys have not been removed or damaged in any way beneath. Unfortunately in this instance we have not been able to gain access to the other apartments.

Finally, it is strongly recommended that flues be cleaned and checked for obstruction prior to use to minimise the risk of hazardous fumes entering the building. Unfortunately we have got no way of knowing whether the chimney breast passes through the building and therefore has support. We have not managed to gain access to the other apartments.

Please also see the Chimney Stacks, Flues and Parapet Walls section of this Report.

Functionally floors should be capable of withstanding appropriate loading, preventing dampness, have thermal properties and durability. In addition to this upper floors should offer support for ceilings, resistance to fire and resistance to sound transfer.

Top Floor

We believe this is a joist and floorboard construction as this is typical in this age of property.

Joist and Floorboard Construction Defined

These are usually at first floor level consisting of a joist supported from the external walls, either built in or, in more modern times, sitting upon joist hangers, sometimes taking additional support from internal walls, with floorboards fixed down upon it.

Finally, we have not been able to view the actual floors themselves due to them being covered with fitted carpets and floor coverings. The comments we have made are based upon our experience and knowledge of this type of construction. We would emphasise that we have not opened up the floors in any way or lifted any floorboards.

DAMPNESS

In this section we look at any problems that are being caused by dampness. It is therefore essential to diagnose the source of the dampness and to treat the actual cause and not the effect of the dampness.

Rising Damp

Rising damp depends upon various components including the porosity of the structure, the supply of water and the rate of evaporation of the material, amongst other things. Rising damp can come from the ground, drawn by capillary action, to varying degrees of intensity and height into the materials above.

Rising damp generally rises to about one metre or so (a few feet) depending upon the type of walls and materials used etc. There really would be a problem if it rose to the top floor level! So, you do not have to worry about it in one sense, but, in another sense, if there are problems to the lower flat, you may well have to contribute to any payments, which is why it is important that you obtain information from the management company as to what repairs they anticipate doing in the future.

During our question and answer session we spoke about the ground floor and basement apartments and we were advised that there was flooding in them in years gone by, which is part of the reason why the work was carried out in 1996.

Lateral or Penetrating Dampness

This is where water ingress occurs through the walls. This can be for various reasons such as poor pointing or wall materials or inadequate gutters and downpipes, such as poorly jointed gutters.

We would normally carry out tests with an electronic damp meter. However, as your property is dry lined (with the exception of the chimney area which is damp) we were unable to do this. We therefore carried out a visual inspection and did not find any signs of dampness coming through, other than around the parapet details that we have dealt with in the roof section. Please see our comments in the Executive Summary.

Condensation

This is where the humidity held within the air meets a cold surface causing condensation.

We could see no obvious signs of condensation, however, it depends upon how you utilise the building. If you do your washing and then dry it in a room without opening a window you will, of course, get condensation. Common sense is needed and a balance between heating and ventilation of properties. Normally opening windows first thing in the morning resolves most condensation issues.

We find with apartments like this condensation tends to be more of a problem during the winter months, although you do have the benefit of having an outside area where you can dry washing etc. Sometimes in England it is simply not dry enough for long enough periods to use outside drying, most people resort to a tumble dryer which is when the condensation problems can occur so care should be taken.

Finally, effective testing was prevented in areas concealed by heavy furniture, fixtures such as kitchen fittings with backboards, wall tiles and wall panelling. We have not carried out tests to BRE Digest 245, but only carried out a visual inspection.

This section looks at the doors, the stairway, the skirting boards and the kitchen to give a general overview of the internal joinery’Äôs condition.

Doors

The property has painted timber panel doors throughout and they are all in reasonable condition, although we did note the fire door closers had been removed.

Within this property there should be fire doors throughout. Fire doors are generally half hour resistant for this type of layout and in addition they should have door closers, which in this instance have been removed.

ACTION REQUIRED: We recommend that the door closers be added back. The trade name for this type of door closer is a Perco Door Closer. This may help you when you are hunting for new Perco Door Closers.

Staircase

The staircase will be a communal area as it is jointly shared and you will have responsibilities for redecorating etc. These areas tend to get marked more than you expect as no one really ’Äúowns’Äù them, so there isn’Äôt the same sort of care taken as you do with your own apartment. Having said that they did look in reasonable condition.

They should however form part of future planned maintenance and should be costed for. We would expect to see in a ten year plan of maintenance that the staircases are down to be redecorated in three or so year’Äôs time.

Kitchen

From our cursory visual inspection the kitchen looked in reasonable condition, although it has suffered from some general day-to-day marks. We have not tested any of the kitchen appliances.

Finally, it should be noted that not all joinery has been inspected. We have viewed a random sample and visually inspected these to give a general over-view of the condition. Please also see the External Joinery/Detailing section.

This section considers dry rot, wet rot and woodworm. Wet and Dry rot are species of fungi, both need moisture to develop and both can be very expensive to correct. We would also add that in our experience they are also often wrongly diagnosed.

Dry Rot

Dry rot is also sometimes known by its Latin name Serpula lacrymans. Dry rot requires constant dampness together with a warmish atmosphere and can lead to extensive decay in timber.

In the areas inspected no evidence was found of any dry rot and we feel it is unlikely that it is occurring, given the conditions found.

Wet Rot

Wet rot, also known by its Latin name Contiophora puteana, is far more common than dry rot. Wet rot darkens and softens the wood and is most commonly seen in window and doorframes, where it can relatively easily be remedied. Where wet rot affects the structural timbers in a property, which are those in the roof and the floor areas, it is more serious.

In the areas inspected there was no evidence found of what we would term as significant wet rot. However having said that there is some rot to the doors to the terrace area which is fairly minor.

Box Gutter

That said, from the conditions that we have seen and the style and age of this property, problems that are associated with the box gutter i.e. it leaks, there may well be some wet rot to the timber used in this area which will need replacing. You will only know this when you open up the roof, all as detailed within the Executive Summary section of this report.

Woodworm

Active woodworm can cause significant damage to timber. There are a variety of woodworm that cause different levels of damage with probably the worst of the most well known being the Death Watch Beetle. Many older properties have woodworm that is no longer active, this can often be considered as part of the overall character of the property.

We would normally look for woodworm within the roof. Unfortunately in this type of construction there was no access to the roof. The best time to check this property for woodworm would be when it is empty of furniture. Unfortunately this will be once you occupy the property.

Finally, when you move into the property, floor surfaces should be carefully examined for any signs of insect infestation when furniture and floor coverings are removed together with stored goods. Any signs that are found should be treated to prevent it spreading. However, you need to be aware that many damp and woodworm treatment companies have a vested interest in selling their products and therefore have fairly cleverly worded quotations where they do not state if the woodworm they have found is ’Äòactive’Äô. You should ask them specifically if the woodworm is active or not.

We would also comment that any work carried out should have an insurance backed guarantee to ensure that if the company does not exist, or for whatever reason, the guarantee is still valid. More importantly it is essential to ensure that any work carried out is carried out correctly.

With paints it should be remembered that up to 1992 lead could be used within paint and prior to this most textured paints (commonly known as Artex) contained an element of asbestos up to 1984, so care should be taken if the paintwork looks old and dated.

In our opinion the walls have quite a nice finish. You may wish to redecorate to your own personal taste. It is very difficult to advise on how frequently redecoration should take place. This very much depends upon the use and abuse the decoration gets, for example, within hallways this tends to be greater than for example within a spare bedroom.

Finally, we would draw your attention to the fact that removal of existing decorative finishes may cause damage to the underlying plasterwork necessitating repairs and making good prior to redecoration.

Up until the mid 1940s we did not really consider insulation in properties, for example it was only in the 1960s that we started putting insulation in the roof and then it was about 50mm, in the 1970s this was upgraded to 100mm. Then we started to think about double glazing and cavity wall insulation. Since then insulation standards have increased considerably and today we are looking at typically using insulation not only in the roof but also in the walls, floors and windows and more recently considerable work has been carried out on how efficient boilers are within properties. Care has to be taken that properties are not insulted disproportionately to the ventilation as this can cause condensation and you should be aware that you need to ventilate any property that is insulated.

Roofs

There was no access to the roofs therefore we cannot comment on them, other than to say that they don’Äôt have insulation. There will be considerable heat gain during the summer months and heat loss during the winter.

Walls

Unfortunately without opening up the walls we cannot even take an educated guess in this instance. We simply have not been able to establish for certain the age of the structure.

We spoke with the owner during our question and answer session and she advised that the property remains fairly warm, which we would expect as it is in the winter effectively heated by the apartments below it and in the summer heated by the sun (when we have some!).

Windows

The windows are double glazed and therefore will have reasonable thermal properties.

Services

Service records should be obtained. It is essential for the services to be regularly maintained to run efficiently.

Summary

Assuming the above is correct, this property is average compared with what we typically see.

Further information can be obtained with regard to energy saving via the Internet on the following pages:

HTTP//www.est.org.uk, which is by the Energy Saving Trust and includes a section on grant aid

or alternatively www.cat.org.uk

or www.ecocentre.org.uk for an alternative technological view.

Finally, we would advise that an energy rating is likely to be required for future house sales.

In this section we put any other matters that do not fit under our usual headings.

Security

We were advised that the property has a security system, although the key has been lost! The owner said that she would look for the key and you need to remind her about this. It is a personal decision as to whether you feel one is necessary. We are not experts in this field and therefore cannot comment further. We suggest you contact a member of NACOSS (National Approval Council for Security Services), obtainable through directory enquiries, or your local Police Force for advice on a security system.

Smoke Alarms/Fire Alarms

The owner didn’Äôt know whether the smoke alarm/fire alarm system was integrated. Please see our comments within the Executive Summary about shared fire/smoke alarm systems.

Insurance

We would always recommend staying with the existing insurance company, and then if there are any problems you should not have the difficulty of negotiating with two insurance companies passing the blame between each other.

SERVICES

This survey does not include any specialist reports on the electricity supply and circuits, heating or drainage, as they were not requested. The comments that follow are based upon a visual inspection carried out as part of the overall Building Survey.

Services and specialist installations have been visually inspected. It is impossible to examine every detail of these installations without partially dismantling the structure. Tests have not been applied. Conclusive tests can only be undertaken by suitably qualified contractors. The vendor/seller should be requested to provide copies of any service records, test certificates and, ideally, the names and addresses of the installing contractors.

It is strange to think that electricity only started to be used in domestic properties at the turn of the last century with gas lighting still being the norm for a good many years after.

The electric fuses and consumer units were located in the main bedroom and looked reasonably new, although we were advised that no work has been carried out on it in the last ten years.

We carried out an earth test in the kitchen area to the socket point that is normally used for the kettle, this proved satisfactory.

Visible wiring and fittings are of a reasonable standard.

ACTION REQUIRED: If there is no record of an electrical test having been undertaken within the last five years, it is recommended that the installation be tested by a competent electrician (NICEIC registered) and all recommendations implemented. Thereafter, the installation should be re-tested every five years.

We noted single socket points throughout the property. This is typical of properties wired before the 1980s when this was the standard recommended. However, due to our greater use of electricity, we generally have double power points throughout a property today.

ACTION REQUIRED: You may wish to obtain a quotation to upgrade to double power points.

We would draw your attention to the fact that there are ceiling mounted lights in the property and these can be a fire hazard, this is because heat within the lights can rise and have been known to cause a fire.

We were lucky enough to be present whilst an electrician was replacing some of the lights. He advised that he didn’Äôt feel these would be a problem as they were high voltage, we bowed to their superior knowledge!

GAS

There is very little we can check for in a gas installation, we do inspect to make sure there is one and that it has a consumer unit and that the boilers are vented. Ideally you should have a service inspection carried out by an independent CORGI registered plumber.

We were advised that the property has mains gas. We were advised that the gas meter is also located in the bedroom (we didn’Äôt actually see it).

All gas appliances, pipework and flues should be the subject of an annual service by a competent engineer, i.e., a member of CORGI (the Council of Registered Gas Installers); works to gas appliances etc., by unqualified personnel is illegal. Unless evidence can be provided to confirm that there has been annual servicing we would recommend that you commission such a service prior to use to ensure safe and efficient operation.

ACTION REQUIRED: As a matter of course it is recommended that the entire gas installation is inspected and made good, as necessary, by a CORGI registered contractor. Thereafter the installation should be serviced annually.

In this section we do our best from a visual inspection to look at how the water is supplied to the property, how the supply is distributed around the property, how it is used to heat the property and how it is discharged from the property.

Water Supply

We were advised that the controlling stopcock is located in the kitchen cupboard on the right hand side. It is important that its presence is established in case of bursts or leaks. The stopcock and other controlling valves have not been inspected or tested for operational effectiveness.

Water Pressure

When the taps were run to carry out the drainage test we checked the pressure literally by putting a finger over the tap and this seemed average.

The Water Board have to guarantee a certain pressure of water to ensure that things like boilers, particularly the instantaneous ones have a constant supply of pressured water (they would blow up if they didn’Äôt!).

Plumbing

The plumbing, where visible, comprises copper pipework. No significant leakage was noted on the surface, although most of the pipework is concealed in ducts and floors.

Heating

A hot water central heating system is installed comprising a Kingfisher floor mounted boiler. We couldn’Äôt see if this flue was vented to the outside bathroom (this doesn’Äôt mean that there wasn’Äôt one, it just means we couldn’Äôt see it).

Our limited inspection of the hot water and central heating system revealed no evidence to suggest any serious defects but we would nevertheless recommend that the system be tested and overhauled before exchange of contracts and that a regular maintenance contract is placed with an approved heating engineer.

Soil and Vent Pipe

This is located on the terrace and is plastic. It discharges approximately two metres above roof level which should be fine unless the wind is blowing in the wrong direction! This is a fact of life of living in London on a top floor apartment.

Finally, it should be noted that the supply pipe from the Water Company stopcock to the internal stop tap is the responsibility of the property owner.

We cannot comment on the condition of the water service pipe to the building. It should be appreciated that leaks can occur for some time before signs are apparent on the surface.

In this section we consider the overall condition of the sanitary fittings such as the bathroom, the kitchen, the utility room and the cloakroom.

The property has a three piece en suite bathroom which is small. We noted that there were tiles on the floor. Often there can be problems with these as they are put on a wooden floor, the wooden floor deflects slightly and the joints tend to need repointing from time to time.

Shower Room

We were advised that this hasn’Äôt been used for ages other than as a store room! We therefore suggest you check the seals to the showers. We noted that the extractor fan wasn’Äôt working. We also noticed some hairline cracking to the ceiling area; a mastic needs to be used around these. Finally we would always recommend that the extract is linked to the light switch and has a timed overrun facility to it, as the area will suffer badly from moisture otherwise.

ACTION REQUIRED: Ask an electrician to get the extract fan working and link it to the light switch, as it isn’Äôt.

Finally, although we may have already mentioned it above we would reiterate that it is important to ensure that seals are properly made and maintained at the junctions between wall surfaces and baths and showers etc. We normally recommend that it is one of the first jobs that you carry out as part of your DIY on the property, as water getting behind sanitary fittings can lead to unseen deterioration that can be costly, inconvenient and difficult to repair.

The sanitary system, as we know it now, came into being some 100 years ago during the Victorian era and works so successfully today it is often taken for granted. It is only in recent years that re-investment has taken place to upgrade the original drainage systems.

It is assumed that the foul drains from the property discharge into a public sewer; this should be confirmed by your Legal Advisor prior to exchange of contracts, who should also provide information in respect of any common or shared drains including liability for the maintenance and upkeep of the same.

The cold taps have been run for approximately quarter of an hour in the bathroom and kitchen. No build up or back up was noted.

         Inspection Chambers

For your information, inspection chambers are required to be provided in the current Building Regulations at each change of direction or where drainage runs join the main run.

         Identified Inspection Chambers

Unfortunately we were unable to identify any inspection chambers which obviously looked to be associated with this property.

Rainwater/Surface Water Drainage

Whilst very innocent looking rainwater downpipes can cause lots of problems. If they discharge directly onto the ground they can affect the foundations and even if they are taken away to soak-aways they can attract nearby tree roots or again affect foundations.

Some rainwater drains are taken into the main drainage system, which is now illegal (as we simply do not have the capacity to cope with it), and can cause blockages to the main drains! Here we have done our best from a visual inspection to advise of any particular problems.

We would expect in this age of property there would be a combined rainwater drainage system. This means that both the cold water and rainwater go into the same drainage system. There can sometimes be problems during peak periods of heavy rainfall, particularly during peak times such as the nine o’Äôclock rush to work then the water may be slow to drain away. Again some of the joys of living in a multi occupied property in London.

Finally, rain/surface water drains have not been tested and their condition or effectiveness is not known. Similarly, the adequacy of soak-aways has not been established although you are advised that they tend to silt up and become less effective with time. Please also see our comments within the Rainwater Goods section.

OUTSIDE AREAS

The property is in a parking permit area. We were advised that this is approximately £62 per six months which seems very reasonable, considering that we put into the parking meter about £8 during the course of the survey!

Communal Gardens

As far as we are aware there are no communal gardens to this property only the terrace.

Terrace heavily.

ACTION REQUIRED: Inspect the roof next time it rains to see what is happening with regard to the gutter. In the summer months we suggest you lift all the roof decking area and have a close inspection of the roof.

Neighbours below

Unfortunately although we knocked on the door of the neighbours below there was no one in. We also knocked on the adjoining property but there was no one in.

LOCAL AUTHORITY ENQUIRIES

When you booked this survey we asked you if you required us to carry out a verbal check on the status of the property with the Local Authority regarding whether it is a Listed Building, in a Conservation area and any history that is available over the phone with regard to Planning Applications and Building Control. In this instance you have not requested that we carry out this work.

Finally, your Solicitor should carry out Local Authority enquiries and any additional enquiries he/she feels necessary, advising us if they feel that we can have further input.

Finally, an extract from the book ’ÄúSold’Äù!

’ÄúWhen you receive your full structural survey (now known as a Building Survey) or House Buyers Report, do remember that you have requested a list of the property’Äôs faults so it is unlikely to make cheerful reading. Every property has its faults but what you are looking for are the serious ones. If your Report does reveal a serious problem that you had not anticipated when making your offer, the first thing to do is to decide whether you want to take on the repairs if an adjustment is made to the price. If you do, then get quotes for the work as quickly as possible and present your case in a fair manner. Most people are reasonable under such circumstances and will compromise but inevitably there are those who are sufficiently confident of their position to say take it or leave it. In a very active market, prices may have moved up sufficiently to cover the extra expenditure in theory and the vendor will not hasten to point this out but remember that he has probably got a vendor pressing him to proceed quickly and starting with a new purchaser will cause him delay’Äù

It is our policy not to offer a conclusion to ensure that the Building Survey is read in full and the comments are taken in context.

If you would like any further advice on any of the issues discussed (or indeed any that have not been discussed!) then please do not hesitate to contact us on 0800 298 5424.

For and on Behalf of

GEM Associates Limited

Chartered Surveyors

This Report is dated: xxxxxxxxxxx

REFERENCES

The repair and maintenance of houses

Published by Estates Gazette Limited

Life expectancies of building components

Published by Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and

Building Research Establishment

Surveying buildings

By Malcolm Hollis 4th edition published by Royal Institution of

Chartered Surveyors Books.

House Builders Bible

By Mark Brinkley, Published by Burlington Press

APPENDICES

LIMITATIONS

Our limitations are as the agreed Terms and Conditions of Engagement.

CONDITIONS OF ENGAGEMENT

The report has been prepared in accordance with our Conditions of Engagement dated xxxxxxxxxxx and should be regarded as a comment on the overall condition of the property and the quality of its structure and not as an inventory of every single defect. It relates to those parts of the property that were reasonably and safely accessible at the time of the inspection, but you should be aware that defects can subsequently develop particularly if you do not follow the recommendations.

ENGLISH LAW

We would remind you that this report should not be published or reproduced in any way without the surveyor’Äôs expressed permission and is governed by English Law and any dispute arising there from shall be adjudicated upon only by the English Courts.

SOLE USE

This report is for the sole use of the named Client and is confidential to the Client and his professional advisors. Any other persons rely on the Report at their own risk.

ONLY HUMAN!

Although we are pointing out the obvious, our Surveyors obviously can’Äôt see through walls, floors, heavy furniture, fixed kitchen units etc. they have therefore made their best assumptions in these areas.

As this is a one off inspection, we cannot guarantee that there are no other defects than those mentioned in the report and also that defects can subsequently develop.

WEATHER

It was an overcast but fairly warm winter’Äôs day at the time of the inspection. The weather did not hamper the survey.

We would add that some defects only become apparent upon physical occupation or are only present as a result of the extremes of weather (which are becoming a more frequent occurrence). As you are probably aware the year 2000 was the wettest year on record, 2003 the driest year on record and August 2004 was the wettest August on record in many areas, this may have adverse effects on lots of buildings in years to come.

NOT LOCAL

         It should be noted that we are not local surveyors to this area and are carrying out the work without the benefits of local knowledge on such things as soil conditions, aeroplane flight paths, and common defects in materials used in the area etc.

OCCUPIED PROPERTY

The property was occupied at the time of our survey, which meant that there were various difficulties when carrying out the survey such as stored items within cupboards, the loft space and obviously day-to-day household goods throughout the property. We have, however, done our best to work around these.

INSPECTION LIMITED

Unfortunately we were unable to access the other apartments which means we cannot comment on these areas or things that may affect this property. Unfortunately we have not seen a copy of the lease.

INFORMATION ON THE PROPERTY MARKET

We used to include within our reports articles on the property market that we thought would be of interest and informative to you, however we were concerned that in some cases these did not offer the latest information. We have therefore decided to recommend various websites to you, however it is important to realise the vested interest the parties may have and the limits to the information.

www.landreg.org.uk

This records the ownership of interests in registered land in England and Wales and issues a residential property price report quarterly, which is free of charge. The Land Registry is a Government body and records all transactions as far as we are aware, although critics of it would argue that the information is often many months out of date.

www.rics.org.uk

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors offer quarterly reports via their members. Although this has been criticised as being subjective and also limited, historically their predictions have been found to be reasonably accurate.

www.halifax.co.uk and www.nationwide.co.uk

Surveys have been carried out by these two companies, one now a bank and the other a building society for many years. Information from these surveys is often carried in the national press. It should be remembered that the surveys only relate to mortgaged properties, of which it is generally considered represents only 75% of the market. It should also be remembered that the national coverage of the two companies differs and that they may be offering various incentives on different mortgages, which may taint the quality of information offered. That said they do try to adjust for this, the success or otherwise of this is hard to establish.

www.hometrack.co.uk

From what we can see this is an internet based company who say they offer independent property research (in fact they say they are the only independent company), although they also advise that they are part of a property related group that has bought and sold over 60 million pounds worth of residential property, which indicates that they may have a vested interest. They do also comment that they have carried out their own independent surveys and they have at least two Hometrack recommended estate agents in each postcode area. We would refer you to the ’ÄòAbout us’Äô section within their website to understand better where their information is coming from. We would comment that we have been pleasantly surprised with the quality of information provided by the company.

Motleyfool.co.uk

We also like the Motley Fool website which is a general financial site and although it is selling financial services and other services they do tend to give a very readable view of the housing market.