We utilise photographs and sketches to illustrate issues or features. In some photographs a pencil has been used to highlight a specific area. The sketches are not 100% technically accurate; we certainly would not expect you to carry out work based upon the sketches alone.

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

Flat three is one of seven flats that are set within this newly converted property. The property benefits from communal entrance areas leading to the flat that is situated to the rear of the property.

The property is Leasehold. We have not seen copies of the Lease, but we would be happy to comment if the details are duly forwarded to us. As the property is Leasehold you will no doubt have a shared responsibility for common areas/common components. Common areas/common components include not only the access stairways and corridors but also other areas of shared use such as the roof structure and external walls and the drainage for example.

We believe that the property was originally built in the late 1800s with the recent conversion. If the exact 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:

EXTERNAL PHOTOGRAPHS

Front Elevation                                        Communal Entrance Area

Rear View                                                                Balcony

ACCOMMODATION AND FACILITIES

Communal Areas

The Communal Areas consists of:

• Entrance Lobby
• Shared Staircase

We have not seen any information on the estate agent’s details referring to parking, although we did speak to the nursery beneath who did think there were some parking spaces available. Your Legal Advisor needs to check and confirm this.

First Floor

The first floor accommodation consists of:

• Bathroom
• Bedroom
• Master Bedroom with En Suite Shower and access to the balcony
• Lounge and Kitchen (same room divided by doors) and access to the balcony

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.

Entrance Hallway                                                       Bathroom

Second Bedroom                                                   Master Bedroom

Living Room                                    Entrance to Kitchen                                       Kitchen             

     Communal Entrance Area                           Communal Staircase      

SUMMARY OF CONSTRUCTION

Here we give a summary of the construction of the entire property, not just your proposed purchase.

External

Internal

Services

We believe that the property has a mains water supply, mains drainage, electricity and gas (assumed).

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

Executive Summary

Summaries are dangerous as they try to précis often quite complex subjects into a few paragraphs. This is particularly so in a summary about someone’s 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 ‘character’ of this property you may think are very important. We have taken in the region of 50 plus photographs during the course of this survey and many pages of notes, so if an issue 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.

Generally we found the property to be in average condition considering it is new. There are a few specific issues which we would like you to consider in detail. We have divided the Executive Summary into ‘The Good’, ‘The Bad’ and ‘The Ugly’, to help distinguish what in our mind are the main issues.

The Good

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

• Newly refurbished.
• Character property.
• Balcony – albeit that it is located over and next to a nursery playground.

We are sure you can think of other things to add to this list.

The Bad

Problems / issues raised in the ‘bad’ section are usually solvable, but often need negotiation upon. However, a large number of them may sometimes put us off the property.

1) Leaning Chimney

To the left hand side there is a chimney;although this is very difficult to view it appears to be leaning (unless this is an optical illusion!). It could be leaning for many reasons, from deteriorating brickwork to what is known as sulphate attack. Whatever reason we suggest it is dealt with, otherwise it will become a future maintenance cost.

Under the terms of most leases you will have a shared responsibility for such items as this chimney.

ACTION REQUIRED: The chimney needs to be repaired.

ANTICIPATED COST: It will require scaffolding; therefore this alone is likely to cost above £1,000. The developer should pay for this work.

Please see the Chimneys Section of this Report.

2) No Clips To The Edge of The Slates

In our experience the manmade slates will be lifted by the wind unless they are clipped in position.

ACTION REQUIRED: Your Legal Advisor to specifically ask why these slates have not been clipped.

ANTICIPATED COST: Developer to pay for this work.

Please see the Roof Coverings Section of this Report.

3) Awkward Roof Layout

We noted when we viewed the roof (we only viewed about 70% of it) that there are some awkward roof details that have been brought about due to the mixture of roofs on the property. These include the parapet wall and associated flat roof areas; although neither of these are directly above your property.

4) Flat Roof – Balcony above you

There is a flat roof directly above you. We noted when we looked in the adjoining flats that there is a proposal to use the roof for a balcony area. There could be some noise transfer from this or, dependent upon the size of the balcony, you may be overlooked.

ACTION REQUIRED: Your Legal Advisor to carry out full investigations for you to confirm the proposal and establish the size.

Please see the Roof Coverings Section of this Report.

5) Brickwork

Unfortunately the re-pointing, whilst well meaning, is not appropriate for this type of construction. A cement mortar has been used rather than a lime based mortar. We recommend you use lime mortar in any future repairs regardless of what the builders say! Using lime mortar will limit further damage to the brickwork, which is almost impossible to repair successfully. However, we would add that many, if not most, of the properties that are re-pointed are re-pointed wrongly; it is only in recent years that we have discovered the problems that can occur from it.

Unfortunately this type of re-pointing encourages dampness and also spalling to softer red bricks.

Spalling Defined

Spalling occurs to brick or stone when water penetrates the surfaceand via freezing and thawing starts to cause deterioration to thesurface. This in turn allows further water penetration and the surface breaks up further. This ultimately can lead to water damage orstructural damage to the area.

ACTION REQUIRED: Lime mortar to be used in any future repairs.

Please see the Walls Section of this Report.

6) Balcony to the Rear

Whilst this is a nice feature we would also comment that you should appreciate how close you are to your neighbour’s balcony and also the nursery playing area is directly in front of the balcony and also underneath it.

             Your balcony                                  View of your balcony taken from next door’s balcony

ACTION REQUIRED: You need to re-visit the property and ensure you are happy with this arrangement.

7) Car Parking

There is very limited car parking for seven flats. We spoke to the nursery who advised that as far as they were aware there were just two parking spaces.

ACTION REQUIRED: Your Legal Advisor to investigate further.

Please see the Outside Areas Section of this Report.

8) En Suite Shower Room

The en suite shower room is very small. The w.c. in particular is positioned very close to the door and it is internal.

Please see the Bathrooms Section of this Report.

9) Multi Occupied Properties – Fire Alarms

This is not so much a ‘bad’ item but one where further investigation is recommended or required.

We would always recommend with a multi occupied property that you have a fully integrated fire alarm system, where if there is a fire in one section of the property you are advised of this and also given an indication as to where it is.

In addition to this there should be regular fire alarm drills.

ACTION REQUIRED: Your Legal Advisor to confirm whether this is the case.

10) View

This item is more a statement of fact. Although you may not notice at first the view is limited (although it could be argued that the majority of the properties in London have a limited view). This photo shows the view from the second bedroom, the adjacent 1960s block of flats, and from the master bedroom and lounge you can see the balcony.

 

 

The Ugly

We normally put here things that we feel will be difficult to resolve and will need serious consideration.

There are no items that we feel would fall within this category, although we were disappointed that the developer had wrongly re-pointed the brickwork.

Other Items

Moving on to more general information.

Living in Multi-Occupied Leasehold Properties

This is more a statement of information. There can be problems living in multi occupied properties with anything from noisy neighbours to non-contribution to the ‘sinking fund’. The property is Leasehold, which is very different to having a Freehold property, where you can almost literally do as you like (within the scope of the Law!).

Please see the attachment in the Appendices at the end of this Report.

Sinking Fund / Planned Maintenance - Future Work

With properties such as this there should be a planned maintenance program. We would expect this to be looking at and considering any anticipated works and associated costs at least ten years in advance.

ACTION REQUIRED: Your Legal Advisor to confirm future planned maintenance costs and expenditure.

ANTICIPATED COST: Your Legal Advisor to confirm.

Communal Areas

You need to confirm what the communal areas are.

ACTION REQUIRED: Your Legal Advisor to make enquiries.

Please see the Outside Areas Section of this Report.

Reactive / Day-to-Day Maintenance and Cyclical Maintenance

By reactive / day-to-day maintenance we mean work of a more immediate nature, such as repairs to leaking showers or blocked drains or entry door systems. By cyclical maintenance we mean maintenance carried out on a regular basis such as to the fire alarm system and the lifts and the garden maintenance.

Dependent upon the terms of your lease agreement some of this may come under your responsibility but be managed for you and re-charged back to you by the Management Company.

ACTION REQUIRED: Typically there is a Service Charge for day-to-day maintenance / reactive maintenance and also cyclical maintenance. Your Legal Advisor to confirm costs.

Electrics

As the installation is new we would expect an Institute of Electrical Engineers’ (IEE) Certificate to be available.

ACTION REQUIRED: Your solicitor to request an Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE) test and report.

Boiler / Central Heating

Again, as the property is newly converted we would expect a CORGI certificate to be available on the property.

ACTION REQUIRED: Your solicitor to request a CORGI certificate.

Maintenance

Although the property is over 100 years old it has recently undergone the refurbishment and ‘repair work’ and therefore maintenance should be at the minimum to start off with. However, we would draw your attention to the appropriateness of the some of the repairs, for example the cement mortar re-pointing of the lime mortar walls. Please see the Walls Section of this Report.

DIY/Handyman Type Work

In this section we would normally comment upon smaller/less skilled jobs that you can carry out by yourself or get a handyman in to do, however under a normal lease (assuming a full repairing and insuring lease) these type of jobs are typically the responsibility of the Landlord (albeit that they usually recharge it to you) with usually only the internal of the property being your responsibility.

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 “ACTION REQUIRED” 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 £75 and £100 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.

Would you buy a house based on this? This is an actual Building Society Valuation Survey, but the names and address have been changed.
BUILDIDNG SOCIETY VALUATION	GUIDANCE NOTES You have chosen a valuation report which is a limited inspection of the property highlighting only those items which we consider will materially affect value. It is prepared on instructions from The Building Society in accordance with the RICS Specification for Residential Mortgage Valuations a copy of which is available on request. Valuers cannot see through solids or see things that are hidden by wall and floor coverings. They will not move furniture or obstructions inside or outside, lift carpets, crawl under floors, climb ladders outside or go on roofs or fully enter roof spaces. Valuers will look at the outside of the property from the garden and adjacent public areas. Services including central heating system have not been tested. You still have the option to request a more detailed report and we would be pleased to help you with this. The valuer has assumed the property information supplied is correct although your conveyancer should verify this. If you wish to discuss any aspect of this report please contact the valuer. Do not forget to read the Advice for Applicants – it is important. GUIDANCE NOTES CONT.. You have chosen a valuation report which is a limited inspection of the property highlighting only those items which we consider will materially affect value. It is prepared on instructions from The Building Society in accordance with the RICS Specification for Residential Mortgage Valuations a copy of which is available on request. Valuers cannot see through solids or see things that are hidden by wall and floor coverings. They will not move furniture or obstructions inside or outside, lift carpets, crawl under floors, climb ladders outside or go on roofs or fully enter roof spaces. Valuers will look at the outside of the property from the garden and adjacent public areas. Services including central heating system have not been tested. You still have the option to request a more detailed report and we would be pleased to help you with this. The valuer has assumed the property information supplied is correct although your conveyancer should verify this. If you wish to discuss any aspect of this report please contact the valuer. Do not forget to read the Advice for Applicants – it is important.
Mr and Mrs Worried 1 Old House Old Road Old Town
PROPERTY: New House New Road New Town Roll No: 12345678 Date Inspected: 11 November 2003
DESCRIPTION: Type/Accommodation: A two bedroom semi detached bungalow Neighbourhood: The property is in a private residential area Age: The property is around 40 years old
CONSTRUCTION: Walls: Roof Roof: Tiled Services: All mains services are availableVALUATION & MARKET COMMENT In its present condition and with the current state of the property market my Valuation of the property is £170,000
MATTERS AFFECTING VALUE: In addition to items of routine maintenance and repair, urgent repairs are required to the following:- There is structural movement to the garage. You now need to get a structural engineer (or chartered building surveyor) to make a detailed investigation providing you with a full report identifying the cause, together with the costs of the work necessary to ensure future stability. I cannot give a valuation until I have seen the report. External woodwork requires overhaul, repair or replacement. Aspects of the service installations give cause for concern and you should obtain specialist advice. The garage roof is thought to contain asbestos material which may represent a health hazard. You should instruct a licensed specialist to check the property, as remedial work may be required. This work could be expensive and may have to comply with legal requirements.
MATTERS FOR YOUR CONVEYANCER Tenure: I understand the property is freehold.
VALUER Signature: Name: Address: Telephone: