If you are involved in a property transaction or a property is in question as part of another process or deal, you may have decided to or been advised to appoint a Surveyor.
But how should you go about choosing a Surveyor and how do you know if you’ve got the right Surveyor for the job?
We take a look at some of the key factors to consider when appointing a Surveyor.
Opt for Chartered
First and foremost, you will want to be sure that you choose a Chartered Surveyor that is employed by a firm recognised by The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Only surveyors that have undergone the rigorous training required to become accepted by the RICS can use the title ‘Chartered’. By choosing a Chartered Surveyor, you can be certain that the individual conducting your survey is suitably trained, experienced and regulated and that there is a professional system of redress should you have a complaint or cause for concern.
Residential vs commercial
Traditionally, being a Chartered Surveyor has been associated with undertaking survey reports on residential properties. However, commercial property work is just as important for many firms of Chartered Surveyors – with individual Chartered Surveyors often specialising in this area alone.
At Lea Hough, our Building Surveying team offer a wide range of services relating to commercial properties, including Schedules of Condition, Pre-Acquisition Surveys, Pre-Lease Surveys and Schedules of Dilapidations. Any transaction involving commercial property can potentially carry a significant degree of risk and the professional advice we provide helps clients make commercially viable decisions.
Equally, our Residential Property team has a large amount of expertise to assist buyers and sellers. Our most frequent services include Valuation Reports, RICS Home Survey Reports and Building Survey Reports. As well as having a reputation for providing trusted expertise to residential clients for over 35 years, we are able to provide the added bonus of local knowledge.
Local vs national
Biggest isn’t always best when choosing a firm of Chartered Surveyors. Large national suppliers might seem like a safe bet, but these firms are likely to lack the personal touch a regional firm will have.
Due to our firm’s long-established presence in the local area, our team provide professional expertise with the added benefit of local knowledge. In addition, whilst you are unlikely to be able to access the individual that conducted your report at a large firm, you are likely to be able to do so at a local firm of Surveyors. Having this option means clients will be able to ask any questions they may have – which can prove vital when making important decisions about a property.
Select your specialist
Over the years the profession has evolved, becoming more varied and allowing for a number of specialisms to develop. A regional firm of Chartered Surveyors of a reasonable size is likely to have individuals that have certain areas of expertise or interest. This can often assist with certain specialist types of property – for example listed buildings, properties with land or a specific category of building, such as schools – meaning you get access to a better service and more knowledge.
To find out more about Lea Hough’s range of services to individuals, commercial entities, public bodies and other organisations, take a look through our Services and Sector pages.
For a discussion with one of our specialists, please get in touch.
