How to avoid buying a wreck. Live Q&A with RICS Surveyor

RICS Associate Surveyor Daniel Knight, Director of HomeScan Surveyors www.homescansurveyors.com/ talks to Charlie about the good, bad and ugly of surveys.
Listen to this video on Audio podcast on Spotify or Apple podcasts, or here: www.buzzsprout.com/2109129/14...
Get your property search packs from Charlie here: mhwc.co.uk/property-pack/
Why going cheap is a really bad idea and what you should expect to pay.
Modern inspection techniques not everyone is using: drones, camera poles, thermal imaging.
Why damp meters aren’t damp meters.
Difference between a good and bad report. What to look out for.
Why have one in the first place: some examples of defects not obvious to a lay person.
Difference between AssocRICS, MRICS, FRICS and why it doesn’t matter.
Overall what to expect from a survey with some green flags and red flags. Reasonable limitations vs ass covering.
All my links: linktr.ee/movinghomewithcharlie

[@stephengreen8986]

Attempting to move house is a big financial step. It's easy to spend 100's and £1000's and be back to square one. Tough when money is tight.

[@aybgim3850]

Thanks Charlie, this is one of the most useful videos for me as a FTB. I would also appreciate an interview with an asbestos surveyor as it is one of the most common problems that become deal breakers

[@louisemartin7728]

Thank you Daniel, David and Charlie. Such a helpful discussion 🌟✨🌟

[@MovingHomewithCharlie]

Glad it was helpful!

[@EastoftheDanube]

I asked the L3 surveyor to pay particular attention to the roof and the windows. I also asked for costings. To be fair on the seller they admitted a window was “knackered”. However, I didn’t realise it would cost £5k to fix it! The surveyor missed it, it was quite obvious it needed replacing. All he had to do was pull up the Venetian blind. Any fool could see it needed replacing and not just fixing. This is a listed building, hence the cost, inc. scaffolding. He missed other things too and the surveying company has now gone into administration, not surprisingly. I wouldn’t bother with a survey again. I’ll get a roofer and a skilled tradesmen to assess it. Surveyors just cover their arses with “you should get a professional …… Christ, if a buyer spent time getting a second opinion on everything they recommended no house would ever be sold given it’s not easy to find tradesmen. This country is so corrupt it beggars belief.

[@tomroland5467]

A very useful video. My level 2 survey was £740. Basically it was presented on a standard form with a traffic light system to indicate how significant an issue was. It actually had very little dialogue. However, the surveyor agreed to an informal chat after the report was issued which proved to be more useful as he could offer a bit more explanantion. I think surveyors are more open if it's "off the record". One point that wasn't mentioned is some surveyors have links with estate agents although mine did make a declaration up front.

[@toiletrollholder]

70% of the survey narrative was 'backside covering' in my recent survey. Took me ages to work out what was relevant and what was guff 😂. Didn't buy it in the end but am about to arrange the survey on another purchase. You have the option to accompany the surveyor now 👍

[@filipdobrin6515]

Good to know there is someone that does quality work in my area .

[@Leapops]

Good quality discussion. Thought provoking - thanks.

[@11mar79]

Paid a surveyor and he doesn’t reply to emails. The survey took one hour and despite confirming a damp meter would be used it wasn’t. Two weeks and still no report and no answer to my emails. Very kind and polite before the payment. Dismissive and elusive after it. My personal opinion is they are crooks and take advantage of people’s fears, ripping them off with a service that should cost no more than £50 an hour.

[@MovingHomewithCharlie]

You got a bad one. Make a complaint to RICS

[@hannahskeels3921]

What a great interview VERY informative!

[@adriancross5531]

That was great, thanks guys 👍

[@Billy-ym1uv]

Very useful and educational video. Thank you Charlie.

[@g.p616]

Daniel was an excellent interviewee; His candid approach to answering questions was a great advert for his services…… and the guy could pass for 25-26😂!

[@manling13]

I just wanna know what moisturiser Daniel uses 🤣

[@stephengreen8986]

Daniel is very good. I would use him on an old house assessment. I know people who really should have had a snagging survey on a new build. I think that would save a lot of buyers remorse.

[@g.p616]

Basically there needs to be a Level 3* report option on £1M+ properties. Removing floor boards; hacking off plaster in key areas, scaffolding towers erected, Access to ALL areas of the property using safety equipment ( roof spaces and voids). Maybe £5,000, but money well spent.

[@Lyn-in-Herts]

I bought a property which came back with a clear mundic block survey .... ten years down the line when I was selling the property had mundic block? how?

[@MovingHomewithCharlie]

A good question for your initial surveyor!

[@GHchick09]

Thank you for this. I’m a first time buyer and wanted to understand what you mean by new build. I know they say these are new properties where nobody has lived but does a property under 10 years old count as new build?

[@MovingHomewithCharlie]

No, they are only new builds if you're the first person to move into it.

[@GHchick09]

@@MovingHomewithCharlie Thank you. My broker said I didn’t need a level 2/3 survey because the property is still new. It will be 10 years old in December.

[@toiletrollholder]

​@@GHchick09possibly means it is still covered by the 10 year NHBC guarantee? Personally I would still survey it as there may be something that will become a problem after the guarantee has expired. There may be issues the seller hasn't noticed but could be fixed under the existing guarantee if found in time.

[@madmountainman5197]

Late question. Will a snagging report pick up a failure in compliance on Building Regs? If not, what will?

[@MovingHomewithCharlie]

That was answered in the video

[@clairedelamare7076]

Hi all, wondering does anyone have a recommendation for a surveyor covering north London area? Many thanks

[@ellensamir374]

Next time invite an auctioneer. 😊

[@neilcharlton]

When buying a survey I always thought to go with the grey haired guy with decades of experience. But this young chap has changed my view on that.

[@aybgim3850]

Cash buyers don't care because they buy to let. Until one day they decide to sell and it turns out the property has a whole bunch of problems.

[@stephengreen8986]

What evidence do you have to support that. If cash buyers deliberately bought damp subsiding properties they would look to pay less. I suspect some people over estimate their abilities to assess a property.

[@aybgim3850]

@@stephengreen8986 Never said they do it deliberately, they are just much less concerned about potential problems than FTBs who make a once in a lifetime purchase spending all they have. I have personally seen cash buyers buying without a survey or a search pack and then selling 3 months later for no obvious reasons. And I have seen a landlord property with asbestos in the roof insulation and ceilings, and with a boiler installed without an entry in the Local Authority.

[@stevo728822]

BTL with a mortgage requires insurance. No insurance, no mortgage.

[@georgesotiriou7051]

Would it not be more sensible for the seller to provide a report to every prospective buyer adhering to certain standards? Why the hell multiple prospective buyers pay to survey the same home?

[@MovingHomewithCharlie]

We covered that question in the video. Buyers wouldn’t trust surveys paid for by the seller.

[@georgesotiriou7051]

@@MovingHomewithCharlie What about Scotland?