In This Guide
Apply for a mortgage
Buying at auction
Buying in Scotland
Conveyancing
Find and view
Negotiate
Plan your purchase
Success and failure
Surveys and valuations
1. Surveys
2. Basic mortgage valuation
3. Basic valuation example
4. Homebuyer's report
5. Homebuyer's report example
6. The surveyor's inspection
7. Full structural survey
8. Choosing surveyors
9. Complaints
To buy or not to buy
Surveys and valuations
Choosing surveyors
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There are two stages to choosing a surveyor. Firstly, you have to find a company that is ready and able to take on the work. Secondly, you have to make sure that they are up to the task for which you want to hire them.
This is the easy part. There are numerous avenues you can explore:
1. SiteFinder. We have prepared reviews of the websites of many chartered surveyors and since you're on the web already, this isn't a bad place to start. Right at the top of this category is a search form that allows you to search an online directory of all the member firms of RICS, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Click here to search the directory.
2. Your mortgage lender. Using the surveyor suggested by your mortgage lender is often the easiest option. This is fine if you are only having a basic valuation, especially since the lender may well have negotiated a special deal on price. For more sophisticated or specialist work, it may be more advisable to arrange a survey independently.
3. Personal recommendation. As with many trades and services, the recommendation of a trusted friend can be influential when choosing your provider. Don't forget to ask your solicitor and your estate agent too - they do deal with surveyors day in, day out.
4. Governing body. If you are still stuck, you can contact either of the professional trade associations directly. They should be able to provide you with a shortlist of several surveyors that operate in your area.
5. Yellow pages. If all else fails (and it almost certainly won't!) you can always look someone up in the yellow pages.
If you are arranging a survey independently, it is worthwhile
checking up on the company. Like most industries, the world of
surveying is not entirely free from cowboys. Using them is great
in farming, ranching, and other industries that involve horses,
but most of us would rather have a qualified professional deal
with something as important as judging the wisdom of such a large
investment.
They should always be a member of the main professional trade association - The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). If they are a member of the Royal Institute, you can recognise them by the letters ARICS, FRICS or TechRICS after their name. Most good surveyors will also have an ISO 9002 certification. This is an independent verification that they can have carried out to check and control the quality of their service.
Not all surveyors are experts in all types of property. Make sure that any company you choose is highly knowledgeable about your particular style of building. This is particularly important if your property has any unusual features.
Discuss the full details of what you require with any prospective company, the kind of survey that will be undertaken and how much it will cost you. Certified operators will always confirm your instructions in writing, usually within two working days. This will give you qualifications, costs and the details of the service that is to be performed on your property. If this doesn't arrive then you may have found yourself a cowboy posing as a genuinely qualified surveyor. You can check with the governing body to make sure that the qualifications are genuine by phoning the RICS information centre on 020 7222 7000.
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