Choosing the right chartered surveyor

Purchasing property is a multi-stage process, buyers face many decisions and choices along the way and one such question posed to you may be whether or not you need a chartered surveyor and what to look for when choosing one. Whilst mortgage providers conduct valuations of properties it is usually highly recommended you conduct your own survey of a building. Surveying the state and condition of a building is obviously of the utmost importance and commissioning a survey which gets under the skin of the property is often a hugely valuable asset to acquire as a buyer.

It helps to make sure you take your time in looking for the correct surveyors. You need to see what their service offering is and how they will be able to help you. It also helps to see what other services they may be able to help you along with too. For example the legal side or conveyancing. Also, see too if they are able to work in sync with estate agents and builders too. 

What work does a chartered surveyor carry out?

Whilst you’ll know the general or rough value of your property from its valuation report or other information provided by estate agents and mortgage providers, commissioning your own survey provides a clear picture of the state of a property. This includes its structural history, present condition and predictions of changes, repairs, issues and ongoing maintenance requirements to maintain standards. Chartered surveyors can also provide information on property development and modification ranging from planning permission advice for extensions or future builds, renovation advice for changing various parts of the building and whether plans are likely to be approved in the building’s local and environmental context.

Who they will work with

Chartered surveyors will also work closely with the authorities, e.g. councils, to properly square any future plans and establish whether or not they can work legally. Chartered surveyors, therefore, establish the state of a property comprehensively which is an extremely valuable asset in its own right.

Feel free to ask for a sample report ahead of works proceeding

Ask any surveyors you are considering for a sample report. Ideally, this will be an actual report they have carried out for someone but with any sensitive information removed. What you are looking for here is a surveyor who is detailed in their report, not just copying and pasting standard statements and one which is clear in their feedback without simply trying to cover their own back all the time.

See how soon they may be able to proceed with the survey

Some surveyors are busier than others, therefore asking how quickly they can carry out your desired survey and get the report back to you is vitally important. Remember, the sooner you get a survey conducted after having an offer accepted, the better. It will allow you to move forward more quickly, whatever the outcome. So, check the lead time your surveyor has on providing your report before you give them the go-ahead.

You should also check all of the following points also:

• Whether the surveyor is a qualified RICS chartered surveyor
• If the surveyor can do the survey you want to carry out
• How local they are to the area the property is located in
• What kind of price they charge
• If they provide a good quality report that’s recommended by others
• How quickly they can carry out the report

Vitally important – Qualifications and accreditations

When it comes to finding a reputable surveyor, there is one professional body that all should be accredited by – namely RICS (the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors). While all surveyors should have passed at least a course accredited by RICS, only a fully qualified chartered surveyor has the right to use the letters MRICS after their name.

This can be especially important to look out for in certain situations. For example, you may need a highly qualified surveyor if the property is particularly unique or unusual. Fully qualified chartered surveyors will be able to carry out even the most complicated of surveys and, let’s face it, with house prices as they are, would you trust anyone less than a fully qualified professional to handle your affairs? This is in no way a service to rush of cut corners on. You need to take your time and make sure you hire the right people for the job from the offset.

Make sure they will be clear in keeping you in the loop of any key updates and information

Being able to discuss your report is an important element to the process, so you’ll want to choose a surveyor who has demonstrated that they have decent communication skills. Ways to assess this include their speed in replying to emails, as well as how they conduct themselves both face to face and over the telephone.

Do you feel as though you are being treated in the correct manner? Are you made to feel that your enquiries are a priority, or simply being placed on a pile to be dealt with as and when? Do you get the impression that you’ll receive a personal service or will you be just another client? Following your gut instinct with this point will usually stand you in good stead.

Price

Finally, there’s the price. Now the predictable advice here would be to shop around and get the best price possible. However, this may not always be the best way to go. We believe you should take all the above into account first, then look at the price. After all, buying property is widely regarded as the most expensive purchase we’re ever likely to make. Make sure everything’s as it should be is vitally important, and a good surveyor will be able to assure you of that. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for. Paying that little bit extra can be well worth it in this instance.

Following these points should land you a high-quality surveyor. This should help to make this particular part of the home buying process that little bit easier. As a process, you can really make it all the more easy when you hire the right people. This is where it pays time and time again to carry out the research of who to hire. Having a properly qualified chartered surveyor to carry out your work will pay time and time again in the long run.