1. The terms under which the Surveyor will carry out the Level 2 Survey are set out below. Any amendment to the Terms of Engagement must be agreed in writing by both parties before the surveyor undertakes the inspection.
2. THE INSPECTION
The inspection will include all parts of the property which are visible whilst standing at ground level within the boundaries of the site and adjacent public/accessible areas and whilst standing at various floor levels. The surveyor will use binoculars where needed.
(a) Accessibility and Voids
The Surveyor will inspect as much of the surface area of the structure as is practicable within the restrictions imposed by occupation, furniture, fittings and floor coverings, and will not inspect areas, which are covered, unexposed or inaccessible. Screwed down access hatches including manhole inspection chambers and service ducts will not be removed.
(b) Floors
The Surveyor will lift accessible sample loose floorboards and trap doors, if any, which are not covered by heavy furniture, ply or hardboard, carpets or other floor coverings. The Surveyor will not attempt to raise fixed floorboards.
(c) Roofs
The Surveyor will inspect the roof spaces if there are available hatches and they are readily accessible. The Surveyor will have a ladder of sufficient height to gain access to a roof hatch or to a single storey roof, not more than 3.0m (10ft) above the floor or adjacent ground. It might not therefore be possible to inspect roofs above this level; in such a case, pitched roofs will be inspected using binoculars.
The Surveyor will follow the guidance in Surveying Safely, health and safety principles for property professionals, 2nd edition, issued by the RICS in November 2018, which covers working with residential property.
(d) Structural Timber
Inspection of the roof voids and beneath floors, where access is available, is confined to overall design and construction, individual timbers are not specifically examined although if material defects are observed such defects will be recorded in the report.
(e) Walls
Wherever possible the fabric will be examined for evidence of material structural movement but no excavations will be made.
(f) Boundaries, Grounds and Outbuildings
The inspection will include boundaries, grounds and outbuildings. Specialist leisure facilities, including swimming pools and tennis courts will not be inspected.
(g) Services
The Surveyor will carry out a visual inspection of the service installation where accessible. Manhole covers will be lifted where accessible and practicable. No comment can be made on the practicality of using chimneys and flues. Surveyors do not carry out specific tests on services. The Surveyors will report any faults apparent from the visual examination and make recommendations for any specific testing by a specialist.
(h) Areas Not Inspected
The Surveyor will identify any areas which would normally be inspected but which he was unable to inspect and indicate where he considers that access should be obtained or formed, and additionally will advise on possible or probable defects based on evidence of what he has been able to see.
The report will not purport to express an opinion or advise upon the condition of un-inspected parts and should not be taken as making any implied representation or statement about such parts. Theoretical calculations to check size and/or adequacy of structural elements will not be made.
3. DELETERIOUS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(a) Unless otherwise expressly stated in the report, the Surveyor will assume that no deleterious or hazardous materials or techniques have been used in the construction of the property. However, the Surveyor will advise in the report if, in his view, there is a likelihood that High Alumina Cement (HAC) concrete has been used in the construction and that, in such cases, specific enquiries should be made or tests carried out by a specialist.
(b) Lead water supply pipes and asbestos will be noted, and advice given, if these can be seen but it must be appreciated that such materials are often only visible after opening up which cannot be carried out at the risk of causing damage – see paragraph 2(a) above.
(c) The Surveyor will advise in the report if the property is in an area where based on information published by the National Radiological Protection Board there is a risk of Radon. In such cases the Surveyor will advise that tests should be carried out to establish the Radon level.
(d) The Surveyor will advise if there are transformer stations or overhead power lines which might give rise to an electro-magnetic field, either over the subject property or visible immediately adjacent to the property, but the Surveyor cannot assess any possible effect on health. For obvious reasons the Surveyor cannot report on any underground cables.
4. CONTAMINATION
The Surveyor will not comment upon the existence of contamination as this can only be established by appropriate specialists. Where, from his local knowledge or the inspection, he considers that contamination might be a problem, he should advise as to the importance of obtaining a report from an appropriate specialist.
5. CONSENTS, APPROVALS AND SEARCHES
(a) The Surveyor will assume that the property is not subject to any unusual or especially onerous restrictions or covenants which apply to the structure or affect the reasonable enjoyment of the property.
(b) The Surveyor will assume that all Byelaws, Building Regulations and other consents required have been obtained. In the cases of new buildings, and alterations and extensions which require Statutory Consents or Approvals, the Surveyor will not verify whether such consents have been obtained. Enquiries should be made by the Client or their Legal Advisers. Drawings and specifications will not be inspected by the Surveyor.
(c) The Surveyor will assume that the property is unaffected by any matters which would be revealed by a Local Search and replies to the usual Enquiries, or by a Statutory Notice, and that neither the property, nor its condition, nor its intended use, is or will be unlawful.
6. FEES AND EXPENSES
The Client will pay the agreed fee for the report and any expressly agreed disbursements in addition prior to the inspection and release of the report. Fees paid in advance are not regarded as “Client’s Money” as defined by the RICS Rules of Conduct.
7. RESTRICTION OF DISCLOSURE
The report is for the sole use of the named Client and is confidential to the Client and their professional Advisers. Any other persons rely on the report at their own risk. The report is not subject to the provisions of the (Right to Contracts of Third Parties) Act 1999.
8. VALUATION - GENERALLY
The survey report will not include a Valuation. A valuation can be provided upon request for an additional fee.
9. CANCELLATION - IMPORTANT
The Client shall be entitled to cancel the instruction by notifying the instructing office at any time before the day of inspection.
10. COMPLAINTS
In the unlikely event of the client being dissatisfied at any time with the service or report provided, a copy of MC SURVEYING Complaint Handling Procedure is available on request.
11. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST (Where Applicable)
MC SURVEYING do not pay a referral fee to any party who may have recommended them.
12. MC SURVEYING do not comment on the nature and intended future use of the property.
13. MC SURVEYING will aim to complete reports within 5 working days from the day of inspection and will email the report to the client in a PDF format. We do not have the facility to print and post hard copies of the report.
14. If the property does not comply with Health & Safety as per the Surveying Safely, health and safety principles for property professionals, 2nd edition, issued by the RICS in November 2018, the surveyor may have to abort the inspection. Abortive fees may be charged if the client was aware of the unsuitability for inspection at any point before the inspection took place.
Similarly, if the property has excessive storage (e.g. hoarding) and the property is not practical to survey due to too many restrictions, the inspection may have to be aborted and an abortive fee will be charged if the client was aware of this.
15. We will not share your personal information with any third party. However, as a RICS regulated firm our files may be subject to monitoring and we will have to provide our files to RICS if requested for audit or similar purposes.
16. MC SURVEYING will recommend on which level of report is the most suitable for the client's needs. However, the client should make their own informed decision on the type of report needed.