Buying a house/flat is one of the biggest financial decisions you will ever have to make, so you will want to make sure you know all the facts before you decide whether to go ahead
Anderson Associates are expert Chartered Building Surveyors, providing services in East & South-East London, Essex, Suffolk and Kent.
Here we look at 5 reasons why it is always a good idea to use an independent chartered building surveyor when preparing to move.
No Conflict of Interest
Many banks and building societies, as well as estate agents and mortgage brokers, may encourage you to rely on a lender valuation or home buyer survey – but we don’t consider this adequate enough on its own. With independent chartered surveyors, there will be no potential conflict of interest, because they are working directly for you, rather than for your lender.
For you as a buyer, it is best to get the view of someone who can take an independent view and is not linked to the lender or agent. After all, it is your money and you are preparing to make a major investment.
A Personal Service
Rather than just receiving a report, with an independent building surveyor you can raise any issues you are concerned about before they go to look at the property. You can also talk to them afterwards, about any issues in their report, and get a full idea of how much work is needed, including the seriousness of any problems they have highlighted, how long it will take to put them right, and how much it will cost to do so. This will help you to feel confident that you are making an informed decision.
Saving You Money
Paying for an independent chartered surveyor will be a worthwhile investment both in the short and longer term. Being fully informed may influence how much you offer for the property, so it could well save you money during the buying process.
Looking further ahead, the last thing you will want as a homebuyer is to have to spend money on additional repairs and restoration because you did not have a full survey, or relied on a report which was not as comprehensive or independent. Given that the average asking price of a property in London is around £500,000, buyers will want to avoid additional expenditure which could have been avoided.
Expertise
If you appoint an independent surveyor, you can be sure you can rely on their advice and findings. A chartered building surveyor is an expert and will advise you over which type of survey is right for you. A full building survey, which will list all the property’s defects, is usually the best way to give yourself maximum peace of mind, while a structural survey may be the preferred option if there is a question over the building’s structural stability.
High Standards
Members of the profession are registered with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. (RICS). If choose a surveyor who is a member of the RICS, you can be sure they are fully professional and required to meet the highest standards. RICS members ensure their skills are constantly kept up to date, and have professional indemnity insurance, as well as protecting you via a complaints handling procedure.
If you are considering buying a property in East London and looking for chartered building surveyors, Anderson Associates can advise you. We also provide our expert surveys in Suffolk, Essex, Kent and South East London.
