Standard Terms and conditions of Engagement

This Practice works to the current and advisory recommendations of the Royal Institution Of Chartered
Surveyors, and Professional Indemnity Insurance is kept in force at all times in accordance with the stipulations
of the RICS. These notes are forwarded to you as the RICS wishes to ensure their surveyors fully explain the
nature of the report you are commissioning and what the reporting may achieve.

Fees:
The structural Survey will be carried out to a fixed Fee as agreed with the Client and noted by way of covering
letter. The fee will be payable upon presentation of the survey report.
Our fees are inclusive of expenses, travel, and printing / postage, but do not include VAT which will be
charged at the current rate.
The quoted fee is based on gaining access to the building on the dates and times agreed. Return visits will be
charged at our standard hourly rate.
The contents of the report are for the instructing party only, and will not extend to any third party in terms of
information contained therein or express liability of this Practice. Similarly, no reproduction of the whole or part
of the report is to be undertaken without the written consent of this Practice.
Additional fees will be charged at our standard hourly rate of 75.00 per hour for further advices and more
detailed work on any aspect of the report findings. Such additional work could be for example to inspect
outbuildings, boundary walls or additional buildings not discussed at the survey Instruction. Other matters may
include aiding you with Insurance Rebuild Assessments, defect / repair costs, specification notes, local builders
/ specialists, or overseeing repair works by the current owner.

The Property Survey:

There are many variations to reporting on a building, and its structural condition. This Practice does not carry
out Home Buyers Reports or Valuations. We specialise in either Basic or Full Structural Surveys, as identified
below.
The aim of our Property Reports is to provide a general overview of the buildings state of repair and identify any
shortcomings in its building materials. The report will not contain a specification of works or costings to put
right noted defects, and these additional Services can be agreed with you as a further instruction as required.
The Property Report will provide a record of the construction and materials used, a broad appraisal of the
condition. advice on necessary repairs or modifications to remedy defects, disadvantages in relation to todays
recommended standards, describes further investigations necessary to support a firm opinion and provide
general advice as to the suitability of the building for the intended use.
The building to be inspected should ideally be unoccupied and completely empty of furniture and floor
coverings. This is seldom the case and we therefore undertake an inspection to a depth that is practical in the
circumstances found on site to avoid damage to the building and its contents or the cost of the excessive time
involved. Unfortunately, we will not be able to confirm that all such covered, inaccessible or otherwise hidden
parts of the building are free from fungal decay, beetle infestation or other defects, although we will look for any
indirect evidence during our time on site.

List of constructions to be surveyed:

Our headings and research will focus on the following issues when inspecting your potential purchase
and carrying out a Basic Structural Survey (generally based on the Home Buyers Survey format):
INSTRUCTIONS
CLIENT
GENERAL PROPERTY DESCRIPTION
LOCATION

GENERAL ITEMS FOR THE PURCHASES SOLICITOR

FLOODING
MAIN ROOFS
RAINWATER GOODS
CHIMNEY STACKS
MAIN EXTERNAL WALLS
DAMPNESS ISSUES
EXTERNAL JOINERY
FLOORS
FOUNDATIONS AND SETTLEMENT
CELLARS
INTERNAL PARTITIONS

Also, should you instruct us to effect a Full Structural Property Survey we will additionally visually
survey and report on the following headings:
WINDOWS AND DOORS
INTERNAL JOINERY
CEILING AND INTERNAL FINISHES
THERMAL INSULATION
OUTBUILDINGS
SERVICE INSTALLATIONS:
ELECTRICAL
HEATING / HOT WATER
BELOW GROUND DRAINAGE
ABOVE GROUND WASTES:

General closing issues that are addressed in all report formats:

SECURITY
FIRE PRECAUTIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS
HIDDEN WORKS
LIMITATIONS
CONCLUSIONS

Notes on the extent & possible limitations of a survey:

Roofs and associated elements: The roof(s) will be inspected externally from ground level (or
localised vantage points). Low level roofs could be closely examined with the use of our 4 stage
surveyors ladder (vertical reach: 2.80m) Internal inspection will be via adequately sized loft access
hatches.
Subsoil conditions & Foundations: No trial pits will be excavated to expose the foundations or
localised drainage. W e will refer to our local knowledge of the subsoil conditions and speak to
Building Control if necessary to understand the regional soil variations. No comment will be made
on land contamination (we do not specialise in this area) and any Solicitors land check will provide
only basic search material that may require you to instruct a specialist in the field to comment
further in detail.
Walls: Visual inspection only and no opening up of the fabric will be carried out.
Floors and staircases: W here fully fitted coverings are at the Building we might only be able to
look at floor corners by turning back loose coverings. No floor boards will be lifted.
Kitchen Fittings: W e do not comment on any Kitchen or Utility fittings.
Sanitaryware / drainage: W e carry out visual inspections only of such fittings, and trace visually
the flow of waste water from appliances to drains, manholes, and onto the boundary of the
property. W herever possible drain covers will be lifted.

Service Installations: A totally visual inspection only will be effected on all the water, heating, hot
water, electrical, and gas installations. No efficiency calculations will be carried out, but where the
visual survey highlights potential defects we will guide you to separately instruct a Specialist in the
field to attend the property and report in more detail. Nevertheless, not withstanding the Report
findings it is always sensible to instruct Specialist Service Engineers wherever no guarantees or
updated Certification is currently available.
Items for the Solicitor: W e will not contact Statutory Boards or Local Authorities (with the possible
exception of Building Control regarding subsoil conditions) these matters will need to form part of
your legal searches, but your solicitor may need our expertise in possible site specific issues
arising from their searches. Other matters your solicitor should include to do:
we will look for obvious deleterious materials on site but an enquiry should be made by
your solicitor of any known products in the building.
check for ownership of the land, rights of way and ownership of boundaries
planning and building regulation consents
party wall awards (if applicable)
guarantees or warranties for any element of the building, or recent work effected
You are recommended to show sight of the Survey Report to your Solicitor.

Thanking you for your valued instruction

BATTRAM ASSOCIATES
Chartered Building Surveyors
89 Akeman Street
Tring, Herts, HP23 6AA
Also at Knightsbridge, London / High Wycombe, Bucks
Tel: 01442 890019 Fax: 07092 808129