Inspection Flashcards
What is the purpose of surveying safely?
The purpose of surveying safely is to set out the good practice principles of the management of health and safety for RICS regulated firms and RICS members
What does surveying safely set out?
The principles for property professionals and includes health and safety responsibilities at a corporate level and for individual RICS members
What is Cluttons lone working policy?
When attending site alone, employees should discuss the task with their line manager to establish if this is safe to conduct alone and what procedures are required to ensure safety.
This includes making a diary invite for my line manager and I that details the address and contact details of the on site contact. Expected timings and travel arrangements.
I also use the stay safe app to check in and out of sites, my line manager and another safe person has access to my status on this app.
What physical factors would impact value?
Defects
Contamination
Tenant improvements
State of Repair
DDA compliance
Why is it important to take photos on site?
To ensure good records are kept and to identify the specification and any defects.
Good reference point when working on the instruction.
Helpful for a colleague peer reviewing
Necessary if a negligence claim ever arises.
How would you identify areas of tenant fit out?
I would review the lease plans and request details of any licences to alter
What is the institutional specification of an office property?
Raised floors with floor boxes
Ceiling heights of 2.6 - 2.8m
Air conditioning and double glazed windows
Passenger lifts
1 shower per 100 staff
1 bike space per 10 staff
What is the institutional specification of a retail property?
Let in shell condition
concrete floor
new shops steel or concrete frame
What are institutional specifications of an industrial property?
Steel portal frame with insulated profiled steel cladding walls and roof
8m eaves and 10% roof lights
plastic coated steel profile cladding with brick or blockwork walls up to approx 2m
LED lighting
5-10% office content
40% site coverage
How would you age a building?
Construction methods
Planning website
Land registry
Information from client
What are the three types of damp?
- Penetrating
- Rising
- Condensation
What is the RICS guidance for contamination?
Contamination, the environment and sustainability, 2010 (GN)
Who is responsible for the remuneration of contaminated land?
The land owner
What are the three phases of contamination?
Phase 1: Review of the history of the site, site inspection and investigation
Phase 2: Identify nature and extent of contamination with soil samples taken using bore holes (intrusive)
Phase 3: Remediation report, setting out remedial options and monitoring standards
How would you identify signs of contamination?
Chemicals
Oils
Oil drums
Subsidence
Under ground tanks
Bare ground
What is land remuneration relief?
A form of tax relief that applies to contaminated or derelict land in the UK. It allows companies to claim up to 150% corporation tax deduction for expenditure in remediating certain contaminated or derelict sites.
(Also applies to Japanese knotweed)
How would you consider contaminated land in valuation?
- Do not provide any advice until a specialist report is commissioned
- Caveat the advice provided with an appropriate disclaimer highlighting the issue/use of special assumption
- Deduct the remediation costs from the gross site value
What is a deleterious material, and provide examples
A deleterious material can degrade with age and cause structural problems.
Signs include brown staining on; concrete, concrete frame buildings and 1960s and 1970s buildings and modern buildings.
Examples:
High alumina cement
Woodwoll shuttering
Calcium chloride
What is a hazardous material, and provide examples
A hazardous material is harmful to health
Examples:
Asbestos
Lead piping/paint
Radon gas
- Recommend specialist reports and make appropriate assumptions in advice
- Always check asbestos report/register
Where would it be common to fine Japanese Knotweed?
Near a railway line
What is Japanese Knotweed?
An invasive plant which can damage hard surfaces such as foundations and tarmac
What is the penalty for allowing Japanese Knotweed to spread?
Criminal offence.
A magistrates court can impose a maximum fine of £5,000 or a maximum prison sentence of 6 months, or both.
RENT REVIEW - OXFORD
How did you identify tenant fit out?
In this example there had been not tenant alterations or fit out.
I verified this by checking the lease plans and comparing to the property when inspecting. I also received conformation of no LTAs
RENT REVIEW - OXFORD
Talk me through the inspection that you carried out (relate to desktop)
For the desktop inspection of the office property in Oxford, I first considered my personal safety in conducting this inspection. I referred to my companies health and safety policies for a site inspection, for this inspection I was attending with my line manager and we planned the travel to site.
I then had consideration to my desktop enquries which included reviewing the lease, requesting details of any license to alters and deeds of variation. I made enquirers with planning, the EPC rating, flood risk. I also completed initial comparable searches and identified potential comparables to visit.
RENT REVIEW - OXFORD
Talk me through the inspection that you carried out (relate to locality)
I took the train to the property, I was therefore able to assess the public transportation links and walk the pitch to understand where the prime office location is and where my property sat in relation to this.
I looked for any potential bad neighbors which might include evidence of flooding or telecoms masts, I did not identify anything of concern for this property.
I also identified any vacancies in the area, agent boards and local market conditions. For this property, I found that specific types of occupiers grouped together for example solicitor firms tended to be grouped together occupying period office properties.
RENT REVIEW - OXFORD
Talk me through the inspection that you carried out (relate to exterior)
When conducting the external inspection, I walked the perimeter of the property and identified the construction of the property. This office was a four story mid terrace office building of traditional stone and slate construction. It was accessed via a pair of secure timber gates which opened to a courtyard area. There was the benefit of two parking spaces in the courtyard.
RENT REVIEW - OXFORD
Talk me through the inspection that you carried out (relate to interior)
I utilied the floor plans that I had taken to site to help identify the layout and specification of the office property, this office was made up of cellular offices with a small reception on the ground floor and storage in the basement.
I paid particular attention to the layout to ensure that there had been no unapproved tenant alterations, in this property there was not.
VALUATION - CHELSEA
How did you assess the quality of the location?
I identified that the property was in a prime retailing pitch. I took note of the neighboring tenants and number of vacancies.
I also discussed this with local agents.