Inspection Flashcards
How do you ensure you make appropriate access arrangements for inspections?
- Ensure that the correct address is recorded
- Ensure that an appointment is arranged and confirmed
- Ensure that I have the details of the person allowing access
What things would you check before attending site for an inspection?
- Location
- Previous file if there is one
- Online records (particluars etc)
Tell me about how you collect, store and retrieve information for different purposes when carrying out property inspections.
- Site notes record various details on property such as construction and condition
- Site notes are stored in paper file which is then kept in filing stores
- Anytime they are needed we retreive them from filing
Briefly explain the construction of a recent building you have inspected.
- Modern timber frame and block house under a pitched and tiled roof
What is the size of a brick?
215x102.5x65mm
How do you take good inspection notes when on site?
By ensuring that the corrent site notes are used for the inspection and ensuring that they are fully filled in and legible
What building characteristics do you look for when inspecting a property?
- Level of accomodation
- Standard of finish
- Condition
- Location
- Amenities
What is an easement?
The right to pass over the land in certain circumstances
How would you find out about the existence of an easement?
Title plan
How can you tell if a wall is of solid or cavity construction?
- Wall thickness
- Brick bond
- Tap the wall (inside and out)
What is a hidden valley gutter?
- Gutter than runs between two areas of sloping roof
- Gutter is hidden from site
What problems can arise because of hidden valley gutters?
- Prone to flooding
Where does surface water drain into?
- Drains or gulleys
- Either into a soakaway
- In some cases it goes to the public sewer
How does surface water compare to foul water?
- Goes straight to the public sewer or private septic tank
What is a deleterious/hazardous material?
- Materials that are prohibited for use in a project due to a variety of reasons such as reliability, health and safety etc
Deleterious/hazardous materials
Give an example of each
- Hazardous - asbestos
- Deleterious - mundic block
What do dry and wet rot look like?
- Dry rot - timber is dry and crumbly, lightweight and dull in colour, cuboidal cracking is very pronounced, white and grey strands, red rust spore fust, fruiting body is reddish brown pancake shape
- Wet rot - timber generally becomes lighter and often appears bleached, causes cracking along the grain, develops fibrous consistency
What is rising damp?
Damp that occurs when moisture from the ground travels up through the walls by capillary action
What is Japanese Knotweed?
An invasive bamboo like plant that grows extremely quickly and can spread underground through rhizomes or shoots
How would you identify Japanese Knotweed?
- Desktop research - LAs publish maps showing infestations
- Make inquiries to vendor onsite
- Physical identification - green shiled shaped leaves with flat base, purple speckled stems, zig zag stems
Why is Japanese Knotweed a problem?
- Structural damage to houses is rarely caused by JK although some lightweight structures, freestanding or retaining walls, paths, hard standings and drains
- Can lead to expensive legal proceedings if located outwith boundary given the impact on the neighboring land and lack of control over the treatment by the affected owner
- Expensive to treat and remove
- Public perception can impact saleability
What guidance do RICS publish on Japanese Knotweed?
RICS Professional Standard Japanese Knotweed & Residential Property 1st Edition Jan 2022
What are some key principles that are mentioned in the Japanese Knotweed Professional Standard?
- The standard sets out a new reporting framework based on different management categories
- Members should assess damage to structures, impact on saleability and extent of outbreak on adjoining lands
What does the law say about Japanese Knotweed?
- The Environment Protection Act 1990 - Deems it controlled waste
- Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 - Makes it a crime to plant or cause it to grow in the wild
How can you treat Japanese Knotweed?
- Treatment with chemicals
- Burial
- Burn it
What are the categories set out in the most recent RICS guidance on Japanese Knotweed?
- Management Category A (Action) - Visible damage has been caused and it should be investigated by a specialist with the aim of carrying out works. Value of property is likely to be affected/
- Management Category B (Action) - Use of amenities is likely to be prevented by outbreak. Specialist should inspect and implement required works. Value is likely to be affected.
- Management Category C (Manage) - Not causing damange or preventing amenity use. Don’t report to retetion to lender but other work should mention investigation. Value may be affected but should reflect cost of works rather than restricted use of property.
- Management Category D (Report) - Infestation not on site but due to location to boundary it may be a risk in the future. Should be reported to lender or owner but no remedial works as not on owners land. Limited if any affect on value.
What precedent was set in the Downing v Henderson and Davies v Bridgend CBC cases?
Downing v Henderson - Downing purchased property and seller declared no Japanese Knotweed. Purchaser subsequently found it in the garden. Seller claimed they were unaware of the existence. It was confirmed that the weed was treated in the past with chemicals. Seller had to pay damages for diminution in value and cost of investigating and removing the weed, as well as misrepresentaiton fees.
Davies v Bridgend CBC - Davies owned property next to land owner by council. Japanese Knotweed was present on councils land and was spreading onto Davies property. Council began treating the Knotweed but Davies brought a claim for nuicance against the council which represented diminution in value caused by the blight of the knotweed even after it had been treated. Davies one the claim even though the knotweed had been treated.
Can you tell me about any RICS guidance on contamination or environmental risk?
RICS Guidance Note Environmental Risks & Global Real Estate 1st Edition 2018
What signs would indicate that a site is contaminated?
- Previous land uses, e.g. petrol filling station, factory, mine, steel mill, refinery, landfill - check historic maps to assess the risk
- Leaks and spills from tanks and pipes
- Contaminated surface runoff and flooding
- Disposal of waste materials
- Demolition of buildings containing contaminated material, e.g. Asbestos
- Landfill on a site
- Bare ground
- Underground tanks
What is radon?
Colourless, odourless radioactive gas formed by the radioactive decay of uranium that occurs naturally in rock and soils
Where is radon typically found?
Radon levels are usually higher in basements, cellars and living spaces in contact with the ground
How can you reduce radon risk?
- Radon sump
- Positive ventilation
- Natural underfloor ventialtion
- Active underfloor ventilaiton
Tell me about what an inherent/latent defect is.
Defect in the property that could not have been discovered by a reasonably thorough inspection before the completion or sale of a building structure
Why are building warranties important?
- Protects consumers from serious defects or faults in new properties that arise after their purchase
Tell me about your understanding of structural movement.
The movement of a building from its original foundations
Can you explain the various types of structural movement?
- Settlement - the downward movement of the ground, or any structure on it, which is due to the load applied by the structure
- Heave - the upward or lateral expansion of sub-soil
- Subsidence - the vertical and downward movement of the ground which is not caused by the imposition of the building and/or foundation loads
Tell me about any risks relating to air conditioning.
Legionaires disease
Explain the potential implications of the Hart v Large case.
- We need to be clear and advising clients on the survey level and scope of inspection, limitations and caveats
- We need to recommend justifiable further investigation
- We need to considering whether any new information provided after inspecting or reporting affects their original advice, and updating their advice if it is justified to do so
Explain your understanding of the inspection principles established in McGlinn v Waltham Contractors.
- The frequency and duration of inspections should be tailored to the nature of the works going on at the site from time to time.
- Depending on the importance of the particular element or stage of the works, the inspecting professional can instruct the contractor not to cover up the relevant elements of the work until they have been inspected.
- The mere fact that defective work is carried out and covered up between inspections will not automatically amount to a defence to an alleged failure on the part of the Architect to carry out proper inspections.
- If the element of the work is important because it is going to be repeated throughout one significant part of the building, then the inspecting professional should ensure that he or she has seen that element of the work in the early course of construction/assembly so as to form a view as to the contractor’s ability to carry out that particular task.
- Reasonable examination of the works does not require the inspector to go into every matter in detail.
- The Architect does not guarantee that their inspection will reveal or prevent all defective work. It is not appropriate to judge an Architect’s performance by the result achieved.
Tell me about housing policy and law relating to maintenance and repair.
- Tolerable Standard - basic level of repair a property must meet to make it fit for a person to live in
- The Repairing Standard - legal and contractural obligations of private landlords to ensure that a property meets a minimum physical standard
How could a conservation area/historic centre designation impact upon your inspection and advice?
- Increased awareness of planning restraints
- Increased awareness of repairs/replacement may have to be carried out by specialist contractors at an increased cost
- Increased awareness around the insurance factors
How would you identify general environmental issues and how would this impact upon your advice?
Can use various sources to establish different environmental issues. Depending on risk posed by these factors further advice may be necessary. For example, if a property is prone to flooding, advice regarding the availability of insurance may be provided and may have to be factored in valuation.
What is the mundic problem?
- Refers to deterioation of concrete block due to decomposition of mineral constitutents within the aggregate
- Many properties, particluary in south west of england were built with blocks that used waste rock from mining
Does RICS provide any guidance in relation to flooding (relating to residential property)?
RICS Consumer Flooding Guide
Tell me about the insurability of property at risk of flooding.
- Can become costly if the property is in a flood risk area or has been flooded in the past
What types of flooding exist?
- Fluvial floods (river) - occurs when the water level in a river, lake or stream rises and overflows onto neighboring land. Can be caused by increased rainfall or snow melting.
- Pluvial floods (flash floors and surface water) - occurs when extreme rainfall creates a flood independent of an overflowing water body
- Coastal floods (storm surge) - occurs along the coast by seawater. Common causes are intense windstorm events.
How do you assess flood risk in relation to valuation/survey instructions?
SEPA flood maps
How has flooding impacted your valuation/advice in practise?
- Advise on the availaiblity on insurance
- I haven’t valued properties that have been significantly affected by flooding before
What is a retention on a mortgage valuation?
- Mechanism for lenders to ensure essential repairs that are highlighted are fixed
- Lender will retain a sum roughly equating to the cost of repairs
- Once works are notified as having been done the retained funds are released to the borrower
Can you give an example of a retention you have included and why?
- £10,000 for roof repairs in Marykirk
- Roof was allowing water into the property. Failure to carry out repairs would lead to further decay of lenders security
When and why might a mortgage be declined?
- Property is not accepted by lender
What is the difference between a lender’s valuation and a survey?
What additional responsibilities in relation to repair and inspection relate to HMOs?
What is a flying freehold?
How do you use IT systems to record accurate site inspection notes?
Tell me about a tool you have used during a site inspection.
How do you use a moisture meter to identify damp?
What are the limitations of a protimeter?
How can you calibrate a protimeter?
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How frequently should you calibrate a protimeter?
What materials can you use a protimeter on?
What guidance exists in relation to the use of protimeter?
What advice would you provide if you took a high protimeter reading?
How would you identify the cause of the damp?
What advice might you provide as a result?
Tell me about a way you can remedy damp from your experience.
How can you undertake further investigations into damp?
From your experience, tell me about when a lender’s requirements have impacted upon your inspection.
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Do you feel that the differing requirements affect the level of service / due diligence you provide/carry out?
Why is it important to record accurate information during a building inspection?
What is the primary purpose of a condition-based residential survey?
What other matters might be commented upon in a condition-based survey?
Can you include a valuation in a survey?
What RICS guidance must you comply with if you do so?
Explain the key principles of the Home Survey Standard.
What are the three levels of service?
What is survey level 1/2/3?
How do these differ in practice?
What is the scope of inspection for each?
When should you report / not repair on repair costs?
Tell me about when you have recommended a specific level of service to a client and why.
Tell me about the differing levels of inspection you would carry out between the survey levels.
Why do the levels of inspection differ?
What factors would you consider in a level 1/2/3 survey?
In a level 1 survey, would you advise on repairs or ongoing maintenance?
What type of properties would you use a level 1/2/3 survey for?
How do you recommend a particular survey level to a client?
Would you inspect concealed areas in a level 2 or 3 survey?
What are your professional obligations when providing a Home Survey?
Who are the different types of report designed for?
What types of properties should each be used for?
What advice would you give to a prospective client about the RICS reports?
What would your scope of inspection include?
How would you assess services/equipment?
For a flat, what would your inspection include/exclude?
What would you not make enquiries about in a Home Survey?
What are the key sections of your report?
How does energy impact upon your Home Surveys?
How might your advice be used by a legal advisor?
What maintenance tips might you give within a Home Survey?
For a Survey Level 1, what guidance does RICS provide?
What is a Survey Level 1?
How does it differ from a Survey Level 2
What is included/excluded in a Survey Level 1?
Tell me about the RICS guidance for a Survey Level 3.
What is a Survey Level 3?
What is included/excluded within a Survey Level 3?
What desk-top research/enquiries should you undertake?
What type of properties is a Survey Level 3 suitable for?
What is the scope of your inspection for a Survey Level 3?