Inspection Flashcards
What did you do before undertaking the inspection?
Pre-risk assessment of likely hazards I would encounter while inspecting
Took Regard of my firms lone working procedure
Set up a letter of authority and ensured it was sent to each tenant pre inspections
What risks did you assess?
The risk I posed by entering tenanted houses
- Social rented properties are generally in a worse state of repair
- Social rented tenants are normally very unhappy with the inspections and can give warning signs of violence if they are unsure of you and your identity
How did you mitigate the risk you perceived in your pre-inspection risk assessment?
- Carried a number of copies of the latter of authority at all times
- I did not enter properties where the tenants shows even a slight sign of hostility
- I carried viable ID at all times
Why did you inspections not include an investigation into delirious materials?
Outside the scope of instruction
What was your process if you spotted a defect?
I would follow the defect trail
- I would try and establish a cause
- I would take notes and photos of the defect and its potential cause
- I would consult my director and my firms building surveyors team
- I would make the bank and the borrower aware
Location Aspects you noted on the inspections?
- Entirely residential street
- Opposite Lillie recreation Ground and leisure Centre
- Large amount of permitted on-street parking
- Bus stop going east and west located on Lillie Road less than 2 minutes walk south
- No noticeable defect in local housing
- area kept to a good standard
What is your firms loan working procedure?
Always have a route plan that is easily accessible for my co-workers
Charged Phone and phone charger
Visible ID at all times
Appropriate PPE
Multiple copies of any letter of authority
External aspects you noticed during your inspections?
Construction
- Part Rendered & Brick and Block cavity wall
- Good condition externally
- No structural defect noted / movement
- Architectural style early 2000s
One off street parking space per unit
Internal aspects you noted during your inspections?
Layout & Spec
- Each property had very similar internal layouts with kitchens to the front of the properties and living rooms to the rear with doors into the gardens
- All the bedrooms were on the first floor except for the 4 bed which has a slight outward extension on the ground floor putting the bedroom next to the garden
- All the properties were of a good internal specification with modern appliances and noticeable serious damage
- some of the properties had slightly better specification which were due to the tenants own improvements, these units were noted
What is an Inherent Defect and how does it differ from a Latent Defect?
An inherent defect is a defect in the design or material, which could have been from construction or installed
A Latent Defect is a defect which could not have been found through a reasonably thorough inspections
How would you deal with a Defect?
1) Take photo
2) Try and establish the cause of the defect
3) Take notes on all trails and thoughts
4) Inform the client of the investigation
5) recommend advice from a building surveyor
How do you assess Damp & Mould?
Wet Rot / Damp tinder decay
- Wet or soft timber, visible fungal growth and musty smell
Dry Rot
- White or Orange fungus
Rising Damp
- Usually stops 1.5 meters above ground level
Condensation
- lack of ventilation and background heating
Leaking Plumbing / pipework
Why is Mould an issue at the moment?
A child died due to too much exposure to mould
- it causes horrible health issues if exposed for extended periods
Shows signs of structural decay if near windows and/or inside of external walls
Why did you not measure the properties?
It was not agreed in the Terms of Engagement and there for outside of my scope of work
Valuations for affordable housing portfolios are normally done form much larger portfolios and as such it is standard not to measure as it would not feasible
In not measuring does it make it harder to conduct comparable analysis?
Yes
However
Measurement is not the only aspect that can be used to establish a good comparable
- Location, age, specification
- Due to the location there were many comparables
