Inspection Flashcards
What does it mean to be ‘safe’ on an inspection? Why is it important?
Take steps to minimise the risk of harm on an inspection. Important for ensuring the health and wellbeing of yourself and others who may be affected.
How do you ensure your safety on an inspection?
- Charged mobile phone
- Plan an escape route
- Implement a call back system with office
- Make calendar available to colleagues
- Make sure you know who you are meeting
- Be aware of aggressive occupants and dogs
- Follow your instinct
What is the guidance of RICS Surveying Safely 2nd Ed
Effective 1st Feb 2019.
Global GN.
Basic good practice principles.
Corporate and individual responsibilities.
Corporate responsibilities:
Line management structure, staff training, company policies & procedures, clear accountability, insurance, adequate resources. Investigate incidents.
Personal responsibilities:
Responsible for own H&S and anyone under your care. Duty to comply with company policies &b procedures. Report breaches in good time, personal risk assessment, wear PPE, do staff training.
What is Savills Lone Working Policy
“An employee who undertakes work by themselves on behalf of the company”
- MUST carry a charged mobile phone at all times
- MUST notify the departmental secretary or nominated person on arrival at site and on departure (Buddie System)
- If the lone worker fails to contact the departmental secretary after the estimated departure time, the department secretary MUST contact the lone worker on their mobile;
- Outlook calendar entry; address, start/end time, who meeting, contact details
VISITS TO EMPTY BUILDINGS: these should be made by a minimum of two employees
RICS VPS 2 ‘Inspections, investigations and record’ in Red Book
INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS: Inspections must be carried out to the extent necessary to produce a valuation that is professionally adequate for its purpose.
- TOE – must agree the extent of inspection
- REVALUATION WITHOUT REINSPECTION: only if valuer is satisfied no material changes since last assignment. TOE must state this assumption has been made. Interval for professional judgment. Regular vas, re-inspection not necessary every time.
VALUATION RECORDS: details of inspections must be clearly and accurately recorded under VPS2.
What is a ‘proper record’ of an inspection?
Required under VPS2 of Red Book - Audit trail; legible, unambiguous notes that allow an effective response to any future enquiries. Retained in appropriate business format. Photographs.
What would you find in the ToE about an inspection? What requirements are there for what to include?
VPS 1 ‘Terms of engagement (scope of work)’ in Red Book:
- When settling the terms of engagement, must agree the extent to which the subject asset is to be inspected and any investigation to be made
- Record any limitations or restrictions
VPS 2 ‘Inspections, investigations and records’ in Red Book
- extent necessary to produce a professionally adequate valuation
What sort of property characteristics might you note?
EXTERNAL: Type of construction, condition, site boundaries, access, car parking, no. of storeys, situation, roof type, defects, contamination.
INTERNAL: specification, fit-out, layout, current use, condition, no. of cores, defects, contamination.
What due diligence do you carry out prior to an inspection?
Desk top review; situation, location, plan route, arrange access via client.
Risk assessment.
Prepare items to take; print plans, inspection proforma, charged camera, disto and spare battery, pen and paper, charged mobile phone, PPE (if required).
What are the signs of contamination? How would you account for the existence of contamination whilst determining the value of a development site?
DESKTOP: radon (.gov map of radon affected areas), consider site’s previous uses
VISIBLE SIGNS: evidence of chemicals, oil spill, presence of tanks.
VALUE: Deduct the cost to remediate from the gross site value. Don’t provide advice until specialist report is commissioned. Caveat the advice citing reliance on reports and special assumption.
When carrying out an external inspection, what should you take note of?
- Method of construction
- Repair and condition of the exterior
- Car parking/access/loading arrangements
- Defects/structural movement
Check site boundaries with OS map and/or Title Plan
When carrying out an internal inspection, what should you take note of?
- Layout and specification - - flexibility and obsolescence
- Repair and maintenance
- Defects
- Services – age and condition
- Statutory compliance – asbestos, building regulations, H&S, Equality Act, Fire and planning
- Fixtures and fittings and improvements made
Compliance with lease obligations
What residential H&S guidance is there and what are its principles?
Health and safety for residential property managers, 1st Ed. GUIDANCE NOTE.
Sets out practical guidance about H&S matters relating to residential properties, incl. BTR and HMOs. Also applies to agency sales of houses and flats, letting of single or multiple flats and residential blocks or otherwise working with residential property.
PRINCIPLES: more aimed at properties are meeting statutory obligations as well as good practice H&S e.g. gas and electrical safety requirements, carbon monoxide detectors, fire safety etc.
Hertfordshire, residential unit - what are the signs of damp?
Depends on the type of damp. Penetrating; through e.g. a wall. Re-point, cut off water source.
Wet/ soft timber, high damp meter reading, fungal growth & musty smell
Hertfordshire, residential unit - What are the types of damp?
- Condensation; identified by black mould growth and visible condensation. REMEDY: ventilation and heating.
- Wet rot; timber decay, slimy and soft/wet timber
- Dry rot; fungal attack, to masonry and timber
- Rising damp; damp patches start at base of wall and move up. Typically up to 1.5m from ground level. Floor/wall coverings wet/lifting. REMEDY: replace plaster, inject a DPC.
Penetrating; through e.g. a wall. Re-point, cut off water source.
What are the health implications?
Damp causes the structural strength of a property/garage to be compromised. Cement was showing signs of deteiration and bricks were sodden. Collapsing wall would cause personal and financial damage.
What did you do on site during your inspection when damp was suspected?
Signs of damp; water ingress to the walls (visibilly sodden)
- Took photographs and notes
- Established suspected cause whilst on site
- Informed client by phone after the inspection
- Informed the client by email with photographs
- Included in the agency report
Remedies to the damp advised?
Instruct a building surveyor to investigate the issue further. Identify the water ingress, cut off water source and repoint the wall/roof. Remove any structural compromised bricks.
Herts, residential unit - Tell me about the specification/condition of the building you inspected.
The specification was average; new lino flooring to living room, painted walls, standard specification kitchen with a freestanding fridge and built-in oven. Condition average, newly with a fair amount of wear and tear to be expected.
Which areas of the Red Book relate to inspections?
VPS 2 and VPGA 8
When were the Control of Asbestos Regulations last updated? What do they say?
2012
- Good condition ACMs can be left in place
- Duty to manage ACMs in commercial buildings if you’re responsible for its maintenance
Works to ACMs must be by a licensed contractor, and some works are notifiable.
Under the asbestos regulations, who is the duty holder?
Owner of the premises if vacant, or the tenant if holding a REPAIRING LEASE