Inspection - Level 3 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?
- Phone
- Plan route
- Call back system
- Calendar available
- Be aware of aggressive occupants and dogs
What is the guidance of RICS Surveying Safely 2nd Ed
- 2019
- Basic good practice principles.
- 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 & procedures. Report breaches in good time, personal risk assessment, wear PPE, do staff training.
What is NBS’ Lone Working Policy
- Charged phone
- Notify on arrival at site and on departure
- Stay Safe app
- Outlook calendar
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 do they 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 -
- 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
How would you check the age of a property? How do you know it is Victorian? Was it Listed?
Age plaque
Checked historical records
Checked previous reports
Historical features
You note of brick construction. What else did you notice about the brickwork construction?
Flemish Bond, likely solid wall as a result.
How have you adopted the recommendations contained within the RICS Surveying Safely in your work?
Risk assessment prior to inspection.
Dynamic risk assessment on the day of.
Checked in with occupier on arrival, and on leaving.
What are the types of damp?
- 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.
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
What are the requirements for asbestos?
A commercial property must have an asbestos management plan if asbestos is present
Asbestos Register required and must be checked against known materials once per year
What are the 3 types of asbestos?
Chrysotile (white) – Banned 1999
Amosite (brown) – Banned 1985
Crocidolite (blue) – Banned 1985; MOST DANGEROUS
What are the health risks of asbestos?
Asbestosis, which can lead to lung cancer. Breather in fibres when Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) disturbed.
How do you identify Japanese Knotweed? What is it?
Invasive plant, damages foundations.
Not easy to control, specialist contractor required to remove.
Purple/green hollow stem similar to bamboo, green shield-shaped leaves, small white flowers in late summer.
What are the requirements in relation to Japanese knotweed?
Environmental Protection Act 1990
Only properly licensed contractors can remove and dispose.
If landowner ignores and allows to spread – ASBO and fines up to £2,500
What legislation is there on contamination?
Environmental Protection Act 1990: Part 2A, which sets out the system for identifying and remediating contamination.
Must carry out a risk assessment.
Must assess POSSIBILITY of harm to human health and pollution of controlled waters.
A Remediation Notice can be served to force landowner to remediate, but not necessary if they take steps on their own.
General principle: polluter pays for remediation
How do you identify contamination?
- Desktop study on previous use, radon, local history, planning register. During inspection; oil spills, subsidence, chemicals, tanks.
- Environmental assessment; identify nature and extent
- Environmental assessment; Remediation options and monitoring
What RICS guidance is there on contamination?
RICS Guidance Note, ‘Contamination, the Environment and Sustainability’ 2010
Reiterates legal duties under Environmental Protection Act and lays guidance on identifying contamination on inspections, and recommending further investigations to the client.
PII – surveyors must ensure claims arising from contamination are covered by their PII policy OR include a caveat OR decline the work.
What is Land remediation relief?
A form of tax relief from corporation tax. Allows a claim up to 150% corporation tax for qualifying expenses incurred by companies cleaning up land acquired from a third party in a contaminated state.
High alumina cement
Typically used in pre-cast concrete in the 1950s and 1960s.
Undergoes a process called conversion when it gets damp. Leads to a loss of strength in the concrete.
What legislation and RICS guidance is there for asbestos?
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Control of Asbestos Regs 2012
HSE Codes of Practice
Asbestos and its implications for surveyors and their clients 3rd Ed GN (CHECK NEW NAME)
What do you do if asbestos is present in the building?
Conduct risk assessment
Notify client and advise them of their duties. Advise that a that a survey is carried out, asbestos register made and asbestos management plan in place
Advise that they seek specialist advice and any works must be by specialist contractor
Consider impact on value / pricing