Hopefully I will survive the horrors of moving home ( now I know why I have stayed here for 28 years but the dogs need more space!!) I need to find a surveyor for near Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire. Anyone in the area or know anyone? Am a bit worried that I will just have to pick a name out of a phone book but I need to read up on what qualifications I should be looking for.

Thanks.

Ask your solicitor or mortgage provider to recommend one.

Moving totally out of area and thankfully no mortgage. Will see if I can find what qualifications they need and cross my fingers.

I thought the Home Reports had made using a surveyor unnecessary now ?.

I thought HIPs have been dropped.

I thought the Home Reports had made using a surveyor unnecessary now ?.
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Don't think so, the person who pays for the survey is the person who is covered by that surveyors insurance so a survey done for someone else would not help you at all if it turned out to be faulty.

Think that RICS will have an online list by area?

Thanks, not having moved for so long I am totally out of touch, a friend tonight told me our solicitor finds a surveyor. I will ask him when I drop the paperwork back.

We had our EPC done last week, very nice chap and I asked him loads of questions, he was explaining how ( common sense really) an older house will never perform like a newer house, the property we are hoping to get is a 400 year old farmhouse. Anyway on receipt of the report we got 1 star rather than 5 on lighting, the other 4 could have been gained by using energy efficient lightbulbs- a bit harsh I felt!!

so pleased it looks like you have found what you wantgood luck that the survey is ok especially in an older property . It sounds lovely just the 400 year old bit
The lightbulb bit sounds irrelevant and easily fixed if you wish>

Make damned sure the surveyor has a proper look at the roof and joists, don't trust that they will be thorough in their inspection.

We had an awful time when we bought our current house, the surveyor did a very poor job and gave the house a clean bill of health, turned out the whole roof had nail sickness and the joists were riddled with dry rot and woodworm. we did get a very small amount back in compensation, but nowhere near the cost of putting it all right.

> Make damned sure the surveyor has a proper look at the roof and joists, don't trust that they will be thorough in their inspection

We had a 'full' inspection done when we bought this house - total waste of £1000 :( OH could have done better :) The surveyor missed so much. He also didn't/couldn't move furniture, lift carpets etc etc and obviously didn't go up into at least one of the lofts. When previous owners had had an extension put on, the builders didn't extend the overflow from the coldwater tank - they merely placed a bowl underneath it - so when we had an overflow (another long story) shortly after moving in, the water filled the bowl and then went through our bedroom ceiling !

We'd not bother again with a survey - OH would do it :)

We decided next time we'd get the minimum survey to satisfy the bank , then get a builder in to have a proper look.

The surveyor's report when we bought this house mentioned that it was 'carpeted throughout'. Well it was carpeted downstairs, but not upstairs - I don't think he even went inside!

When I bought my cottage I considered the best way to go - choices for me was either a full survey or trust my own eyes and knowledge.  As I knew I was going to have to do a fairly comprehensive revamp anyway I trusted by instincts and knowledge and ditched the survey.  Only thing I seem to have missed, 5 years down the line (and revamp still ongoing!) was a tiny bit of dry rot which my builder had to treat, however, as only became apparent when we took the understairs wall out a surveyor would have missed it too!

> I don't think he even went inside!

Often - if it's just a survey for a mortgage, they don't go inside :) As long as the resale price will more than cover the mortgage (particularly if there is a reasonable buyer's equity the purchase price), they will just have a look from the outside :( When we sold our last house, the surveyor only came into our hall :) I know that our buyers only required a very small mortgage.

It's not a surprise really is it. They turn up in a smart suit, and you just know they're not going to get themselves dirty .

Thing is if they miss something then they are liable in law and can be made to pay. So if you consider that they have not done a good job for you then take issue. However if they are doing the survey for the mortgage they will not be looking for the same things that you may wish to know about as a householder. Remember it is those who request the survey that the surveyor will work for and even if you are paying for the  survey the mortgage people have requested then the surveyor is not responsible to you, if you want a survey for your use you must instruct the surveyor accordingly.

They can be made to pay true enough, but is it enough ?
We had a pay out from our surveyors of  £3000 for their balls up, but the bill to put the house right was £45000.
We were told that the evidence of the problems of the house were obvious if the surveyor had done a proper job, this was the supposed "big " survey we had done, which at the time cost £1000.
Interestingly the surveyors we used were caught out by a consumer tv program ( along with a few others ) for not doing a thorough job, so we wouldn't have been alone in being let down.

Thanks all that's really put my mind at rest NOT!!  ;))) We will have a full survey due to the age but it has had a new roof, have seen the certificates for damp course etc. I suppose everything is a gamble, we had a house buyers survey when we moved here and a month after moving in I discovered I was expecting, fell through the floorboards due to woodworm and blew the one working plug in the property. Being so much older now my husband does not want to do work, except to the grounds to make it doggy heaven!
Keeping everything crossed.