How do I know if the party wall surveyor I choose is any good?
Posted on 29th October 2024 at 09:23
Do not be fooled into thinking all party wall surveyors do a good job!
Choosing a surveyor is no difference than choosing a builder, a wedding planner, a child minder or a driving instructor.
Whenever I want to employ someone I take a bit of time researching, asking around for recommendations, checking websites etc. I do not pick the first person I come across who happens to declare they can do the job and then immediately sign on the dotted line.
That is because in every industry and walk of life you find good, bad and indifferent people, professionals and services.
Unlike virtually all other situations, once you appoint a party wall surveyor you cannot very easily change surveyors if you discover they are not as good as you first thought. Section 10(2) of the Act states that all appointments and selections made under this section shall be in writing and shall not be rescinded by either party.
Here are some pointers when looking for a surveyor:
If you are looking at their website, does it state who the surveyors is ? Most websites have an "about us" page. Can you identify who the surveyor is and does he or she have a presence on the web? If the website just states "we have a network of surveyors" then ask yourself why is the site holding back.
Does it state the qualifications of the surveyors? If the surveyor states he is a member of an organisation, check out the organisation's website to see if they are a member. If the website simply states "all surveyors are qualified to either FRICS, RICS, BSc, MSc, MCIOB or FCIOB" without naming the individual surveyors, then this is a sure sign it is just sales pitch.
Does the company have a proper address?
If it is a limited company, cross check with Companies House to find out who the officers/directors are and then click on their names too. Then do an internet search to see what information you can glean.
Does the website state low costs for services and "we will beat any quotation from another firm by 10%". Professional surveyor companies do not use these sort of bargain basement sales techniques.
If the company ask for any fees "up front" that is a big warning sign. NEVER and I repeat NEVER agree to pay up front. Respectable and genuine party wall surveyors do not ask for fees up front by card payment. If the company model is cheap fees, we will beat any price and then requesting fees up front, be warned, this is a sure sign you may end up with a poor service and/or losing money.
Most surveyors have a website with all the information you need to find out. One tactic of some less than ethical companies is to have multiple websites all scraping the internet for work. Copy and paste the telephones numbers in Google and see what comes up. You will usually find they have multiple websites, but only one landline and mobile number for all of them.
Search engines are your friend; it is amazing what you can find out if you spend a little bit of time before jumping in. Hopefully you will not make the mistake of appointing a surveyor who turns out to be not all they first seemed.
Tagged as: Avoiding Bad Surveyors, Choosing reliable Surveyors, Party Wall Surveyor Scams, Party Wall Surveyor Tips, Rogue Party Wall Surveyors, Trusted Surveyors
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