| Homebuying question: type of Survey for 2 year old flat? 10:39 - Nov 27 with 2291 views | unbelievablue |
Asking for a friend (I wish it were me!).
She's buying a two bed flat in South East London, built by Bellway Homes in 2015. It pretty much looks brand spanking new still, as you'd expect.
I have done my own research and come to the conclusion that, given it's under an NHBC warranty, a full structural survey on a relatively new build flat seems a pretty pointless expense, and a Homebuyer's Report, for peace of mind, is the better option.
Any views from the learned? |  |
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| Homebuying question: type of Survey for 2 year old flat? on 10:46 - Nov 27 with 2271 views | BOjK |
I concur. No need for a structural survey on something like that. |  |
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| Homebuying question: type of Survey for 2 year old flat? on 10:55 - Nov 27 with 2261 views | SaleAway |
Biggest risk for her in buying a flat is the Management company. I know way too many people that have been shafted by management companies on flats that rip off the flat owners at every opportunity. She really needs to check up with as many people as possible about what the annual service charges are - how good the management company are etc etc, as with flats, if you get stuck with a dodgy one, it can do you an awful lot of damage. |  |
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| Homebuying question: type of Survey for 2 year old flat? on 11:16 - Nov 27 with 2233 views | unbelievablue |
| Homebuying question: type of Survey for 2 year old flat? on 10:55 - Nov 27 by SaleAway |
Biggest risk for her in buying a flat is the Management company. I know way too many people that have been shafted by management companies on flats that rip off the flat owners at every opportunity. She really needs to check up with as many people as possible about what the annual service charges are - how good the management company are etc etc, as with flats, if you get stuck with a dodgy one, it can do you an awful lot of damage. |
Cheers! We've done a lot of research on the management company side of things and am quite content. One thing that really pleases us is that the Estate Agent whom we're dealing with is actually living in that block (I checked, and he is), which gives a certain peace of mind. | |
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| Homebuying question: type of Survey for 2 year old flat? on 12:17 - Nov 27 with 2197 views | uefacup81 |
Working in a firm of Surveyors, I'd definitely advise that the HBR is the way to go. You only need a Building Survey for anything particularly old, or of non-standard design/construction.
Make sure that you ensure that whoever carries out the survey is MRICS qualified at least, and you'll probably find it easier and cheaper to go directly to a surveyor than to go through your mortgage company or a Panel (GoTo Surveys, for example).
You can find an RICS-accredited surveyor here:
https://www.ricsfirms.com/
Happy to answer any more questions you may have. I'd have happily recommended my own firm, but we've yet to expand into London! |  |
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| Homebuying question: type of Survey for 2 year old flat? on 12:37 - Nov 27 with 2182 views | No9 |
My personal experience with newly built dwelling sin England is not good. In cases the LA Building Control has not done its job properly and in others the NHBC surveyour certainly didn't do his job at all. Check the warranty to see what is no longer covered. | | | |
| Homebuying question: type of Survey for 2 year old flat? on 12:45 - Nov 27 with 2173 views | Pinewoodblue |
| Homebuying question: type of Survey for 2 year old flat? on 10:55 - Nov 27 by SaleAway |
Biggest risk for her in buying a flat is the Management company. I know way too many people that have been shafted by management companies on flats that rip off the flat owners at every opportunity. She really needs to check up with as many people as possible about what the annual service charges are - how good the management company are etc etc, as with flats, if you get stuck with a dodgy one, it can do you an awful lot of damage. |
Make sure she asks her solicitor to check on built in increases to the management/ service charges. Flats have been built in the last two years where charges go up by 10% at regular intervals. A rip off. |  |
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| Homebuying question: type of Survey for 2 year old flat? on 14:18 - Nov 27 with 2138 views | unbelievablue |
| Homebuying question: type of Survey for 2 year old flat? on 12:17 - Nov 27 by uefacup81 |
Working in a firm of Surveyors, I'd definitely advise that the HBR is the way to go. You only need a Building Survey for anything particularly old, or of non-standard design/construction.
Make sure that you ensure that whoever carries out the survey is MRICS qualified at least, and you'll probably find it easier and cheaper to go directly to a surveyor than to go through your mortgage company or a Panel (GoTo Surveys, for example).
You can find an RICS-accredited surveyor here:
https://www.ricsfirms.com/
Happy to answer any more questions you may have. I'd have happily recommended my own firm, but we've yet to expand into London! |
Appreciate that, thanks. Happily she's buying in cash so will be going independent. We have found an MRICS qualified and RICS accredited local firm. | |
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| Homebuying question: type of Survey for 2 year old flat? on 15:18 - Nov 27 with 2118 views | uefacup81 |
| Homebuying question: type of Survey for 2 year old flat? on 14:18 - Nov 27 by unbelievablue |
Appreciate that, thanks. Happily she's buying in cash so will be going independent. We have found an MRICS qualified and RICS accredited local firm. |
Might also be worth enquiring of the Vendors whether they commissioned a snagging report when they moved in. This will pick up anything that the builders missed, or did to a poor standard.
If they've not had one done, and they've not yet been in the property two years, they can still have one done. Might be worth negotiating, commissioning yourself, or seeing that snagging issues are highlighted in the HBR for referral back to the builder. | |
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