SCHEDULE OF CONDITION
PREPARED IN xxxxx
OF
A public house with en suite letting accommodation


FOR

Mr A Client


Prepared by:

GEM Associates Limited


INDEPENDENT CHARTERED SURVEYORS

FOR ANY HELP OR ASSISTANCE CALL FREE PHONE:


0800 298 5424

or

visit our website:
www.1stAssociated.co.uk

 

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

REPORT FORMAT
SYNOPSIS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SUMMARY UPON REFLECTION

EXTERNAL

CHIMNEY STACK, ROOF LIGHTS AND SOME PARAPET WALLS
ROOF COVERINGS
RAINWATER GOODS
WALLS
EXTERNAL JOINERY AND BRICK DETAILING
EXTERNAL DECORATIONS

INTERNAL

CEILINGS, WALLS, PARTITIONS AND FINISHES
CHIMNEY BREASTS, FLUES AND FIREPLACES
FLOORS
DAMPNESS
INTERNAL
TIMBER DEFECTS
INTERNAL DECORATIONS OVERVIEW
CELLAR (ABOVE GROUND)
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
OTHER MATTERS

SERVICES

ELECTRICITY
GAS
PLUMBING AND HEATING
SANITARY FITTINGS
MAIN DRAINS

OUTSIDE AREAS

OUTBUILDINGS
EXTERNAL AREAS
CAR PARKS
POINTS FOR LEGAL ADVISOR

APPENDICES

LIMITATIONS
SIGNATURE DOCUMENT

 

INTRODUCTION

Firstly, may we thank you for your instructions of xxx; we have now undertaken a Commercial Building Survey (formerly known as a Structural Survey) of the aforementioned property. This Survey was carried out on xxx

The Building Survey takes the following format; there is an introductory section (which you are currently reading), which includes a synopsis of the building, and a summary of our findings.

We then go through a detailed examination of the property starting with the external areas working from the top of the property down, followed by the internal areas and the buildings services. We conclude with the section for your Legal Advisor and also attach some general information on the property market.

We are aware that a report of this size is somewhat daunting and almost offputting to the reader because of this. We would stress that the purchase of a business has many risks, the property being one of the biggest. Often when a business is purchased our clients can only see the opportunities that it offers, the aim of this report is to give a balanced view on the future risk.

We recommend that you set aside time to read the report in full, consider the comments, make notes of any areas which you wish to discuss further and phone us.

We obviously expect you to read the entire report but we would suggest that you initially look at the summary, which refers to various sections in the report which we recommend you read first so that you get a general feel for the way the report is written.

As part of our service we are more than happy to talk through the survey as many times as you wish until you are completely happy to make a decision. Ultimately, the decision to purchase the public house is yours but we will do our best to offer advice to make the decision as easy as possible.

REPORT FORMAT

To help you understand our Report we utilise various techniques and different styles and types of text, these are as follows:-

GENERAL/HISTORICAL INFORMATION

This has been given in the survey where it is considered it will aid understanding of the issues, or be of interest. This is shown in “italics” for clarity.

TECHNICAL TERMS DEFINED

Throughout the Report, we have endeavoured to define any technical terms used. This is shown in “Courier New” type face for clarity.

PHOTOGRAPHS

We utilise photographs to illustrate issues or features. In some photographs a pencil has been used to highlight a specific area (with this property we have taken approximately one hundred photographs in total and we have enclosed a sample of these within the report).

ORIENTATION

Any reference to left or right is taken from the front of the property, including observations to the rear which you may not be able to physically see from the front of the property.

ACTION REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDATIONS

We have used the term ACTION REQUIRED where we believe that there are items that you should carry out action upon or negotiate upon prior to purchasing the property.

Where a problem is identified, we will do our best to offer a solution. However, with most building issues, there are usually many ways to resolve them dependent upon cost, time available and the length of time you wish the repair/replacement to last.


SYNOPSIS

SITUATION AND DESCRIPTION

The xxxx is a reasonable sized public house, which is at the end of a terrace of commercial properties and situated within reasonable walking distance of the main high street and the centre of xxxxxxxx.

The xxxxxxxx is a two storey building, although there are rooms formed within the roof, the main building having pitched roofs to accommodate these rooms. The rear has a large single storey extension with a multitude of flat roofs.

We have been advised that the public house is wet trade driven with some food trade and AWP trade. To the rear there is a car park and a patio area.

The ???????? is situated on a roundabout. On the opposite corner is The xxxxxxx Public House, walking towards the town centre there is a newly refurbished wine bar, which we believe will be called xxxxxxxx and there is also a Weatherspoons at xxxxxxx. On the other side of xxxxxxx is the xxx and also The xxxxxxx. Towards the station and the retail park, known as xxxx, is xxxx and xxxx and these form part of the retail park.


EXTERNAL PHOTOGRAPHS

Front Elevation
Right Hand Side Elevation
Rear Elevation and
Parking Area
Garden Area


ACCOMMODATION AND FACILITIES

Ground Floor – Trading Area

Front of House

       The ground floor area consists of:

  • A Front bar and Rear Bar
  • Access corridor from the front bar to the rear bar
  • Female toilets to the right hand side with two W.C’s
  • Male toilets to the right hand side with one W.C’s. and one slab
    urinal

Back of House

  • Catering kitchen (private kitchen on first floor)
  • Access corridor from the front bar to the rear bar
  • Access to first floor area

Cellar – access from the back of the Rear Bar (known as the Saloon Bar)

  • Fire Exit/Corridor that gives access to both the cellar and storage area
  • There is under floor access to the front of the property but we do not
    consider this a usable habitable area

First Floor - Accommodation

  • Lounge/Kitchen
  • Letting Accommodation
  • Two rooms with en suite facilities to the front of the property
  • Shared Landing Are

Second Floor – Private Living Accommodation (all formed within the roof
space)

  • Double sized bedroom
  • Office Room
  • En suite bathroom facility (off the roof currently used as an Office

INTERNAL PHOTOGRAPHS

Please note that some of the photos may have been taken with a concave lens, to enable us to show you as much of the room as possible, which does make the photos slightly blurred.

Front Bar
Rear Bar

Kitchen
Right Hand Letting Room

 

SUMMARY OF CONSTRUCTION

EXTERNAL

Chimneys:

Two chimneys and one drop chimney to the left hand side

Main Roof:
Gable roof with two intercepting hipped roofs to the rear forming a valley. Two dormer windows to the front
Associated Roofs:
Various flat roofs finished in felt
Rainwater Goods:
A mixture of cast iron and plastic
Walls:
Painted render to the front of the property with brickwork to the rear
External Joinery:
Painted sliding sash windows

INTERNAL

Ceilings:

Likely to be lath and plaster with some plasterboard

Walls:
Generally solid throughout (assumed)
Floors:
Ground Floor: A suspended timber floor to the front of the property with a concrete floor to the rear (assumed)
 
First and Second Floor: Joist and floorboards (assumed)

OUTSIDE

The front of the property sits directly onto the pavement, there is however bench seating with two tables to accommodate approximately six people each. To the rear there is a large patio style beer garden and a car park for seven vehicles.

We are advised that the property is Grade II Listed and falls within a Conservation area as it is located within the town’s walls. We would therefore always recommend that professional advice be sought on any property matters affecting the external appearance.

The above terms are explained in full in the main body of the Report. We have used the term ‘assumed’ as we have not opened up the structure.

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Summaries are dangerous as they try to précis often quite complex subjects into a few paragraphs. This is particularly so in a summary about someone’s future business, when we are trying to second-guess what the priorities are, so it is important the Report is read in full. Having said all of that, here are our comments:-

Overall Opinion

The issues we found mainly relate to maintenance issues or poor repairs. However, there are a few design issues as well. There has been some movement in the structure, which is not unusual for a property of this age also there are some future potential structural issues that need addressing. We would draw your attention specifically to the following areas:

 

1. Rising Damp
 

Externally we noted areas where the damp proof course is too low and also areas where the ground level is above the height of the floor level. We would normally be able to test whether these have lead to dampness internally, however due to the vertical timber boarding forming the dado it was not possible to do this with our electronic damp meter. We noted to the front of the property that there are signs that a damp proof course has been inserted, we therefore believe that it is likely that the original part of the property did not have a damp proof course. To parts of the rear the damp proof course is ineffective due to its location.

ACTION REQUIRED: We would recommend that when theproposed refurbishment takes place that sections of the decorations are removed, such as the dado area to the rear bar and the tiling to the toilets to enable a damp proof company to carry out an inspection and offer a quote.

We would anticipated a recommendation that they insert further damp proof courses to the front of the property and alterations externally to be carried out i.e. partial removal of some of the paving slabs forming French Drains.

ANTICIPATED COST: It is very difficult to anticipate costs on dampness, but we would expect them to be in the thousands of pounds and we would anticipate some re-plastering being required to remove contaminated plaster internally.

The pencil indicates the level
of the damp proof course,
which should be two bricks
above ground level
   
2. Lateral Dampness – Defective Render
 

To the front of the property we found high damp readings to the Letting Rooms, particularly to the left hand side letting room. We believe these are due to defects in the render or they may be because the render has not been painted sufficiently frequently (you should take this as a friendly warning that you need to regularly re-decorate externally to prevent dampness in this age of render), or it may be that there is an associated inherent defect that is accentuating the problems, for example in this case there is a cast iron gutter above the render to the front of the property that looks to be leaking.

ACTION REQUIRED: Next time it rains heavily you need to inspect the external of the property and identify any areas where the gutters are leaking. We think it is likely that there will be a few areas; we noted rusting to the cast iron in most areas of the property. We would then recommend that the rainwater goods be replaced in these areas.

ANTICIPATED COST: Again, unfortunately this is very difficult to quantify without seeing the property when it is raining, but we would expect costs to be around about the thousand pounds mark. With this age of property a sufficient number of clips should be used to support the guttering. The plastic needs far more support than the existing cast iron guttering.

The yellow object in the centre
of this photo is the damp meter.
You can just about see the
staining on the wall paper.
3.
Dampness coming in via the Roof
 

We noted displaced roof tiles to the property generally, particularly to the
rear. We identified one area of dampness to the property above the top
floor en suite bathroom on the right hand side. However, we feel this is
part of the problems associated with this roof.

ACTION REQUIRED: We would recommend a roofer be employed to overhaul the roof. We are unhappy with using this term as it is not specific, however we feel that it is probably the best term that we can use as we feel a quality roofer should be able to replace the cracked, broken and missing tiles within a few days, possibly longer, depending on what he finds, although he may have difficulty getting the special tiles to the valley gutters that we noted.

ANTICIPATED COSTS: Again, unfortunately this is very difficult to estimate because we literally could not see a fair portion of the roof and we could not see specifically where the dampness is getting in. We would suggest that the price would be in the thousands.

Note the tiles opening up on the roof indicating likely defect in the roof.

Dampness found within the right hand room on the top floor that is used as an office


Defective Flashing
To the rear of the property there looks to be some defective flashing that has had various repairs over the years. We suggest this is completely taken out now and re-done properly. The sooner the better as it will minimise any leaks. These look like they are coming in via the kitchen in this particular instance.
 

 

4. Chimneys
 

From the look of the right hand chimney we believe there is dampness getting into the top of this.

ACTION REQUIRED: A close inspection, we believe would probably identify re-pointing to the top and new flaunching. We suggest at the same time that the chimney on the left hand side is also checked.

ANTICIPATED COSTS: We would calculate, due to the scaffolding that would possibly be required, that the cost for these works would be mainly in the access cost as opposed to the work itself. We would anticipate costs in the region of £1000 to £2000.

This photo shows the moss that is accumulating on the top of the chimney.

   
5. Fire Regulations
 
ACTION REQUIRED: Investigations need to be carried out as to whether a valid Fire Certificate is in existence on the property, also if there are any conditions over and above this required by your Insurance Company.

ANTICIPATED COSTS: Not known.
   
6. Demarcation of Boundary
 
It was difficult to tell due to the layout of the property and the alterations over the years exactly where your legal boundary is. From our visual inspection it would appear that part of your boundary consists of the Town Wall. We suggest a letter by your Legal Advisor to the Local Authority just to confirm if there is any liability associated with the boundary wall and to ascertain whether it is maintained by them or you; this may be ascertainable by your Legal Advisor from looking at the deeds.

DIY/Handyman Repairs

There are numerous other items that we would class as DIY or handyman type repairs such as external re-decoration, repairing the gutters etc. These problems are fairly typical for this age, style and type of property. We have detailed these and other issues within the main body of the report.

Purchase Price

We have not been asked to comment upon the purchase price in this instance, we have not seen trading accounts, internal records or a copy of the lease.

Every Business Transaction has a Risk

Every business transaction has a risk, only you can assess whether that risk is acceptable to you and your circumstances. You should now read the main body of the Report paying particular attention to any “ACTION REQUIRED” points.

Estimates of Costs

Where we have offered an estimate of building costs please remember we are not experts in this area. We always recommend you obtain quotations for the large jobs before purchasing the business (preferably three quotes). The cost of building work has many variables such as the cost of labour, we are currently using between £75 per day for unskilled labour up to £150 per day for an accredited, qualified, skilled tradesman. Other variations include the quality of materials used and how the work is carried out, for example off ladders or from scaffold.

If you obtain builders estimates that vary widely, we would advise the work is probably difficult or open to various interpretations and we would recommend a specification is prepared. It would probably be best to supervise the work if it is complex, both of which we can do if so required.

 

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

Possibility of Two Storey Rear Extensions

Generally you would find that foundations to modern properties are approximately one meter deep. In this instance if you can prove this is the depth of the foundation through your local Building Control office (they will usually have records of some sort on modern properties) then a second storey extension could be built on top of it, although it may have to be what is termed a lightweight structure.

We feel that you may, however, get objections from the planners considering this to be over development of the site, but if you don’t ask … We suggest that you have a friendly informal meeting with the planners before you spend any money on this proposal.

SUMMARY UPON REFLECTION

The Summary Upon Reflection is a second summary so to speak, which is carried out with our thoughts a few days after the initial survey. We would add the following:-

Having studied the photographs we feel that the two main areas that you should concentrate on are the dampness coming into the property and the roof. Having looked at the photographs closely the roof is in a worse condition than we thought when we carried out the survey. We therefore recommend that you have a roofer to view the roof (with a set of long ladders) as soon as possible to actually quote you on re-roofing the building. This we feel should then be used in negotiations on the price, as we feel there are likely to be significant costs in this area in approximately five to ten years time and increasing ongoing maintenance costs prior to that.

As a general comment for any work required we would always recommend that you obtain at least three quotations for any work from a qualified, time served tradesperson or a competent registered building contractor prior to legal completion.

If you wish we can prepare specifications, obtain quotations for the work and manage it and ensure it is carried out to the correct standard.

We would ask that you read the Report and contact us on any issues that you require further clarification on.

MORE ABOUT THE REPORT FORMAT

Just a few more comments about the Report format before you read the actual main body of the Report.

TENURE – FREEHOLD (OR AS GOOD AS)

We have assumed that the property is to be sold Freehold or Long leasehold, with no unusual or onerous clauses and that vacant possession will be available on completion. Your Legal Advisor should confirm that this is the case.

ESTATE AGENTS – FRIEND OR FOE?

It is important to remember that the estate agents are acting for the seller (usually known as the vendor) and not the purchaser and are therefore eager to sell the property (no sale – no fee!). We as your employed Independent Chartered Surveyor represent your interests only.

SOLICITOR/LEGAL ADVISOR

To carry out your legal work you can use a solicitor or a legal advisor. We have used both terms within the report.

TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT/LIMITATIONS

This report is being carried out under our terms of engagement for Residential Building Surveys, as agreed to and signed by yourselves. If you have not seen and signed a copy of our terms of engagement please phone immediately.

OUR AIM IS ONE HUNDRED PERCENT SATISFACTION

Our aim is for you to be completely happy with the service we provide, and we will try and help you in whatever way possible with your house purchase - just phone us.

 

THE DETAILED PART OF THE REPORT
FOLLOWS WORKING FROM THE TOP
OF THE PROPERTY DOWNWARDS

From our investigations the property is Grade II Listed and falls within
a Conservation Area (your Legal Advisor should confirm this and make
their own enquiries) and as such it will require various permissions
to be obtained before work is carried out, over and above that
normally required and possibly the use of appropriate materials
for the age, type and style of property.

EXTERNAL

CHIMNEY STACKS,
PARAPET WALLS AND ROOFLIGHTS

Chimneys developed originally from open fires placed within buildings. From this, the chimney has developed to its present day format where it is used as an aesthetic feature and focal point rather than purely just to heat the room.

Chimney stacks

There are two chimneystacks to this property, one to the left and one to the right hand side.

Chimney One –Left hand side of the property

It was very difficult to view this chimney, we were only able to view about 25% of it from the rear of the property. From this view it would appear that the chimney has been dropped (lowered) and needs some minor re-pointing. We could not see the base but we suggest that the flashings will also need checking as well. The chimney was in use at the time of our survey.

This photo was taken from the rear of the property. You can clearly see the chimney on the right hand side (to the left of this picture as the photo was taken from the rear), but it is very difficult to se the chimney on the left hand side, you can just see a small amount of it poking above the roof light.

ACTION REQUIRED: We feel that this chimney needs inspecting in the next few years as we normally find that areas that are out of sight are normally out of mind and repairs are neglected.

 
Chimney Two – Right hand side of the property

This is a brick built chimney with a lead flashing and two clay chimney pots. We could not see the flaunchings and therefore cannot comment upon them. We did however note moss to the top of the chimney that indicates that the flaunchings have failed and we also noted some areas where re-pointing is necessary.

In the summary section we showed a picture of the top of the chimney with the moss. The base of the chimney looks in reasonable condition, although you can see that some of the bricks are spalling.

ACTION REQUIRED: We suggest that this chimney is inspected closely within the next two to three years when the above mentioned work will be required.

ANTICIPATED COST: Together with the left hand chimney we would expect costs to be in the region of £1000 to £2000. This cost is mainly made up of scaffolding etc that may be needed to access the chimney. Preliminary investigations will probably be carried out via ladders and crawler boards.

Flaunchings Defined

A low, wide cement mortar fillet surrounding the flue terminal on top of the chimneystack to throw off rainwater.

Flashings Defined

Flashings prevent dampness from entering the property, usually at junctions where materials change. Such a junction is the one between the chimney and the roof.

Spalling Defined

Spalling occurs to brick or stone when water penetrates the surface and via freezing and thawing starts to break the surface up. This in turn allows further water penetration and the surface breaks up further. This ultimately can lead to water damage or structural damage to the area.

Parapet Walls

These walls are usually above the roofline and often sit on the boundary of the property. Due to their position they are relatively exposed and suffer from deterioration due to the elements.

There are parapet walls to the rear of the property around the flat roofs. The parapet walls are what we would term as pseudo-pitched roofs, these are, in my eyes, roofs which are formed part to give the impression that a pitched roof is present and are a fairly common requirement with planners to match the property in with the main building roofs.

The benefit with this type of parapet is that only one side of the wall is exposed. In this instance this generally looked in reasonable condition, as indeed it should be as we are both advised, and from the information that we have received, that the extension is fairly new – we have dates of 1997.

Finally, we were only able to see approximately 75 percent of the parapet wall, therefore we have made our best assumptions based upon what we could see. A closer inspection may reveal more.

Roof Lights

Lights formed within the roof then they take the form of a dormer window to give sufficient head height to view out of the window standing up. All the roof lights are known as Velux roof windows, which is the trade name and these sit in line with the roof pitch.

In this instance there are three roof lights, two to the top floor rooms and one to the rear extension.

Roof Light One – Left Hand Room

This roof light follows the line of the roof and is in the left hand room. This is a good quality roof light from what we could see being formed of metal with double glazing. It opens by a winder handle and secures a very tight fit. We were unable to open this window properly to view the exterior, but from what we could see internally it looked in good order

Roof Light Two – Right Hand Room

This roof light was boarded over at the time of our inspection and we are advised that the window had recently been caught by the wind (a good reason to have one installed with a winder handle) and we were unable to inspect any of it as internally it was taped up with cardboard.

It seems inevitable with roof lights that they will sooner or later leak. If this doesn’t occur then they seem prone to condensation. Keep a cloth handy!

Dormer Windows

Dormer windows are often used where rooms are formed within the roof space and have the advantage of allowing light into the area and also giving the head space to allow them to be stood next to.

There are two dormer windows to the front of this property. One to each of the two bedrooms clad in a metal, we believe it to be lead but are not sure. We could not see the top of them but there were no obvious signs of dampness getting in internally. These are covered within the Internal Joinery section of this report.

Roof Light Three - Rear Flat Roof

This is a semi-domed roof light installed when the extension was carried out. There is a small chip in it that may let water in. You simply need to be aware of this and carry out mastic repairs if the roof light does start to let water in. We know of no easy way to fix damage like this.

Party Wall

Due to the fairly unusual configuration of the property to the rear in particular, from what we could see (and without the aid, unfortunately, of title deed drawings to establish the exact boundaries) we believe you may have some Party Walls.

You have a traditional Party Wall to the left hand side where you adjoin the antique jewellers and to the right hand side there would appear to be various Party Walls where you meet the Indian Restaurant.

Party Structures Defined - Party Wall Act Etc. 1996

A structure which both parties enjoy the use of or benefit from. An example of this would be where both parties gain support from a wall or utilise a chimney or chimneys.

Any work to party structures, such as party walls or party chimney stacks, require agreement under the Party Wall Act. We would be more than happy to offer you help and advice in this matter.

Finally, we have made our best assumptions on the overall condition of the chimneystacks, roof lights and parapet walls from the parts we could see. The inspection was made from ground level within the boundaries of the property (unless otherwise stated) using a x16 zoom lens on a digital camera. A closer inspection may reveal latent defects.

Please also see Chimney Breasts, Flues and Fireplaces Section of this Report.

ROOF COVERINGS AND UNDERLAYERS

The roof coverings and underfelts section considers the condition of the outer covering of the roof. Such coverings usually endure the extremes of climate and temperatures. They are susceptible to deterioration, which ultimately leads to water penetration.

The underfelts function is to prevent wind and minimise water damage. Dependent upon the age of your property this may or may not be present, please read on:

We will consider the roofs in four different areas, the Main Roof, the Side Pitched Roof Extension, the Main Rear Roof Extension and the Linking Roofs.

Main Roof

This roof is pitched at approximately 45 degrees, clad with a clay tile. To the rear of the roof there are two intercepting hipped roofs, dormer windows to the front and roof lights to the rear. In the valley gutter that is formed, this is the base of the ‘W’ shape of the rear roofs.

A picture looking down a valley gutter.

The main valley gutter between the two rooms formed within the roofs.

There is also a small valley gutter formed between the makeshift roof over the alley way and the adjoining roofs.


All valley gutters will need regularly checking to ensure they are not blocked, as this is a problem that will have been going on for centuries.

Valley Gutter Defined

An intersection between two sloping surfaces of a pitched roof towards which water flows.

Our main concern with this roof is that the tiles appear on the right hand side in particular to have opened up. This often occurs in hipped roofs as they are integrally unstable and can lead to dampness getting into the property. As mentioned elsewhere in this report we have found dampness to the right hand side of the property and we would comment that it is very difficult to establish dampness in this area due to the false walls that have been put in (we do not think this has been put in to disguise the dampness, this is common practice for rooms in roofs).

ACTION REQUIRED: We cannot unfortunately use any other term but a general overhaul of the roofs. We expect a good roofer would spend at least a day, possibly two or three on the roof replacing cracked, slipped and broken tiles. If at all possible we would suggest that the tiles should be closed up on the right hand side and additional tiles added.

Upon reflection and looking at this in more detail, we believe there may be problems with the main roof. Unfortunately there is no internal access to allow close inspection. We think it is absolutely essential that you have a roofer look at the property very closely before you proceed
with the purchase and that you obtain firm fixed price quotes to ensure that they do not intend to add extras to the bill as they go along, which is common with this type of work.

This photo shows you the valley gutter to the rear of the property, which is fairly typical of what we would expect. We would however refer you to the photo in the Executive Summary part of this report, which is where we have our concerns.

We did note signs that there has been fairly regular maintenance of the roof, such as new tiles set within the original hand made tiles and we also noted a ladder in the valley gutter, which is not an ideal place to keep it, but it does indicate that the roof is fairly regularly accessed to be maintained. Unfortunately we were unable to get out onto the valley gutter as we normally would, due to the roof lights not allowing access, and our ladder not being quite tall enough to gain access.

Adjoining Roofs

Strange as it may seem, it is also important how
your roof meets the adjoining roof. In this case
to the left hand side there is a step between the
roofs. We noted that there is a tile flashing, which is not ideal (we would always recommend lead) and unfortunately due to the
false walls mentioned earlier within the rooms in the roof, we were unable to establish if dampness is getting in. To the right hand sidethere is a small single storey roof, which formspart of your property.
The step in the roof between theadjoining property and yourproperty.

Single Storey Roof to the Right Hand Side of the Property

This is a hipped pitched roof clad with tiles and is probably much newer than the main property. We noted this was in reasonable condition. We did however note that where it adjoins the main property there was a concrete filet tile, again as mentioned above we would always recommend this is replaced with lead. Ironically you can in fact see where there was once a lead flashing detail to the rear of this roof and it looks like the pitch has been added at a later date, possibly there was originally a single storey flat roof extension.

Main Rear Flat Roof

Although they are termed flat roofs they should in fact have a fall – towards the drainage outlets!

We were pleased to see a reasonably good quality flat roof with a mineral felt finish. It looked to have reasonable falls on it. We found
a few areas of blistering and we also noted that
the outlets were reasonable and that there was dampness around the outlets indicating that therecent rain we have had has discharged.

This gives a nice overview of
the flat roof. Note on the right
hand side the parapet wall.

Our only concern on this roof was the rather awkward flashing detail where the roof abuts the Town Wall. However, we do not think there is a much better method than the one we saw. You just need to keep your eyes on this part of the roof.

To the far end of the main flat roof there is a boxed in unit. We believe this deals with the air cleaning inside the pub. The felt on this is slightly damaged and is a DIY-type repair job.

Linking Roofs

We did not know quite how to describe these roofs. These are various flat roofs that link to the original property and the main rear extension. These consist primarily of one reasonable sized flat roof that can be accessed directly from the rear lounge, which is used as private living accommodation, and then a linking flat roof to the front low level extension that we mentioned earlier. We will consider these separately.

The Flat Roof Directly over the Rear Lounge – on the bar side (we assume this is the flat roof for the first rear extension)

This has a mineral felt finish and is to a reasonable standard. We did note areas of ponding and it did have a slight ‘give’ in it. This can mean one of two things, that the decking board beneath is damp or, we feel more likely in this case, that there is what is known as a warm roof. This is where insulation has been added on top of the decking, which is good practice as the amountof heat that can be lost from flat roofs isconsiderable. We believe that this constructionmay also have been used on the main rear roof.

This shows that some water does settle on the roof, due to alack of fall.

This again shows that some water does settle on the roof.

Roof Between the Main Roofs to the Front of the Property

This is shown in the right hand photo above.

Linking Roof to Rear (right hand side) next to the Single Storey Extension

This has a pea shingle finish and is probably the oldest of the flat roofs and the first one likely to cause problems. We noted that it had two air vents, and it also has a makeshift lean-to corrugated roof against it that gives, unfortunately, a very poor valley gutter detail. This needs, in our opinion, to be amended. We think it would be simpler to reroof it with the water being discharged onto the flat roof, rather than the current detail.
Defective Flashing

There is a flashing between the main building
and the linking roof next to the kitchen, which
is defective. Although it is formed in lead, as
mentioned earlier we believe lead is the best
material, this appears to have been carried out poorly and looks to have had mastic added to it at various times, we believe to stop leaks. This therefore needs to be looked at properly whenthe Main Roof is overhauled.

The poorly finished flashing.

ACTION REQUIRED: Inspect the flashing previously mentioned and re-bed.

ANTICIPATED COST: A few hundred pounds.

Cement Fillets/Cement Flashings

This is where cement has been used to cover up or fill the junctions between two areas, for example between a roof and a wall to help prevent dampness. Cement is a brittle material and prone to cracking which in turn allows dampness into the structure. We would always recommend they be replaced with lead.

Sarking Felt

As we have not been able to get into the main roofs we cannot comment on whether there is a sarking felt present.

General Comments on Flat Roofs

Insulation

We think that possibly there is an insulation layer, however if there is not should any of the flat roofs be re-roofed we recommend that an insulation board be added to increase the general thermal efficiency of the property and bring the thermal efficiency of the property closer to current Building Regulation requirements.

Ventilation

We noted that some of the flat roofs are vented. If they are however they are re-roofed then current Building Regulations also require the roof to be vented, which we would highly recommend as this roof sits over the kitchen and rear bar, which are both fairly high moisture areas.

Finally, all the roofs were inspected from ground level with the aid of a x16 zoom lens on a digital camera. Flat roofs have been inspected from on the roofs themselves. Unfortunately we were unable to inspect the valley gutter properly.

ROOF STRUCTURE AND LOFT

(ALSO KNOWN AS ROOF SPACE OR ATTIC SPACE)

The roof structure or framework must be built in a manner which is able to give adequate strength to carry its own weight together with that of the roof covering discussed in the previous section and any superimposed loads such as snow, wind, foot traffic etc.

Unfortunately there was next to no access to the Main Roof as the rooms were formed within the roof. There was, from what we could see, a small access within the en suite bathroom, but this did not allow us to actually view the roof.

This is a shame as it is very common for valley gutters such as this to leak. We tried our best to access it but to no avail. This, together with the fact that we were also unable to get onto the valley itself, does concern us and we therefore suggest that you have a roofer look at the roof prior to you legally purchasing the property and to also have a look at the valley gutter and to offer a quote for any repairs that may be required.

From what we could see from out of the window there did not look to be any obvious signs and they would normally have been visible, but we would much prefer to have actually stood on the roof.

GUTTERS AND DOWNPIPES

The function of the gutters and downpipes is to carry rainwater from the roof to the ground keeping the main structure as dry as possible.

Defective gutters and downpipes are a common cause of dampness that can, in turn, lead to the development of rot in timbers. Regular inspection and adequate maintenance are therefore essential if serious problems are to be avoided.

The rainwater goods are made up of a mixture of cast iron and plastic. This is probably the original cast iron guttering, as we noted it was rusting in many areas. As we also noted that there was dampness coming in to the front of the property it is possibly due to the leaks from the rainwater goods.

As it was not raining at the time of theinspection it is not possible to confirm 100 percent that the rainwater installation is free from blockage, leakage etc. or that it is capable of coping with long periods of heavy rainfall.

Rusting guttering.

ACTION REQUIRED: We would always recommend that the rainwater goods are cleaned out, the joints are checked and the alignment checked to ensure that the gutters fall towards the downpipes.

In this case you also need to carry out an inspection when it next rains to establish areas where the guttering is leaking.

We have recently read research that shows when you look at the whole life costs of cast iron and plastic rainwater goods that cast iron is actually cheaper, although it is more expensive initially, but it does last longer. The article showed cast iron having a life expectancy of 60 years, more if it is cleaned and maintained at a typical cost per year of £2.26 and uPVC having a life expectancy of 15 years at a cost per year of £3.00. The figures were produced by English Heritage who are a fairly reliable source, which brings me back to the point we are trying to make, perhaps you should be replacing the plastic rainwater goods with cast iron as they are both in keeping with the age of the property and offer, in the long term, better value for money.

Finally, gutters and downpipes have been inspected from ground level. We were not able to make a close inspection of the roof level rainwater goods (our ladders are not long enough) and therefore cannot be 100% certain of the type of material used or the condition. Our comments have therefore been based on our best assumptions.

 

WALLS

External walls need to perform a variety of functions. These include supporting upper floors and the roof structure, resisting dampness, providing adequate thermal and sound insulation, offering resistance to fire and being aesthetically presentable.

The front of the property is finished in a painted render and the rear of the property is brickwork in what is known as a cavity bond.

Rendered Areas

Render is a mixture of cement and sand and sometimes lime and sometimes having waterproof additives. These are applied in two or three coats to walls and are popular as a decorative finish and has been used in many areas of the country for many years. The older render being known as pargeting, which often has patterns within it. Render also helps to minimise moisture penetration into a property if in good condition.

As a surveyor we are always concerned when we see render-finished properties, as the render can hide a multitude of sins. We carried out a tap test on the render at low level (literally hitting the render with the back of a hammer to try to establish if there are any hollow areas to it) and we were, in this instance, pleasantly surprised as we expected to find more hollow areas than we did. Having said this we would only term the render as being typical for its age.

DON’T PANIC!

This is not your property, just an example of what can happen with rendered properties.

To the right hand side of the bush
you can see the render deteriorating. This can start to occur where hairline cracks are found within the render.

 

Cracking

As with any property of this age there is some cracking in the render. This is predominantly over the front windows, although it is difficult to see as the property looks to have been re-painted fairly recently.

There is hairline cracking to the render. The recent re-decoration
is hiding latent defects.


Drip Detailing

You can normally establish the quality of the render work by the drip detailing over the windows and doors. In this instance there is no drip detailing and therefore we would classify it as rather poor quality work. However, having said that, to the corners of the property there is what is known as quoins. These replicate the stone quoins that were once used on better quality properties.

We are concerned that this property has what is known as lateral dampness. This is where the dampness comes through the walls.

Externally, as we saw on the date of our survey, the walls look in reasonable condition, however we do feel that possibly the render was allowed to deteriorate and has only recently been re-painted.

Brickwork

The walls to the rear of the original pub and the extension are formed in brickwork with the older work being formed in English Bond (consisting of alternative rows of headers and stretchers. The newer work is formed in cavity brickwork, also termed stretcher bond. The term cavity brickwork is based on the pattern we can see on the outside bricks. We noted a course showing the sides of the bricks (known as "stretchers") followed by a similar course above set off so the joint is centrally above the "stretcher". This pattern is then repeated. This is repeated with blockwork internally and tied together with a wall tie as shown in the sketch below.

Because we are only able to see the outside view of the bricks, we have no way of knowing without opening up the structure that this is a properly built cavity wall.

Cavity walls were first used in Victorian times. It originates from solid walls not always being waterproof (which is possibly why the front of this property was rendered) against driving rain and only giving a limited degree of heat insulation. The design of cavity walls makes them relatively unstable and they depend upon the wall ties.

Walls of cavity construction should incorporate ties to hold together the inner and outer leaves of masonry. As there is no access to the cavity it has not been inspected and we cannot comment on the presence or condition of wall ties.

Qualities of the Main Building versus the Newer Rear Extensions

The main original part of the property was built at a time when materials were used that had some flexibility in them, we term it as that they ‘breathe’ i.e. they move with the seasons. The rear part of the property has been built in modern materials that tend not to move in the same way, giving a far more rigid structure.

For example, in the original part of the property there is likely to be lime used, which allows movement. To the rear there is likely to have been Portland cement used, which gives very limited movement. Therefore we believe there is likely to be movement between the two properties and these movement characteristics clash.

Lintels

We noted in the original part of the property that timber lintels were visible to the rear of the property. Where they are concealed to the front of the property by render there could also be timber lintels. In either area these could havedeteriorated. A random ample of the lintels were visually inspected and looked to be in reasonable condition to the rear.

To the newer rear of the property the lintels were completely concealed by the brickwork and plaster. Therefore we cannot comment on their construction or condition. In buildings of this age, as already commented, there are likely to be timber lintels, there could possibly also be concrete lintels or metal lintels, which can be susceptible to deterioration which is unseen particularly if in contact with dampness.

Finally, the external walls have been inspected visually from ground level and/or randomly via a ladder. Where the window and door lintels are concealed by brickwork / render we cannot comment on their construction or condition. In buildings of this age timber lintels, concrete lintels, rubbed brick lintels, stone lintels or metal lintels are common, which can be susceptible to deterioration that is unseen, particularly if in contact with dampness.

Our comments have been based upon how the brickwork / render has been finished. We have made various assumptions based upon what we could see and how we think the brickwork / render would be if it were opened up for this age, style and type of construction. We are however aware that all is not always at it seems in the building industry and often short cuts are taken. Without opening up the structure we have no way of establishing this.

FOUNDATIONS

The foundations function, if suitably designed and constructed, is to transfer the dead or superimposed load through the soil so it can suitably carry the loads. Many properties prior to the 19th Century have little or not foundations, as we now think of them, with a minimum depth of around one metre filled with concrete.

The Original Property

The public house as a whole consists of fundamentally two buildings. Without excavation we would find it difficult to establish the depth of the foundations but we can offer an educated guess. The original property is particularly difficult as it is hard to establish the period it was built in from what we have seen. We would have aged the building in the 1800s but it may well be older as it has a Grade II Listed status, as far as we can find out. This should detail the exact age.

We have however inspected the walls for any signs of movement and found that although there are some hairline cracks in the render there is nothing that we would term unusual for this age of property.

Newer Rear Extensions

There have been various extensions to the property over the years, typically with a pub the first extensions were made in the 1960s/1970s when toilet facilities were improved or made internal and then more recently, as in this case, where development has been carried out to enlarge them to a more convenient size.

The more recent extensions would have had foundations of between 3 foot to a meter depending upon whether they were carried out before or after we turned metric (in the building trade this was generally in the 1970s).

Building Insurance Policy

You should ensure that the Building Insurance Policy contains adequate provision against any possibility of damage arising through subsidence, landslip, heave etc.

Town Wall

In addition, in this instance you appear to have part of the Town Wall within your demise. You should specifically ask your Legal Advisor to check that there are no onerous or unusual clauses associated with having this wall within the boundary.

Finally, we have not excavated the foundations but we have drawn conclusions from our inspection and our general knowledge of this type, age and style of property.

As no excavation has been carried out we cannot be 100 percent certain as to how the foundation has been constructed and we can only offer our best assumptions and an educated guess, which we have duly done.

TREES

Trees within influencing distance of a property can affect the foundations by affecting the moisture content of the soil.

There are no trees within immediate influencing distance of the property. We would however comment that there are some substantial trees in the park to the rear of the property. If you have responsibility for the boundary walls then the roots to these could well affect them.

Note the large trees to the rear
of the property.

 

Influencing Distance Defined

This is the distance in which a tree may be able to cause damage to the subject property. It is not quite as simple as our sketch; it depends on the tree, its maturity, the soil type etc., etc.

Please also refer to the Walls Section and the External Areas Section of this Report.

 

DAMP PROOF COURSE

The Building Act of 1878 required a damp proof course to be added to all newly built properties within the London area. It also required various other basic standards. These requirements were gradually taken up (or should that be grudgingly taken up) throughout London and then the country as a whole, although this took many for it to become standard practice.

All modern properties should incorporate a damp proof course (DPC) and good building practice dictates that a differential of 150mm (6 inches) should be maintained between the damp proof course and ground levels.

In this case, we found an inserted damp proof course to the front of the property, unfortunately we were unable to test it for dampness in the usual manner with an electronic damp meter due to the timber dado internally. Please see our comments in the Executive Summary on this matter.

To the rear of the property, a damp proof course has been added, although we did note, where visible, this was too low. Again, please see our comments within the Executive Summary and also in the Dampness Section of this Report.

Finally, sometimes it is difficult for us to identify if there is a damp proof course in a property. We have made our best assumptions based upon our general knowledge of the age, type and style of this property.

EXTERNAL JOINERY

The external joinery part of this section covers windows, doors, fascias and soffits and any detailing such as brick corbelling etc.

Windows primary functions are to admit light and air, but they also have thermal and sound properties. The doors allow access and egress within the property. Another element of external joinery is the fascias and soffits. These offer protection to the rafter feet and also allow the securing of guttering.

Fascias and Soffits

The fascia is hidden to the front of the property behind the guttering and we could not view it. However, we have commented earlier that the cast iron guttering does look to be leaking and therefore we expect the fascia to be in fairly poor condition and in need of some replacement and redecoration or associated repairs at the minimum. This will no doubt become apparent when you start to repair/replace the cast iron guttering. However,having said that, there may not be any fasciabehind the guttering at all. There is brickcorbelling surrounding the gutter.

We have used this photobefore
but it does show quitenicely the
brick corbellingbeneath the
guttering.

ACTION REQUIRED: Likely to need repair and re-decoration to the fascias and soffits around the original part of the property.


Rear Extension

To the rear the fascias and soffits look in reasonable condition around the newer extensions. We also noted it had a vent in it, which is good practice to stop condensation or
interstitial condensation occurring within the roof. This will need re-decoration and we suggest in the summer of 2004.

The fascias and soffits to
the new property. Note the
vent on the soffit. Also
note the messy pointing
that has been carried out,
which is the only indication
we have got of the quality
of the brickwork.


Windows and Doors

Windows

Overall we would generally classify the windows as saveable to reasonable condition (our other category being beyond repair!).

The front of the property has in the main sliding sash windows although there are top opening light windows in the dormer windows in the roof and roof lights as already mentioned. In the main these windows are in above average condition with the exception of the dormer windows where the paintwork is starting to flake and they have clearly been filled in the past (although to some extent all of these windows of this age will have been filled).

Newer Windows

In the newer section the property, as one would expect, there are newer windows. The problem with newer windows is that the quality of timber that is used tends to be fairly poor so they have to be kept in good decorative order.

ACTION REQUIRED: This is why we would recommend redecoration to all of the windows in the summer of 2004.

We would advise that in this age of property that the doors and windows throughout the various seasons expand and contract slightly. They will feel very stiff particularly in the damper months. The problem you have is that if you ease and adjust them then during the spring/autumn they tend to be draughty. We noted for example that the window to the first floor landing had been painted shut; this often occurs. We were pleased to see that we were able to open the windows in the guest bedrooms, which we always think is essential.

Doors

The property has a mixture of fairly standard external doors. Under the present arrangements the main entrance doors into the bar do not appear to be used with a message advising you to use the side door. We therefore did not use these doors at all.

Finally, we have carried out a general and random inspection of the external joinery. In the case of the fascias and soffits it is typically a visual inspection from ground level. With the windows and doors we have usually opened a random selection of these during the course of the survey. In this section we are aiming to give a general overview of the condition of the external joinery. Please also see the Internal Joinery section.

EXTERNAL DECORATIONS

The external decorations act as a protective coat for the building from the elements. Where this protective covering has failed, such as with flaking paintwork, the elements will infiltrate the structure. This is of particular concern as water is one of the major factors in damage to any structure.

In this case, the external decorations are in reasonable condition, as they should be as we believe they have only recently been carried out. You no doubt have a clause within the lease to re-decorate every ‘X’ number of years (often five years). We generally find that it is good marketing to re-decorate regularly, as well as a good maintenance requirement.

We would comment that you should not under estimate the amount of time it takes to re-decorate rendered properties and that possibly in this instance the redecoration was allowed to go on for too long without being carried out, which allowed dampness to get into the structure, which will now be drawn out by the central heating during the winter months and by the warm (hopefully) summer months, which may lead to blistering to the paintwork.

ACTION REQUIRED: We would suggest that you look to be externally re-decorating preferably in the summer of 2004 or by the summer of 2005.

Remember some re-rendering work is likely too and we recommend that you find a good renderer before you start the re-decoration.

Finally, ideally external redecoration is recommended every four to five years dependent upon the original age of the paint, its exposure to the elements and the materials properties. Where painting takes place outside this maintenance cycle repairs should be expected. Ideally redecoration should be carried out during the better weather between mid-April and mid-September.

Please see our comments in the External Joinery section.

INTERNAL
CEILINGS, WALLS, PARTITIONS AND FINISHES

In this section we look at the finish applied to the structural elements such as the plasterwork applied to the ceiling joists, walls or partitions, together with the onstruction of the internal walls and partitions. The concept of internal finishes is relatively modern. Partitioning developed originally to separate the livestock from the human occupants. Finishes have developed from this very functional beginning to their decorative nature of

Ceilings

The property has a mixture of lath and plaster ceilings and plasterboard.

Lath and Plaster Defined

Laths are thin strips of timbers which are fixed to the structure. Wet plaster is applied to the laths, usually in several layers. The plaster forms a key as it is forced
between the laths. This plaster, once dry, is given further coats and
often a decorative finish.


Common defects with this type of plastering are that the laths are placed too close together or too far apart therefore the plaster cannot form a key. It can also deteriorate due to dampness within the structure, general vibrations, structural movement and age.

We are reasonably happy with the condition of the ceilings although we would comment as follows.

Condensation

We feel condensation is highly likely in the en suite bathrooms and associated bedrooms. This in turn can lead to the plaster being affected. In fact we noted that in bedroom two on the left hand side that there was blistering in the plasterwork, although this was on the walls. We could not actually tap the ceilings due their height to check their condition.

Internal Walls and Partitions

Trading Area

As is fairly common with trading areas many of the walls have been removed and support has been added, we assume, in their place. Without opening up the structure we cannot verify that the support is appropriate, however more recent alterations will have been subject to Building Regulation Control and the older alterations have stood the test of time. From our random visual inspection we did not note any signs of movement around the areas where the lintels/RSJs terminated.

First and Second Floor

There is a mixture of studwork walls and solid walls, for example there is studwork formed within the rooms in the roof, which is common. This gives a void between the actual roof and the room itself.

The majority of the walls have a woodchip finish; this is typically used to hide undulations in the walls. It is highly likely that in this area there is some lime based plaster, which is likely, when re-decoration is carried out, to come away from the walls.

Ground Floor

Much of the wall finishes is covered with timber dado panels to the base of the structure, and the upper parts are covered in areas with embossed paper, therefore the condition of the walls are hidden.

Finally, ceilings, walls and partitions have been inspected from floor level and no opening up has been undertaken. The type of materials employed cannot be ascertained fully without damage being caused.

We cannot comment upon the condition of the structure hidden behind plaster, dry lining, other applied finishes, heavy furniture, fittings, and kitchen units with fitted back panels, trade furniture, bars and back bars.

CHIMNEY BREASTS, FLUES AND FIREPLACES


With the advent of central heating fireplaces tend to be more a feature than an essential function in most properties.

At the time of the survey there was a fire in the front bar, which we feel makes a nice feature. Any chimneys that you do not propose to use should be capped and ventilated to prevent dampness. It may well be worth considering this on the right hand chimney if it is not being used.

At the time of the survey no chimneys were in use. Any chimneys that you do not propose to use should be capped and ventilated to prevent dampness.

Finally, it is strongly recommended that flues be cleaned and checked for obstruction prior to use to minimise the risk of hazardous fumes entering the building.

Please also see the Chimney Stacks, Flues and Parapet Walls section of this Report.

FLOORS

Functionally floors should be capable of withstanding appropriate loading, preventing dampness, have thermal properties and durability. In addition to this upper floors should offer support for ceilings, resistance to fire and resistance to sound transfer.

No exposure was carried out due to the restrictions of fitted carpets, floor coverings etc. The comments are based upon our experience and knowledge of this type of construction.

Ground Floor

The floor construction is mixed, the front part is constructed in what is known as a suspended timber floor, which is fairly common for properties of this age (1800s - 1900s). As you know, because you went under the floor with me, this is accessed from the left hand side of the bar.

From what we could see under the barthe timbers have been replaced and they A general view of the floor. To the frontrun from left to right, which is unusualbecause normally the timbers would runon the shortest span which would befrom front to back, however there mayhave been problems in the past withrotting timber, particularly to the front of the property as the pavement looks to discharge water towards the front of the building and indeed it still looks to be doing this, which is why there is some staining to the timbers on this edge.

A general view of the floor. To
the front edge of the property
you can see somedamp staining
and the timber packing,neither of which are ideal. The packing,in
our opinion, should be of slate
or stoneand the timbers should
be protected fromthe dampness.

We were pleased to note ventilation to the front of the property in the form of airbricks. Please see the Airbricks Section of this Report.

The rear of the ground floor we believe is concrete. We are basing this assumption on the fact that it was solid and firm underfoot. The only exposed areas that we could ind was to the very rear of the property in the cellar and adjoining corridor and store.

Suspended Timber Floor Construction
Defined

A suspended timber floor usually
consists of timbers spanning the
ground floor, supported on piers
(usually brickwork), vented via
airbricks within the walls.

First and Second Floor

Typically with this age of property we would expect a joist and floorboard construction.

No floorboards were lifted and the floor was not accessed in any way.

Joist and Floorboard
Construction Defined

These are usually at first floor level consisting of a joist supported from the external walls, either built in or, in more modern times, sitting upon joist hangers, sometimes taking additional support from internal walls, with floorboards fixed down upon it.

However, in this instance, due to the alterations that have taken place within the bar, i.e. the removal of the walls, there is likely to be an element of steel or possibly cast iron to the front of the property depending upon the age of when the alterations took place.

Finally, we have not been able to view the actual floors themselves due to them being covered with fitted carpets, floor coverings, laminated flooring etc. The comments we have made are based upon our experience and knowledge of this type of construction. We would emphasise that we have not opened up the floors in any way or lifted any floorboards.

 

DAMPNESS

In this section we look at any problems that are being caused by dampness. It is therefore essential to diagnose the source of the dampness and to treat the actual cause, as there are also other sources of dampness such as condensation, which may inadvertently by the inexperienced eye be considered to be lateral dampness or rising damp.

From our findings there would appear to be a fair amount of dampness in this property via lateral dampness and also the potential for there to be rising dampness. We do find this to be reasonable common in public houses and find generally that the heating levels in the public house help to constantly dry out the building.

The lateral dampness is above average and not normally found to this extent and indeed if this was a house you were buying many surveyors would recommend not continuing with the purchase. However, as this is both a home and a business there are many more factors to consider.

ACTION REQUIRED: We do recommend that negotiation on the purchase price be carried out based upon the expenditure required to resolve these matters. Ideally damp proof courses should be inserted (that are in the correct position and effective) and there will be some rendering work needed to the outside of the property and possibly repointing.

Rising Damp

Rising damp depends upon three components, the porosity of the structure, and the supply of water and the rate of evaporation from the wall surface. The water rising from the ground will tend to rise in the raw materials and will continue to do so due to capillary action to varying degrees of intensity and height.

Unfortunately we were unable to take electronic damp meter readings due to the majority of the property having an internal vertical timber dado. We did however note externally that the damp proof course was too low. This is in the area just outside the kitchen (that we showed you).

We also noted that the ground level was above the internal level to areas around the patio garden area. This can also lead to problems. Without seeing what the construction is behind it we cannot advise you accurately on this matter without further investigation.

However, we will give you a worse case scenario so that you are aware. This is where there is no allowance being made for dampness coming in in these areas. We would therefore suggest a French drain. This is literally where you dig down the side of the property, put in a half drainage pipe leading to a soakaway and then re-fill with pea shingle (small stones). As you can probably guess from the above description this is labour intensive and therefore can be fairly expensive.

ACTION REQUIRED: Investigations to be carried out when redecoration is taking place.

To the ground floor the only area where we felt we could get reasonable readings was in the toilet areas and here we got positive damp readings, however there is an outside chance that this is also condensation as this often occurs within these type of areas.

Effective Testing

Effective testing was prevented in nearly all areas.

Lateral or Penetrating Dampness

This is where water ingress occurs through the walls. This can be for various reasons such as poor pointing or wall material, inadequate rainwater goods or corroded downpipes.

This was far higher than we would typically find and indeed there is staining to the wall paper to the front of the property. As mentioned elsewhere within this report we believe this relates to defects in the render, which has been
aggravated possibly by leaking drains and possibly that decoration was left too long.


ACTION REQUIRED
: Re-decorate and carry out associated repairs to the render, hack off any areas of blown render preferably in the summer of 2004, but not later than the summer of 2005.

Condensation

Toilets

Condensation is occurring within the toilet areas. This is fairly common in public houses as they tend to be the coldest areas.

ACTION REQUIRED: The best way to reduce condensation is to provide additional background heating.

En Suite Bathrooms

We believe also that there will be condensation is occurring within the en suite bathrooms, both the guest ones and the owner’s private living accommodation. We suggest initially that you clean the fans. The fan to the en suite private living accommodation is connected to the light switch in a similar way to that in the guest rooms so you cannot switch the light switch on without the fans coming on as well, so the extract fan should over run for a few minutes to clear any build up of moisture in the rooms.

If this does not work then we suggest the extract fans are increased in size.

Finally, effective testing was prevented in areas concealed by heavy furniture, fixtures such as kitchen fittings with backboards, wall tiles and wall panelling. We have not carried out tests to BRE Digest 245, but only carried out a visual inspection.

INTERNAL JOINERY

This section looks at the doors, the stairway, the skirting boards and the kitchen to give a general overview of the internal joinery’s condition.

Doors

There is a mixture of panel doors and hardboard covered, which we believe to be, hollow core doors.

Individual details of each area is set out within the Schedule of Condition.

Finally, it should be noted that not all joinery has been inspected. We have viewed a random sample and visually inspected these to give a general overview of the condition. Please also see the External Joinery/Detailing section.


INTERNAL – SCHEDULE OF CONDITION

Second Floor - Rooms within Roof Void

Left Hand Room – Bedroom

Ceiling

Painted woodchip paper. Slightly tired.

Walls

Painted woodchip paper. Slightly tired.

Joinery

Windows

Painted single glazed window which is part of the dormer window to the front. Paint is flaking and dated.

Roof light window to the rear, which is metal double glazed and has no sign of any defects.

Flooring

Carpeted.

Right Hand Room - Study

Ceiling

Painted woodchip paper. Dated and stained.

Walls

Painted woodchip paper. Dated and stained.

Joinery

Windows

Painted single glazed window, which forms part of the dormer window to the front of the property. The paintwork is flaking and dated and there is some mould present.

Flooring

Carpeted.

Bathroom (to the rear of the right hand room)

Consisting of a bath a W.C’s., a wash hand basin and an electric shower. All in reasonable condition.

100mm extract fan controlled from within the bathroom.

Ceiling

Painted.

Walls

Painted. Some hairline cracking, particularly around the basin, believed to be movement in the dry lining.

Joinery

Roof Lights

Boarded over externally and card boarded over internally due to broken window at the time of our inspection, therefore we were unable to inspect it. We were advised by the tenants that they would replace it before they leave.

Flooring

Carpeted.

Access into Small Void from Bathroom

This enabled a view behind the studwork where there looked to be a heater or a pump.

Note:

The rooms formed within the Roof Void, the Bedroom and Study, were cluttered with various items which restricted our view.

We are concerned about possible dampness to the valley gutter. The configuration means it is impossible to view.

Dampness was identified on the right hand side of the roof. Further investigation required. A roofer needs to look at the roof as a whole, paying particular attention to the right hand side and the valley gutters.

First Floor

Stairs

Painted timber. Dated with some marks and chips.

Left Hand Bedroom Two

Double sized bedroom including en suite shower room with W.C’s. and wash hand basin.

Electric point taped over, we assume broken.

Ceilings

Papered.

Walls

Papered. Some staining and general marking.

Dampness was found on the front external wall – we believe this is a defect within the render. The render has recently been painted over and therefore it is impossible to identify exactly where dampness is coming in.

There is a cupboard papered internally with some marks. The door is a painted panel door with some marks and damage.

Floor Finishes

Carpeted.

Services

Double panelled radiator.

It was noted that there is an additional electric heater.

Joinery

Windows

Single glazed painted timber sliding sash windows in reasonable condition. Minor mould and minor flaking of paint. There is some dampness around the window particularly to the left hand side as you face the property. There is some staining on the paper which possibly relates to the cast iron drainage defect in the render. The sliding sash window works.

Doors

Entrance door painted with minor marking.

Door to en suite is a painted panel door with markings around the door knob and some general impact indentation.

Bathroom

Ceilings

Painted woodchip in reasonable condition.

Walls

Painted woodchip in reasonable condition. Light bulb to far left hand corner. Hollow plaster. Re-masticing to the shower and staining around the shower basin indicate that it has leaked. Recommend re-masticing.

Sanitary ware

Shower, W.C’s. and wash hand basin in reasonable condition, although remasticing is required around the shower unit and there looks to have been a leak in this area in the past. Coloured light also connected to internal extract fan that requires cleaning.

Right hand Bedroom One

Double sized bedroom.

Ceilings

Woodchip. Minor marking where there looks to have been a change of position of the smoke alarm.

Walls

Painted woodchip with dado rail. Room illuminated with wall lights. Minor dampness found to front wall.


Panelled door into cupboard. Paint damage and
cracking.

Floor Finishes

Carpeted.

Services

Radiator, not checked.

Joinery

Windows

Painted sliding sash windows with slight mould to the inner frame and minor flaking.

En Suite Bathroom

Ceilings

Painted woodchip paper.

Walls

Painted woodchip walls.

Sanitary ware

Shower cubicle, W.C’s. and corner basin. Electric shower.

First Floor Landing

Ceilings

Woodchip papered ceiling. Slightly tired.

Walls

Papered. In reasonable condition.

Flooring

Carpet. In reasonable condition

Services

Single panelled radiator.

Joinery

One sliding sash window, unable to open.

Private Living Accommodation

Kitchen/Lounge to the Rear of the Property

Ceilings

In reasonable condition. Cracking around the two decorative timber beams across the room.

Walls

In reasonable condition.

Flooring

Carpet. In reasonable condition.

Kitchen (on left hand side)

Wall hung and floor mounted kitchen units all in reasonable condition and of average quality.

Joinery

Windows

Two painted sliding sash windows. Not accessed to see if they could open.

Doors

French doors to the right hand side. Wet rot
present to the base of the doors.

Airing Cupboard

Factory lagged cylinder. Minor marking to skirting and entrance door.

Ground Floor

Kitchen

Note high level ceiling.

Ceilings

Painted and papered. Stained and marked. Florescent light with no cover.

Walls

Painted woodchip with gloss paint. General staining and marking. Partly tiled. Grout dirty and marked, particularly around the extractor hood. Some old fixing points.

Floor Finishes

Altro-style floor covering with some quarry tiling underneath the domestic quality cooker.

Services

Note surface mounted electrical cabling close to the fryers.

Joinery

Domestic quality high level cupboards. Three double door units. Extract hood over two fryer, four ringed domestic cooker.

Entrance to painted domestic quality worktops.

Front Bar

Ceilings

Painted embossed paper with some feature timber beams.

Walls

Papered with dado rails at low level and picture rails at high level and embossed paper below and above.

Brick feature fireplace.

Floor Finishes

Carpeted and in reasonable condition with some burn marks.

Services

Carpeted and in reasonable condition with some burn marks.

Joinery

Doors

Double entrance doors – not in use.

Bar

Approximately 27 covers, three stools at the bar.

Timber bar top with painted bar frontage with moulding.

Optics back bar display.

Floor Finish

Altro-style flooring. Flooring starting to open up.

Services

Electrics situated to the left hand side of the bar.

Access Corridor between Front and Rear Bar (not for public use)

Rear Bar

Worn mat within well.

Ceilings

Embossed painted paper. Smoked stain colour. Several beams. The property has been extended and altered. Sky light to right hand side. Stained paintwork.

Walls

Vertical timber dado and papered above with embossed paper.

Floors

Carpeted. Slightly worn but in reasonable condition.

Pool tables to rear. Mirrored visibility from the bar.

Joinery

Painted timber sliding sash casement windows.

Approximately 19 covers. Five stools at the bar. Two AWP machines and one Multi machine. One Juke box to the rear.

General marking to the rear door to the cellar and general marking to the vertical timber dado rail where located next to chairs and tables etc.

Services

Single panelled radiators.

Public Access Corridor between Front Bar and Rear Bar

Ceilings

Painted. In reasonable condition. Some hairline cracking.

Walls

Painted. Some general marks and staining. Gloss paper to low level and general marking.

Floor Finish

Carpet. Marked. Worn mat within well.

Joinery

Entrance Door into Front Bar

Chipping to the panelled door.

Entrance to Rear Saloon Bar and Garden

Chipping to the door.

Gents Toilets

Ceilings

Painted. Tired with some markings and hairline cracking. Signs of condensation above the W.C’s. tank to the urinal.

Walls

Tiled from floor to ceiling. Some ingrained dirt, particularly around wash hand basin and hand drier. Some chipped tiles, particularly around window. Unfilled fixing hole points.

Floor Finish

Quarry tiled. Ingrained dirt and grease to the joints.

Internal manhole.

Joinery

Window

Single glazed opaque painted timber casement window. Minor marking.

Window within W.C’s. is a single glazed opaque painted timber casement window with minor marking.

Doors

Painted timber panelled W.C’s. door with impact damage, chipping and worn ironmongery.

Entrance door has minor marking, rusting to door closure.

Sanitary ware

Slab urinal, circular wash hand basin, marked mirror and electric hand dryer.

Ladies Toilets

Ceilings

Painted with hairline cracking and marking.

Walls

Floor to ceiling tiles with minor marks and old fixing holes and points. Some chipped tiles. Ingrained dirt to the base of the tiles and around the wash hand basin area.

Floor Finish

Part Altro-style floor covering within the W.C’s, which is burnt and marked. Part carpeted.

Joinery

Window

One single glazed frosted casement window. Old fixing hole point.

Entrance Door into Ladies

Ironmongery worn.

Entrance Doors into W.C’s

Two W.C. units, impact damage to right hand side door.

Sanitary ware

Two W.C’s and one wash hand basin set into a vanity unit. Vanity unit is part timber and part melamine boarding. Timberwork marked.

Cellar

Ceilings

Painted with staining. Possible leakage from roof, possible condensation.

Walls

Painted and marked.

Floor Finish

Concrete. Fairly heavily marked. Natural drainage point.

Joinery

Note: The wooden shelving within is of sterling board and would not meet current Environmental Health standards and neither would the floor.

Small Access Corridor to Cellar

Ceilings

Painted ceiling.

Walls

Painted walls with hairline cracking to the fire exit door, which was not opened as it has been identified as being alarmed.

Floor Finish

Concrete and heavily marked.

Joinery

Heavy stains and marks to the cellar door, heavy stains and marks to the storage cupboard to the left hand side of the cellar door.

TIMBER DEFECTS

This section considers dry rot, wet rot and woodworm. Wet and Dry rot are species of fungi, both need moisture to develop and both can be very expensive to correct. We would also add that in our experience they are also often wrongly diagnosed.

What is Wet Rot or Dry Rot?

Wet and Dry rot are species of fungi that initially need moisture to allow their airborne spores to germinate. Dry Rot can grow rapidly when conditions are good and if water continues to enter a building unchecked, wetting internal wood. Wet Rot can also spread throughout the timber in a property over a short period of time.

Dry Rot/Wet Rot and Woodworm

There is an outside chance that either of the above is occurring. As we showed you within the void below the front timber floor, the property has in the past had dry rot and also there was evidence in the floorboards that it has had woodworm. However, most properties of this age are likely to have had woodworm.

What is more important is that the new timbers did not show any signs of fresh outbreak of woodworm and from what we could see there was no dry rot.

Outside Chance of Dry Rot/Wet Rot and Woodworm

We were unable to access the void between the rooms formed in the roof and the roof itself.

If you wish to be 100 per cent certain the only way would be to open up the property in the roof areas. For this we would need permission from the existing Freeholders and Leaseholders. If you obtain this we would be more than happy to return and inspect further.

ACTION REQUIRED: Permission to be obtained from the Freeholders and Leaseholders to open up the property. We suggest that you phone us with regard to this matter.

Finally, when you move into the property, floor surfaces should be carefully examined for any signs of insect infestation when furniture and floor coverings are removed together with stored goods. Any signs that are found should be treated to prevent it spreading. However, you need to be aware that many damp and woodworm treatment companies have a vested interest in selling their products and therefore have fairly cleverly worded quotations where they do not state if the woodworm they have found is ‘active’. You should ask them specifically if the woodworm is active or not.

We would also comment that any work carried out should have an insurance backed guarantee to ensure that if the company does not exist, or for whatever reason, the guarantee is still valid. More importantly it is essential to ensure that any work carried out is carried out correctly.

INTERNAL DECORATIONS - OVERVIEW

The internal decorations are generally to a fair standard. These have been detailed within the Schedule.

CELLARS

The cellar is to the rear of the property and at ground level. We would comment that the concrete floor has been broken up slightly and the wooden shelving would in many areas not meet current Environmental Health standards.

OTHER MATTERS

Security

We have not made any tests or inspections in this area as we are not expert in this field.

Insurance

We would always recommend staying with the existing insurance company, then if there are any problems you should not have the difficulty of negotiating with two insurance companies passing the blame between each other.

SERVICES

This survey does not include any specialist reports on the electricity supply and circuits, heating or drainage as they were not requested. The comments that follow are based upon a visual inspection carried out as part of the Schedule of Condition.

Services and specialist installations have been visually inspected. It is impossible to examine every detail of these installations without partially dismantling the structure. Tests have not been applied. Conclusive tests can only be undertaken by suitably qualified contractors.

ACTION REQUIRED: The Landlord should be requested to provide copies of any service records, test certificates and, ideally, the names and addresses of the installing contractors prior to legal completion.

ELECTRICITY

It is strange to think that electricity only started to be used in domestic properties at the turn of the last century with gas lighting still being the norm for a good many years after.

The property’s consumer units and fuse boards are located in two areas; to the cupboard to the left hand side of the front bar and also in the cellar area. We are advised that some re-wiring was carried out when the property was extended.

The visible wiring and fittings are of a fairly modern pattern. However, if there is no record of an electrical test having been undertaken within the last five years it is recommended that the insulation be tested by a competent electrician (NICEIC registered) and all recommendations implemented. Thereafter the insulation should be re-tested every five years.

We would recommend that a half hour fire resistant stop unit be situated around the electrics to reduce the fire hazard.

ACTION REQUIRED: We would recommend a specialist electrical test by an NICEIC approved electrician.

GAS

There is very little we can check for in a gas installation, we do inspect to make sure there is one and that it has a consumer unit and that the boilers are vented. Ideally you should have a service inspection carried out by an independent CORGI registered plumber.

The gas consumer unit is located also in the cupboard to the left hand side of the front bar.

All gas appliances, pipework and flues should be the subject of an annual service by a competent engineer, i.e., a member of CORGI (the Council of Registered Gas Installers); works to gas appliances etc., by unqualified personnel is illegal. Unless evidence can be provided to confirm that there has been annual servicing we would recommend that you commission such a service prior to use to ensure safe and efficient operation.

As a matter of course it is recommended that the entire gas installation is inspected and made good, as necessary, by a CORGI registered contractor. Thereafter the installation should be serviced annually.

PLUMBING AND HEATING

In this section we do our best from a visual inspection to look at how the water is supplied to the property, how the supply is distributed around the property, how it is used to heat the property and how it is discharged from the property.

Water Supply

The controlling stopcock was not located. It is important that its presence is established in case of bursts or leaks. The stopcock and other controlling valves have not been inspected or tested for operational effectiveness.

It should be noted that the supply pipe from the Water Company stopcock to the internal stop tap is the responsibility of the property owner.

We cannot comment on the condition of the water service pipe to the building. It should be appreciated that leaks can occur for some time before signs are apparent on the surface.

Water Pressure

When the taps were run to carry out the drainage test we checked the pressure literally by putting a finger over the tap and this seemed reasonable.

The Water Board have to guarantee a certain pressure of water to ensure that things like boilers, particularly the instantaneous ones have a constant supply of pressured water (they would blow up if they didn’t!).

Cold Water Cistern

We did not manage to locate the cold water cistern, which is puzzling us slightly. It may well be within the void within the roof.

Hot Water Cylinder

This is located off the kitchen dining area and is machine insulated, this normally means that it is fairly recent (last 10 years in the case of this type of building product).

Plumbing

The plumbing, where visible, comprises copper pipework. No significant leakage was noted on the surface, although most of the pipework is concealed in ducts and floors.

Heating

The heating was not tested. Our limited visual inspection of the hot water and central heating system revealed no evidence to suggest any serious defects but we would nevertheless recommend that the system be tested and overhauled before exchange of contracts and that a regular maintenance contract be placed with an approved heating engineer.

In a property of this size where there is guest rooms etc, if the work were being carried out today, it is likely that there would be two boiler systems, one for the trading areas and one for the private living accommodation.

We recommend that the boiler is serviced and checked by a CORGI registered and approved heating engineer.

Soil and Vent Pipe

This is located to the rear of the property near the French doors in the first floor private living accommodation. We noted that the flashing around it seemed to be coming away and it should be re-masticed.

MAIN DRAINS

The sanitary system, as we know it now, came into being some 100 years ago during the Victorian era and works so successfully today it is often taken for granted. It is only in recent years that re-investment has taken place to upgrade the original drainage systems.

It is assumed that the foul drains from the property discharge into a public sewer; this should be confirmed by your Legal Advisor prior to exchange of contracts, who should also provide information in respect of any common or shared drains including liability for the maintenance and upkeep of the same.

We do not lift any manholes or carry out any tests whatsoever on drains as part of the Schedule of Condition, but it should be noted that many Local Authorities require grease traps to be inserted where there is a proportion of food trade.

Rainwater/Surface Water Drainage

Whilst very innocent looking rainwater downpipes can cause lots of problems. If they discharge directly onto the ground they can affect the foundations and even if they are taken away to soak-aways they can attract nearby tree roots or again affect foundations.

Some rainwater drains are taken into the main drainage system, which is now illegal (as we simply do not have the capacity to cope with it), and can cause blockages to the main drains! Here we have done our best from a visual inspection to advise of any particular problems.

We have been unable to determine the ultimate means of rain/surface water disposal. It is likely that there is a mixture of ways of disposing of the water from discharging directly onto the ground outside to feeding into the waste pipes to soak-aways.

Finally rain/surface water drains have not been tested and their condition or effectiveness is not known. Similarly, the adequacy of soak-aways has not been established although you are advised that they tend to silt up and become less effective with time.

Please also see our comments within the Rainwater Goods section.

FIRE REGULATIONS

Although we are not experts in this matter, and we assume for the purposes of this report that your Legal Advisors will confirm that a Fire Certificate is current, we would comment that we did not note any fire extinguishers during the course of our inspection or fire blankets, for example within the kitchen area.

DISABILITY AND DESCRIMINATION ACTS

You should be aware that it is now a requirement to give reasonable access to the disabled and make reasonable amendments to the property as is necessary to accommodate them.

You should ask to see if a report has been carried out in line with the Disabilities Act highlighting areas, which can be improved or have been improved. Often the Local Authority has carried these out, but it is actually the responsibility of the business owner.

We noted that there are no toilet facilities for the disabled and that the present facilities would be fairly difficult to navigate, particularly the male toilets. Any future development that you carry out may require that facilities for the disabled are added.

OUTSIDE AREAS

OUTBUILDINGS

We note from our research that there have been various applications made in relation to the canvas awning on the brick piers in the garden.

ACTION REQUIRED: Your Legal Advisor should confirm that this is a permanent structure and that no further applications are required.

EXTERNAL AREAS

Boundaries

The property is bound by a mixture of the Town Wall and smaller walls to the car park and wood fencing to the rear.

We noted that the dwarf walling to the car park is in a fairly bad condition and needs repair. We also noted that there has been some impact damage to both the entrance walls and the wall entrance into the patio garden.

ACTION REQUIRED: Repair walling, you may need specialist advice with regard to the older walls.

We also noticed that the timber fence to the rear of the property has been temporarily secured and needs permanently fixing and that it would also benefit from being re-stained.

There is also some walling, which is heavily mossed, to the left hand side of the kitchen. Repair will be needed to this in due course.

Indeed all of the factors mentioned could, in our opinion, be included with any dilapidations report against you once you take on the property.

Front Garden

There is a small front garden with two large bench seats. It is slightly unusually positioned, as it appears to be in the council owned verge. We suggest that your Legal Advisor confirms that this can be used.

Rear Garden

This consists of a car park for half a dozen or so vehicles (you should check whether you have to give permission for adjoining owners to use the car park) and there are steps up to a high level patio area and steps back down to enter the public house. We have not examined this as part of this report.

POINTS FOR YOUR LEGAL ADVISOR

If you wish to proceed with your purchase of the property a copy of this should be forwarded to your Legal Advisor and the following points should be checked by him/her:-

a) Responsibility for boundaries.

b) Rights for you to enter onto the adjacent property to maintain any      structure situated near or on the boundary and any similar rights your      neighbour may have to enter onto your property.

c) Obtain any certificates, guarantees or approvals in relation to:-

i)   Timber treatments, wet or dry rot infestations.
ii)  Rising damp treatments.
iii) Roof and similar renewals.
iv) Central heating installation.
v)  Planning and Building Regulation Approvals.
vi) Any other matters pertinent to the property.

d) Confirm that there are no defects in the legal Title in respect of the      property and all rights associated therewith, e.g., access.

e) Rights of Way e.g., access, easements and wayleaves.

f) Liabilities in connection with shared services.

g) Adjoining roads and services.

h) Road Schemes/Road Widening.

i) General development proposals in the locality.

j) Conservation Area, Listed Building, Tree Preservation Orders or any     other Designated Planning Area.

k) Confirm from enquiries that no underground tunnels, wells, sewers,      gases, mining, minerals, site reclamation/contamination etc., exist,      have existed or are likely to exist beneath the curtilage of the site      upon which the property stands and which could affect the quiet      enjoyment, safety or stability of the property, outbuildings or      surrounding areas.

l) Our Report assumes that the site has not been put to contaminative     use and no investigations have been made in this respect.

m) Any outstanding Party Wall Notice or of the knowledge that any are      about to be served.

n) We strongly recommend that Envirosearch or a similar product is      used by your Legal Advisor to establish whether this area falls into a      flood plain, old landfill site etc., and brought to its logical conclusion.      If your Legal Advisor is not aware of the system please ensure that      they contact us and we will advise them about it.

 

LISTED BUILDING AND CONSERVATION AREA

From our investigations the property has been identified as being Listed and
situated within a Conservation Area.

Your Legal Advisor should confirm the above and carry out any searches
he/she feels are necessary.

PLANNING AND BUILDING CONTROL

Planning and Building Control

Computerised records are available going back to xxxx. The latest building application was in May xxx for an extension to the bar area.

The latest planning applications were in November xxxx for a canvas awning over the patio garden and also a retrospective application for gas heaters to the patio garden.

This was confirmed by Maria in the Planning Department at xxxx District Council on xxxx at 12.13 pm.

Your Legal Advisor should confirm the above and carry out any checks he/she feels necessary.

 

 

 

 

APPENDICES

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIMITATIONS

Our limitations are as the agreed Terms and Conditions of Engagement.

CONDITIONS OF ENGAGEMENT

The report has been prepared in accordance with our Conditions of Engagement dated xxxxxx and should be regarded as a comment on the overall condition of the property and the quality of its structure and not as an inventory of every single defect. It relates to those parts of the property that were reasonably and safely accessible at the time of the inspection, but you should be aware that defects can subsequently develop particularly if you do not follow the recommendations.

ENGLISH LAW

We would remind you that this report should not be published or reproduced in any way without the surveyor’s expressed permission and is governed by English Law and any dispute arising there from shall be adjudicated upon only by the English Courts.

SOLE USE

This report is for the sole use of the named Client and is confidential to the Client and his professional advisors. Any other persons rely on the Report at their own risk.

ONLY HUMAN!

Although we are pointing out the obvious, our Surveyors obviously can’t see through walls, floors, heavy furniture, fixed kitchen units etc. they have therefore made their best assumptions in these areas.

As this is a one off inspection, we cannot guarantee that there are no other defects than those mentioned in the report and also that defects can subsequently develop.

 

WEATHER

It was a cold bright day at the time of the inspection. The weather did not hamper the survey.

We would add that some defects only become apparent upon physical occupation or are only present as a result of the extremes of weather (which are becoming a more frequent occurrence); for example the year 2000 was the wettest year on record and the 2003 the driest year on records, this is likely to have adverse effects on lots of buildings in years to come.

OCCUPIED/TADING PROPERTY

The property was occupied and trading at the time of our survey, which meant that there were various difficulties when carrying out the survey such as stored items within cupboards, the roof space and obviously day-to-day household goods throughout the property and usual items associated with running this type of business. We have, however, done our best to work around these.

NOT LOCAL

It should be noted that we are not local surveyors to this area and are carrying out the work without the benefits of local knowledge on such things as soil conditions, aeroplane flight paths, common defects in materials used in the area etc.

 

Signature Document in Relation to
Schedule of Condition

This signature document represents page 87 and page 88 of a 88 page Schedule of Condition relating to

xxxxxxxxxx
as prepared by

GEM Associates Ltd Chartered Surveyors

You should ensure your Legal Advisor gets this document signed by the relevant parties and agreed prior to legal commitment to purchase. Delete/amend as you require

Lessees Representative

We verify that this is a true and accurate record of the condition of:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As inspected on xxxxxxxxxxx
By
GEM ASSOCIATES LTD

Signed
………………………..Dated: ??????????
For and on Behalf of
GEM Associates Ltd Chartered Surveyors

 

Lessee

Mr xxxxx has seen a copy of this report and forwarded it on to the owner/landlord by recorded delivery, or this has been presented to their legal representatives in relation to the proposed Lease.

Signed

………………………..Dated:
Mr xxxxxxxx


Landlords Representative (delete and fill in as applicable)

Name of Representative ……………...……………………..

For and on Behalf of…………………………………………

Has read and inspected the Schedule of Condition attached and agrees that it is a true and accurate record of the property.

I confirm I have the authority to sign this document on behalf of the aforementioned company.

Signed
………………………… Dated…………………..
Print Name: …………………………