We are always seeking for ways to improve our services, including keeping up to date with training, knowledge and technology. We will always give honest advice to our clients, proving that we are a company you can trust. We have grown by recommendations for our services and value for money we deliver to our clients.

OUR SERVICES FOR YOU

   Building Surveys

Purchasing a home is one of the most important transactions that you will ever do and is a long term investment.  As such, you will require experts to guide you through the process as it is important that you understand the implications and potential costs and values associated with home ownership.

Building Surveys (often called Structural Survey) are commonly commissioned by house purchasers.  These surveys provide details on the condition of the property, internally and externally.  A full Building Survey is the most comprehensive report we provide.  This will feature a written report, photographs and approximate quotes (on request) for any works required.  We also use the latest tools, including drones and thermal imaging camera, to help identify unforeseen defects and internal issues, such as; water leaks etc

Externally, the survey will cover:

• Chimneys

• Roofs

• Rainwater Goods

• Main Walls

• Structural Movement

• Subsidence

• Japanese Knotweed

• Windows and Doors

• Damp Proof Courses

• Boundaries

• Outbuildings, including Garages; and

• Any other matter relating to the building

Internally, the Building Survey

will cover the following:

• Roof Spaces

• Walls

• Ceilings

• Floors

• Windows and Doors

• Cellars/basements

• Japanese Knotweed

• Windows and Doors

• Damp and water leak Testing; and

• Condition and DIY etc.

   Homebuyer Reports

Homebuyer Reports are a standard report form produced by the RICS to outline significant and urgent matters relating to properties that might have a substantial effect on the value of the property.  This kind of report differs from a Building Survey as it is only intended for particular types of homes; houses, flats and bungalows which are conventional in type and appear in reasonable condition.

By doing this report, it will help you decide whether or not this property is of interest to you for a safe investment.  With our competitive fee, you can obtain an RICS Homebuyer Report while securing peace of mind about the future of your finances and the safety of your home.  You could even save thousands of pounds off the asking price.

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   Valuations

We are a client focused business that works closely with our clients to provide the best valuation services available for both residential and commercial properties.  Our services range from property valuations, to matrimonial valuations, accounting, probate and RICS red book valuations.

There are many reasons that you may need a valuation.  This could include being a cash buyer wishing to clarify that the price you are paying for the property is correct.   We are qualified to provide such valuation advice to you.  We have experience of preparing reports for all valuation purposes to meet the client requirements or legal procedures that must be followed.

   Red Book Valuations

A Red Book Valuation is the name that is given by practitioners to a valuation report that adheres to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyor's (RICS) Valuation Professional Standards, also known as the Red Book. The purpose of the Red Book is to provide a framework within the rules of conduct.  This will ensure that the user of the valuation service is confident that a valuation by a member of the RICS is consistent with IVSC international standards.

   Equity Valuation for Shared Ownership

A Shared Equity Valuation, sometimes known as Shared Ownership Valuation, need to be carried out by an RICS registered valuer.  They will provide a market value for the sale or purchase of your percentage share in the property.

All Shared Ownership schemes are likely to be managed and owned by a Housing Association.  The Housing Association will require a valuation carried out by an independent RICS Surveyor.  The majority of Housing Associations will have specific rules regarding the valuation process, and this should be discussed with your Surveyor.  In the majority of the cases the Housing Associations will require the RICS surveyor to be registered as a valuer and also that the firm is regulated by the RICS directly.

A term known as Staircasing is the process of purchasing all or some of the remaining equity in your shared ownership home.  You can increment your equity share by a minimum of 10% up to three times, decreasing your ongoing monthly rental payments in the process.  Our valuations allow you to determine how much addition equity share you can afford.

We as a company are specialised in providing Shared Equity and Shared Ownership valuations alongside our Help to Buy valuations and we cover a large geographical area.

   Right to Buy Valuations

Since 1980, Council tenants have had the right to buy their home, whether it be a flat or house, at a lower price than the market value.

We will act as independent Surveyors to carry out a RICS Right to Buy Valuation for you.  We operate completely independently of lenders to ensure that you get the best property valuation you can.

Please note that a Right to Buy valuation only offers a brief overview of the property’s condition.  Please speak to one of our team about Building Surveys if you need a cost estimate for any required repairs.

   Matrimonial Valuations

Unfortunately, long term relationships can sometimes come to an end.  Often there are outstanding financial issues that need to be dealt with and it's hard for parties to agree on how to distribute their joint assets.  This might include the property that you have shared with your partner for the last 20 years.  We know this is a stressful time for you and we provide a compassionate service to help guide you through this time.  To protect your interests, we are here to provide a professionally prepared, independent valuation of the shared house to assess its market value for you.

Our Matrimonial valuations comply with the rules and guidelines of the RICS Red Book.  An impartial valuation is required for persons who cannot divide their assets fairly.  An RICS registered valuer will provide a valuation to the Judge in accordance with the law.

If you need to go to Court to decide how to divide the assets, you would potentially benefit from obtaining a divorce settlement valuation.  This will help you receive what is rightfully yours.  This could even reduce your legal fees in the long term.

Our compassionate Surveyors are extensively trained to carry out matrimonial valuations.  Valuations can also be provided for residential, commercial or investment properties owned by the parties.

   Probate and Inheritance Tax Valuations

Probate is the legal process of dealing with someone’s assets after they die.  This is usually conducted by the executors who carry out the wishes of the deceased person, as stipulated in the will.

Our professional team have extensive experience in conducting probate and inheritance tax valuations.  We are aware that the circumstances in which probate arises can sometimes be difficult.  You can rely on our team to deal with every aspect of your probate valuation with empathy and discretion.  We aim to make the process of valuing the estate as easy as possible for you.

A probate valuation is required to distribute the deceased’s estate to the legal beneficiaries.  If the estate is worth over £325,000, you may need to pay inheritance tax. The gains from any property’s sale are subject to capital gains taxation laws, but the amount you owe should be based on the estate’s value at the deceased date.

As RICS Chartered Surveyors we comply with strict guidelines and we have years of experience in this field.  If you require any assistance in this matter, please contact our team.  Our Surveyors can offer advice on valuations as well as other matters relating to the property.

   Capital Gains Tax Valuation

A capital gain is defined as the profit or financial gain made on an asset that has been sold or disposed of.  It is calculated by determining the difference between what you pay for a property and what you get for it when you dispose of the property.

Most of the time it is the price at which you sell the property that will be used to calculate capital gain and in turn, capital gains tax.  However, in some situations you will need to use the market value of the property instead, hence the need for a qualified RICS registered valuer.

You can obtain an accurate capital gains tax valuation that could help you reduce your tax contributions by thousands of pounds.  You will also have the required evidence to challenge or raise a dispute.  We remove the stress out of this for you by providing accurate and timely valuations.

   Accounting Purposes

Accounting valuation is the process of valuing a company's assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes.

Accounting valuation is important because the value of assets on a company's financial statements needs to be reliable. Analysis of this valuation is just as important as the valuation itself. We adhere to internationally recognised valuation standards and use our market expertise to give you valuations you can trust.

   Lease Enfranchisement

We provide full support to both freeholders and tenants in respect of all residential leasehold matters. Knowledge of the relevant legislation including the Leasehold Reform Act 1967, Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development act 1993 (as amended) and the Housing act 1996, enables us to deal with a range of complex valuation issues.

With a leasehold property, you only own it for a set period (as set out in the lease). Leasehold enfranchisement is the process you go through to either extend your lease or purchase a share of the freehold (collective enfranchisement).

Extending your lease is an investment worth making if you are a leaseholder.  You may be able to extend a flat for 90 years or a house for 50 years.  You will have the legal right to do this if you have held the lease on the property for 2 years.

   Expert Witness

In the event that a Building Dispute or other issue pertaining to property is taken to Court, an expert witness may be required to provide an impartial inspection and analysis of the disputed subject, to aid the Court in making an appropriate ruling.

As an independent firm, we are able to provide a professional, unbiased opinion to assist in these cases, and have provided Expert Witness Reports for several matters. Our team are trained to provide specialist observations, all of which are compliant to the relevant Civil Procedure Rules of the Courts.

We also help our clients (mainly solicitors) for section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 matters.

   Commercial Landlord and Tenant Matters

We undertake a variety of work relating to landlords and tenants.  This work includes rent reviews, lease renewals, schedules of conditions.

Commercial tenants have fewer rights under a business lease than residential tenants do under a tenancy agreement.  Nevertheless, commercial landlords must adhere to certain laws when managing leases for business premises.  These matters can be quite complex so specialist advice from us can be helpful.

   Rent Reviews

A rent review provision in a commercial lease can be very complex and needs careful consideration for a tenant or landlord.

Commercial property leases can vary in length; from a few months to many years.  In order for the lease to remain commercially viable, a provision should be in place for the rent to be increased as and when appropriate.  Negotiations around this is essential as both the tenant and the landlord will have opposite objectives.

The most common type of rent review in England is the open market rent review.  Market rent relates to the rent that the property could bring in on the normal open market.  Rent reviews can take place at intervals agreed between the landlord and tenant when the lease is entered into.

   Lease Extensions

A commercial lease is a document setting out the contractual relationship between the landlord and the tenant.  The content of the lease will vary depending on the property type. The period of time for which a commercial lease is granted will vary depending on the nature of the letting and the requirements of the landlord and tenant.  Rarely are they granted for more than 25 years.

The key areas covered in a lease are the length of the lease, rent and other payments to be made by the tenant, service charge, repairs and decoration, alterations, use and dealing with the tenants’ interest in the lease.

The term of a commercial lease can be extended.  Business leases normally restrict the tenant’s ability to deal with the lease.  Often a tenant will not be able to sell, sublet, share occupation or grant security over the lease without the landlords consent.  For more advice on this matter, please contact one of our specialist team.

   Schedule of Condition

A Schedule of Condition is a report prepared by a Surveyor to record the condition of a property at lease commencement or at the time of assigning an existing lease to a new tenant.  They create a complete record of the condition of the property at a certain date.

The practical purpose for a Schedule of Condition is to provide a basis for negotiation of any sums payable by the tenant at the end of the lease term in settlement for damages to the property.

Without a Schedule of Condition, tenants expose themselves to unnecessary repair costs that should be the landlord’s responsibility.   Similarly, landlords must prepare a detailed Schedule of Condition to ensure tenants honour the lease terms.  Appointing an independent expert to prepare a Schedule of Condition should help to give it greater weight if there are subsequent claims or negotiations.

A Schedule of Condition preceding Party Wall work is very helpful for adjoining owners when a building owner intends to carry out work under the Party Wall Act.

   Property Management

A property manager is a third party who is hired by a landlord or property investor to manage the day to day operations at rental property. We take all the stress off from you and manage your property to give you best value for your money. Whatever the type and wherever the property, we can help. That means expertly planned and executed maintenance and timely repairs. We give our residents peace of mind by making sure their homes and neighbourhoods are well cared for.

We provide professional property management services across a broad spectrum of properties and tenures.  We deliver our management services seamlessly through a single point of contact, making it easier and more cost effective for you to tailor the services you require.