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Introduction

Bowden & Partners is pleased to recommend local Chartered surveyor Duncan Christie-Mutch for all of your property survey requirements.

Duncan has more than 30 years experience as a chartered surveyor, and his flexible, professional and plain English approach to providing property surveys comes highly recommended. If you require an independent opinion on the structural integrity of a property that you own, or are intending to purchase, then we would be pleased to pass on your details to Duncan who will then contact you directly to ensure that you are fully informed about the type of survey that you need before instruction.

Working closely with Duncan means that we can arrange preferential rates for his services on behalf of our clients.

Surveys - Frequently Asked Questions

Is it compulsory for me to have a survey on a property I want to buy?

If you are arranging a mortgage which will be secured against the property that you wish to purchase then it is almost certain that the mortgage lender will insist that at the very least a Mortgage Valuation Report is carried out to ensure that the property provides suitable security for the loan.

Very often the mortgage lender insists that this report is prepared by one of their in-house or designated property surveyors. If you would like a more comprehensive survey then it is likely that the mortgage lender can provide this for you at extra cost, or you may elect to have this conducted by an independent surveyor such as Duncan Christie-Mutch, although if you do so it is likely that you will still have to pay for the lender's Mortgage Valuation Report as well.

If you are purchasing a property without a mortgage being secured against it then there is no compulsory requirement for a survey to be conducted prior to purchase, but we would strongly recommend that you have the property inspected to guard against any significant future expense that you might incur if the property has structural defects which are not otherwise obvious.

In either case we can forward your details to Duncan so that he can provide you with his knowledgeable advice on the matter.

What types of survey can I have?

There are essentially three different types of property survey as detailed below.

Basic Valuation - a brief description of the overall property and a market value appraisal

Homebuyer's Report - a comprehensive overview of the general condition of the property.

Building Survey - A very detailed survey generally suitable for specialist circumstances such as buildings made of unusual construction materials, or very old properties.

As a property buyer the choice of survey is generally left entirely to your own discretion, however sometimes a mortgage lender may insist on a certain type of survey if they feel that the property involved presents an increased risk due to age, location, history, construction method or any other factor that is of concern to them.

How much does a survey cost?

This depends on a number of variables, and also who is conducting the survey for you. If you are arranging your survey through a mortgage lender then each company has their own scale of charges for property surveys and you will have to pay whatever they choose to charge for the type of survey that you require.

If you are using an independent surveyor then the cost will still vary according to other factors such as the size, age and location of the property in question. We are happy to contact Duncan on your behalf to make enquiries and to obtain a no obligation free quotation regarding any surveys that you require.

For the benefit of full and honest disclosure of interest please note that Bowden & Partners may receive financial rewards or other incentives from third party companies which you allow us to pass your details to for the provision of professional services which those external companies offer. Bowden & Partners cannot guarantee that the services provided by the third party will be suitable for your needs and it is your responsibility to ensure that you are happy to do business with those companies. Bowden & Partners cannot be held responsible for anything that goes wrong during your dealings with those companies, and in the unlikely event of a complaint being made these should be addressed directly to the service provider involved.

Bowden & Partners, Ground Floor, 66 Fore Street, St Marychurch, Torquay, Devon. TQ1 4LX

Tel: 01803 313228      Email: Office@BowdenPartners.co.uk

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