BUY TO LET SURVEYS
Our Buy To Let Pre-Purchase and Periodic Surveys are designed for a traditionally constructed property that are, or will be, let to private rented sector (PRS) tenants. It helps landlords protect their investment while safeguarding the safety of the home for tenants by combining a survey of the asset condition with a review of the Health & Safety matters affecting the property.
David Clare, Chartered Surveyor, West Country Surveyors says:
“This type of survey is required because over 60% of landlords are private individuals who have invested personal savings in a single rental property. They have a specific interest in maintaining the condition of their investment, often as it will act as a pension in the future. Landlords, even of a single property, must comply with more than 140 pieces of legislation and 400 regulations. Letting agents, many of whom are unregulated and untrained, often take the responsibility for property management from the landlord. Most landlords, and letting agents, are not surveyors and don’t have the building pathology skills to carry out a systematic assessment of the structural condition of the property and how that affects Health & Safety requirements.
The Home (Fitness for Habitation) Bill will require landlords to make sure their homes are fit for human habitation at the start of, and throughout, a tenancy. Landlords can face fines up to £30,000 per infringement of enforcement notices served by local authorities.”
There are two parts to our Buy-to-Let Survey report:
A Level 2 survey inspection, equivalent to an industry-standard Home Buyer Survey, written in plain English and with multiple photographs
A review of the 29 hazards profiles identified by the Housing Health & Safety Rating System (HHSRS), the system used by local authorities to assess the safety of properties in the PRS
Many of the hazards that may be present at the property are the result of condition-related defects. i.e. black mould found on the walls could be due to the nature of the property construction, cracking of external render or badly-worn brickwork. But it may also be due to tenants not using or providing any ventilation. Surveyors have the skills required to ‘follow the trail’ and identify the root cause of any hazards that may be present.
The survey is not an assessment under HHSRS, however our surveyors have undergone technical training in HHSRS; therefore understanding what the regulatory powers that be would look for when judging a rental property against the Housing Health & Safety Rating System.
The report does however consider all 29 HHSRS hazards profiles, and how they may affect, or be affected by, the construction and structural condition of the property. The report is structured so as to provide a mechanism to carry out an MOT-type annual Health & Safety review, with the full survey commissioned every five years or so. The annual review will be at lower cost than the full survey product.
The benefits of a Buy-to-Let Survey include:
All the benefits of a Level 2 Survey, plus
- Consideration of health and safety matters that are likely to have an impact on tenants occupying the property – considers all 29 hazard profiles identified in the Housing Health & Safety Rating System (HHSRS)*
- Separate DASH – Decent & Safe Homes hazard review report
- Lets your tenants know you care and provide decent homes for tenants, sending positive messages to tenants and helping to reduce complaints
- It helps landlords and letting agents to mitigate their responsibility in ensuring properties within the PRS are fit for human habitation
- It protects the landlord’s investment by ensuring that the fabric of the building is maintained and defects identified
- It necessitates a regular review of the property which can highlight emerging issues which can be dealt with at an early stage
- Landlords can off-set the cost as a business expense, significantly reducing the financial impact of the survey
- The early identification of defects results in lower repair costs than experienced with untreated defects
*Does not include a full assessment of hazard scores as defined by HHSRS
You can get a Quote for a survey you need here or, give us a call on 01823 429823 and you can discuss the best option for your prospective purchase.
BUY TO LET SURVEYS
Our Buy To Let Pre-Purchase and Periodic Surveys are designed for a traditionally constructed property that are, or will be, let to private rented sector (PRS) tenants. It helps landlords protect their investment while safeguarding the safety of the home for tenants by combining a survey of the asset condition with a review of the Health & Safety matters affecting the property.
David Clare, Chartered Surveyor, West Country Surveyors says:
“This type of survey is required because over 60% of landlords are private individuals who have invested personal savings in a single rental property. They have a specific interest in maintaining the condition of their investment, often as it will act as a pension in the future. Landlords, even of a single property, must comply with more than 140 pieces of legislation and 400 regulations. Letting agents, many of whom are unregulated and untrained, often take the responsibility for property management from the landlord. Most landlords, and letting agents, are not surveyors and don’t have the building pathology skills to carry out a systematic assessment of the structural condition of the property and how that affects Health & Safety requirements.
The Home (Fitness for Habitation) Bill will require landlords to make sure their homes are fit for human habitation at the start of, and throughout, a tenancy. Landlords can face fines up to £30,000 per infringement of enforcement notices served by local authorities.”
There are two parts to our Buy-to-Let Survey report:
A Level 2 survey inspection, equivalent to an industry-standard Home Buyer Survey, written in plain English and with multiple photographs
A review of the 29 hazards profiles identified by the Housing Health & Safety Rating System (HHSRS), the system used by local authorities to assess the safety of properties in the PRS
Many of the hazards that may be present at the property are the result of condition-related defects. i.e. black mould found on the walls could be due to the nature of the property construction, cracking of external render or badly-worn brickwork. But it may also be due to tenants not using or providing any ventilation. Surveyors have the skills required to ‘follow the trail’ and identify the root cause of any hazards that may be present.
The survey is not an assessment under HHSRS, however our surveyors have undergone technical training in HHSRS; therefore understanding what the regulatory powers that be would look for when judging a rental property against the Housing Health & Safety Rating System.
The report does however consider all 29 HHSRS hazards profiles, and how they may affect, or be affected by, the construction and structural condition of the property. The report is structured so as to provide a mechanism to carry out an MOT-type annual Health & Safety review, with the full survey commissioned every five years or so. The annual review will be at lower cost than the full survey product.
The benefits of a Buy-to-Let Survey include:
All the benefits of a Level 2 Survey, plus
- Consideration of health and safety matters that are likely to have an impact on tenants occupying the property – considers all 29 hazard profiles identified in the Housing Health & Safety Rating System (HHSRS)*
- Separate DASH – Decent & Safe Homes hazard review report
- Lets your tenants know you care and provide decent homes for tenants, sending positive messages to tenants and helping to reduce complaints
- It helps landlords and letting agents to mitigate their responsibility in ensuring properties within the PRS are fit for human habitation
- It protects the landlord’s investment by ensuring that the fabric of the building is maintained and defects identified
- It necessitates a regular review of the property which can highlight emerging issues which can be dealt with at an early stage
- Landlords can off-set the cost as a business expense, significantly reducing the financial impact of the survey
- The early identification of defects results in lower repair costs than experienced with untreated defects
*Does not include a full assessment of hazard scores as defined by HHSRS
You can get a Quote for a survey you need here or, give us a call on 01823 429823 and you can discuss the best option for your prospective purchase.
