We are panel valuers for many lenders. A lender valuation isn’t a survey. It’s a limited check on the property that your lender needs to ensure it’s worth the money they’re lending you.

Lenders may provide a copy of the mortgage valuation to the buyer but this report is unlikely to cover items which would be picked up in a survey.

There may be problems in the property that would cost a huge amount to put right – and they won’t necessarily appear in the valuation report. This is why it’s really important to consider having a survey. An experienced RICS surveyor is qualified to carry out a detailed survey, before you buy your home.

A Homebuyers Survey & Valuation is a popular, concise and economic report which tells you what you need to know before you make an offer.

The report includes an opinion of the market value and an insurance rebuild figure.

For many properties this is an appropriate report. It is ideally suited for properties less than 75 years old and of average size.

A Homebuyers Survey includes details of:

• The general condition of the property
• Any major faults in accessible parts of the building that may affect the value
• Any urgent problems that need inspecting by a specialist before you sign a contract
• Results of tests for damp in the walls
• Damage to timbers – including woodworm or rot
• The condition of any damp-proofing, insulation and drainage (though drains aren’t tested)
• The estimated cost of rebuilding the property for insurance purposes
• The value of the property on the open market.

This is the most comprehensive - and the most costly - type of survey. It is suitable for any building, but is especially recommended for older buildings (75 years and upwards) which have had alterations or extensions, or which you intend to alter or renovate.

The surveyor will check the property thoroughly, looking at everything that is visible or easily accessible to examine the soundness of the structure, its general condition and all major or minor faults. More specialist surveys can also be carried out on aspects such as foundations, damp proofing, or tree roots, either by a specialist within the firm of surveyors or by an independent specialist surveyor.

The report you receive will be extremely thorough and very long, as surveyors are legally obliged to inform you of all the findings of the survey. Don't necessarily be put off if it seems that endless defects are listed - every house has some defects and surveyors tend to show the worst-case scenario for anything they discover. You should be provided with a list of prices for repairs and maintenance work, which will also tend to over- rather than under-estimate prices.

A full structural survey normally takes much longer than the one or two hours required for the homebuyer's report. The survey report can also take a long time to produce, so this is a much lengthier process than for a homebuyer's report. You will probably have to wait up to a week after the inspection for the report, for which there is no standardised reporting format.

A schedule of condition survey is generally commissioned before the signing of a lease in order to determine the condition of the building so that any existing defects and their repair costs are identified prior to any commitment being made.

Commercial leases often stipulate that the tenant is responsible for any repairs during and at the end of a tenancy, so it is vital that you fully understand your potential liabilities before signing your lease.

At the end of your lease, you will need a dilapidations survey in order to counter any dilapidations claim made by your landlord.

Schedules of condition and dilapidation can be produced either for landlords, tenants or their legal advisors.

We provide valuations for Inheritance Tax (IHT) and/or Capital Gains Tax (CGT) purposes in order to assist clients, and their legal advisors, in dealing with potential tax liabilities and grant of probate.

We provide an independent market valuation service for matrimonial and civil proceedings. This includes producing reports in accordance with the Civil Procedures Rules (CPR) for clients, and their legal advisors, and acting as an expert witness in producing reports for the courts. We take instructions as a Single Joint Expert only.

The law governing the instruction of such experts is found in Part 35 of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998 (the Civil Procedure Rules).

The following website provides extremely helpful advice concerning the above.

www.familylawweek.co.uk

If you are building your own new house or bunglow we can offer the Professional Consultant’s Certificate which is essential for most lenders.

We can oversee and supervise the construction of newly built residential properties. Periodic inspections are carried out on such projects/developments and the RICS recognise 12 stages of inspection. It should be noted that one inspection can cover more than one recognised stage, ie. 12 separate visits are not always required. Sufficient notice must be given prior to each inspection in order for us to arrange a mutually convenient time. We will require a copy of the approved plans and specifications together with copies of all consents provided prior to our first inspection. The Form of Agreement for Inspection and Certification of Domestic Structures, must be completed by the applicant.

Stage Inspection Certificates will be provided together with a final certificate of inspection (the Professional Consultant’s Certificate) which will be issued once the property has been completed to a satisfactory standard.

Planning & Development - Land Use and Development Appraisals

Appraising the viability of a development scheme or project requires a detailed understanding of both the planning and valuation aspects. With our detailed knowledge of the market and the planning policy framework including affordable housing issues, we are able to advise on the optimum development mix and procurement strategy.

Planning Applications

Planning applications have to be submitted and planning permission obtained for a wide range of developments, building operations and uses. The planning system has been developed over many years to make sure that things get built in the right place. It aims to balance the development the country needs – for example, new homes, factories, offices, and schools – with the need to protect and improve the environment.

Dafydd Hardy can be appointed as agents for planning applications and thus manage the process from conception to completion.

It is now a legal requirement that planning applications are in most cases accompanied by a Design and Access Statement (DAS). These are now a material consideration for the Local Authority and the commitments made within them can be enforced through planning conditions or Legal Agreements. A DAS is one statement that must cover both design and access, allowing applicants to demonstrate an integrated approach that will deliver inclusive design and address a full range of access requirements throughout the design process.

Our experienced team can assist you by preparing your Design and Access Statement, either on its own or when working on your behalf to prepare and submit your whole planning application.

Many property owners have become well versed in dealing with Party Wall Matters as legislation has been in place for 300 plus years. The rest of England and Wales were introduced to such matters on the 1st July 1997 when The Party Wall etc Act 1996 came into force.

Whether under the Act you are a Building Owner (ie the person or company etc proposing to carry out works which will trigger the Act) or the Adjoining Owner (the person or company etc who's neighbouring property is likely to be affected by the works) you need to have a basic understanding of Party Wall matters to ensure that you obtain specialist advice as and when necessary.

When the Building Owner (B.O.) proposes to carry out any works that will trigger the act the B.O. must give Notice to the A.O. in advance of carrying out the works.

If you intend to carrying out building work which involves one of the following categories

• Work on an existing wall or structure shared with another property
• Building a free standing wall or a wall of a building up to or astride the boundary with a neighbouring property
• Excavating near a neighbouring building

then you must find out whether that work falls within the Party Wall etc. Act. If it does, you must correctly notify all affected neighbours by sending a Party Wall Notice. If you have received a notification then you must respond correctly to avoid prejudicing your position. As specialist Party Wall Surveyors we can offer a professional and bespoke personal service to residential and commercial occupiers and owners affected by party wall matters and can advise on the need for a Party Wall Award.

The Energy Performance Certificate is similar to the certificates found on many domestic appliances.

We can provide energy performance certificates for:

• Residential properties
• New build properties
• Commercial properties

The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) gives home owners, tenants and buyers information on the energy efficiency of their property. It gives the building a standard energy and carbon emission efficiency grade from "A" to "G", where "A" is the most efficient and with the average to date being D.

All properties marketed for letting or selling purposes must have an Energy Performance Certificate available to any prospective purchaser or tenant.

Part of the EPC is a report which will list the potential rating that your home could achieve, if you made the recommended changes.

From 1st October 2008 all commercial buildings over 50m² will require a Non-Domestic Energy Performance Certificate (NDEPC). The purpose of the NDEPC is to assess a buildings' CO2 emissions in line with the requirements of Building Regulations (Part L). Dafydd Hardy use industry standard SBEM modelling software to create certificates for an extensive variety of buildings.

As soon as the building is offered for sale/rent the seller/landlord must make an EPC available to prospective buyers/tenants. The Energy Performance Certificate may be for the whole building or individual units, and completion of a contract should not happen without it. Some multi-tenancy sale/rent scenarios are complex and you should seek advice to determine whether an Energy Performance Certificate is required for the individual unit or the building as a whole.

When constructing a new dwelling, there is a requirement to provide energy calculations to show compliance with Building regulations. These calculations provide an energy rating using a Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). They are intended to show that the dwelling will meet a minimum target for energy performance.

Dwellings offered for sale before completion must be assessed and information about the energy efficiency must be provided in a Predicted Energy Assessment (PEA). This PEA must be included in the Home Information Pack.

Prior to completion, the building will be required to satisfy an air permeability test, the results of which together with any changes in the building specification, will have an effect on the initial energy calculations.

On completion building control requires ‘as built’ energy calculations (SAP 2005 calculation). Building control must also be notified that a valid Energy Performance Certificate has been given to the owner of the building.