In this week’s property surveying blogpost we are going to be discussing pests, and in particular, how big of an issue they are to your pre-purchase survey.
If you are planning on purchasing a property, you will no doubt have made enquiries as to the pre-purchase surveys that are available on the market.
In short, the most comprehensive of the lot would be an RICS HomeBuyer Report, or a Full Building Survey.
Both of these reports will give you a surveyor’s opinion and assessment of the property pre-purchase, ultimately ensuring that you are fully informed on your purchase, and ultimately do not get stung, excuse the pun, with a potential issue further down the line.
Pests are one of the more severe or serious defects that a purchaser can find themselves being on the receiving end of, so we thought we would discuss just how severe this issue can be.
Pests can range from a simple and easy to solve matter like wasps to birds, and on the more severe side of the spectrum, wood boring beetles, woodworm, or Deathwatch beetle.
The latter of the three pests are all a severe concern for pre-purchases as they can effectively scupper a mortgage lender lending the funds required to proceed with the purchase, and can also result in costly, repetitive and extensive treatment to the property, which in many cases can actually involve cutting out affected timber members, to ensure that the property is brought up to a safe and fit standard.
Pests, despite being incredibly small in size, can cause an incredibly big problem to pre-purchasers. We would therefore advise here at Stokemont that you are fully abreast of the situation in advance of the works commencing, and should you find yourself in a position where there are pests, would advise seeking a number of different quotations for treatment from a number of different service providers.
It is also worth noting that pests are a relatively difficult defect to spot for surveyors, as the very size of the indications that the pests exist, are usually very small, and in very hard to reach places such as loft voids, basement voids, or generally speaking, are obscured by fixtures and fittings such as floors.
As a rule of thumb, pests tend to restrict themselves to the older types of property, therefore should you be purchasing a property from around the turn of the Century, the 1900s, or anywhere around that period, we would advise ensuring that an experienced and qualified Chartered RICS Surveyor undertakes a survey, as that will ensure that your chances of being on the receiving end of this issue are as low as possible.
If you would like to discuss how Stokemont can be of assistance with your pre-purchase surveying enquiries, give us a call now and we will be happy to assist you.
