Selecting an approved surveyor could be harmful to your health. I have always advised for work that is simple, that the parties come to an agreement to appoint an agreed-upon surveyor who will work in a neutral manner on behalf of both parties. This will reduce the time needed to award an award as well as the expenses associated with the award.
But, be aware that this is not a wise choice to make.
First, you must choose your surveyor with attention. Selecting the wrong surveyor could result in a lengthy costly, stressful, and expensive. The internet is an extremely risky location to shop, and you should avoid selecting a surveyor solely by price by itself. I can point you to numerous websites that do not display the essential information legally required to display for example, company details i.e. the name of the business, the place of registration or registered number, office address. If the company is a sole trader or partnership it is required to display your address for the principal location of business has to be clearly displayed.
There's even a site that claims to be an "association" associated with surveyors of party walls but in reality it's a scam to cover the shady business practices of an person. It does not offer any information about the company and you don't know who's behind it or the source of your money. All communications are via email, and the location is known as a urban center dropbox.
It is recommended to conduct an independent investigation and do due diligence prior to deciding to pay or hire an agent to conduct a survey.
Recently, I've been approached by various owners who have hired agreed surveyors, and things are not going well. Costs are rising and surveyors are asking for information that is completely beyond their authority and are not able to give the award until they have the information. Owners are wanting to know themselves what they could do. In essence, little.
When surveyors are appointed separately by the building owner and owners of adjoining properties the first duty is to choose an independent surveyor who is able to be approached by the surveyor or owner in the event that they feel they need to. The third surveyor is given power to make all decisions in the absence of the two surveyors appointed and to decide any matter disputable, including the costs of surveyors.
If you choose to appoint the agreed-to surveyor that person is the King of their castle, with full autonomy. It is not possible to remove the chosen surveyor, or move beyond the head of the surveyor and choose another surveyor. You are essentially stuck with their decision or award they issue. The only recourse is to challenge the award which could be a costly and time-consuming procedure.
According to the Act in the Act, if the surveyor does not respond for 10 days following an application is made by either of the parties, the proceedings begin from new'. To get to this point is much easier to say than do.
What happens if the surveyor gives fees you believe are not fair? You can also appeal the decision or refuse to pay the fees. If you decide to do the latter option, you're likely to discover that the person who made the award enforces them directly against you.
When you select an agreed surveyor, you must ensure that they are trustworthy knowledgeable, accessible, and you can reach an agreement on the fees they charge or at the very least, a limit on charges. It is a good idea to ask for them to examine the program and inform you of any additional information they'll need.
Don't believe that by signing a contract with an approved surveyor that you will reduce time and expenses as often this is not the situation.
