Terms and Conditions

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF ENGAGEMENT FOR A DAMP OR TIMBER SURVEY

1. 0. Surveys may be provided free of charge for homeowners in residence of a standard domestic home (up to 4 bedrooms). For larger properties, commercial or retail premises, holiday lets, rental properties and pre purchase surveys a charge may be applicable. Charges will be communicated prior to commencement and payment will be due 24 hours prior to attendance by bank transfer only.

1.1. This document sets out the contractual terms upon which the Surveyor will advise the client by means of a written report as to his opinion of the visible condition and state of repair of the property with regards to damp and associated damp related structural timber defects.

1.2. The Surveyor will report upon damp and/or timber defects evident at the time of the Survey.

1.3. The Survey will be carried out in a thorough, conscientious and professional manner.

1.4. The inspection will be limited to those areas which are accessible and available at the time of the Survey. Reports are prepared based on visual evidence or information supplied by the client. The surveyor cannot inspect parts of the property that are covered, unexposed or inaccessible at the time of the inspection and as such we cannot give assurance that any such areas are free from infestation, fungal decay or damp related issues. Outbuildings and external joinery are excluded from the survey.

1.5. All Surveys carried out are of a non-destructive nature unless specifically stated otherwise. The report will be based on the visual evidence available at the time of the survey and any readings which can be taken electronically from the existing surface of the internal structural walls and accessible structural timber surfaces. A range of equipment may be used to carry out the survey, such as electronic hygrometer, electronic damp meter, infra-red thermometer and thermal imaging cameras. If you require a more detailed inspection involving invasive/destructive testing, please confirm this in writing to our office. Additional fees will be applicable, and an indication of those fees will be made available upon request. Wessex Damp & Timber will not be responsible for any damage or disturbance which may occur as the result of invasive testing.

1.6. Unless otherwise stated, no inspection of any solid floors will be undertaken.

1.7. Where areas of the property are concealed by carpets, furniture, stored goods etc. it will not be possible to comment upon the condition of timbers which are inaccessible. Whilst carpets, furniture, stored goods etc. will not normally be moved, if they can be moved without risk of damage to said items this will be carried out and the locations inspected will be identified in the report. During a timber inspection, any loose floorboards may be lifted to allow inspection of the sub-floor timbers. If there is a possibility of damage as a result of lifting the floorboards, they will not be disturbed. The report will clearly state where an inspection was and was not possible. As a general rule, all timbers adjacent to damp walls or subject to any other moisture ingress must be considered to be at risk from fungal decay.

1.8. If stated within the scope of the survey instruction, roof spaces will be inspected if there is an available access hatch which is no more than 3 metres above the floor level. Where no reasonable access is available, the roof space will not be inspected. Where insulation conceals the ceiling joists within the roof space, any restriction with regards the extent of the survey that is possible will be recorded in the body of the report. The surveyor will not lift insulation due to Health & Safety restrictions.

1.8. To minimise the environmental impact of producing paper copies, the report will be sent out to you via email. If you require a paper copy, please inform our office.

1.9 The Survey report is confidential and provided for the sole use of our client. No responsibility will be accepted in relation to third parties, howsoever involved. A person who is not party to this agreement shall not have any rights under or in conjunction with it by virtue of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

2.0. This Survey must not be regarded as a substitute for a structural survey.

2.1. Where your attention is drawn to other defects or to items that are outside the scope of the survey as defined earlier, these should be regarded as helpful suggestions and not a full and complete assessment of any problems that might exist.

2.2. The client may only rely upon the Surveyors advice and report for the purposes described in the particulars or communicated to the surveyor in writing prior to the agreement of the Survey Fee. If the client wishes to rely upon such advice and report for any other purpose, he or she may only do so with the written consent of the surveyor.