Issues with building surveyor - advice required

D-Ranged

D-Ranged

D-Ranged

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London
I'll try to keep this brief.

Buying (and selling a house). Booked a level 3 survey almost 6 weeks ago. Very quick to reply when talking money and payment.

Surveyor didn't turn up but apparently called the estate agent to tell them he wasn't coming, didn't tell me. Estate agent called me almost a week later to ask if I can get in touch with him, because he is not answering their calls.

I emailed him straight away and got a reply back a day later to say his kids made him ill and he'll rebook for the Tuesday the week after. Not sure why he couldn't email me to tell me he wasn't going the first time.

Its now been over 3 weeks and I still haven't received the survey. I have him 10 working days before I asked for an update. After a day from then I got a reply saying he'd be working on it that week. That week passed no update. I asked again, two days later I get a reply, it's 50% complete I'll have it done by Friday. Friday comes no report.

I email Friday night asking what's going on, no reply all weekend.

I call Monday morning and was very short with him and he gave me some ******** about having personal issues. I said well fair enough but you could tell me you're delayed and keep me updated. He says I'll have it to you Tuesday evening. Tuesday evening comes, I get an email 1130pm saying it's 90% complete. I asked well when am I getting it. Got a reply this morning saying I'll have it by close of play today.

It's now almost 8pm, I asked for an update at 5pm with no reply.

I don't really know what to do now. It's delaying our sale and purchase as exchange dates are being spoken about.

Can't I get my money back, can I complain to RICS and will they actually do anything about it? I know what I want to do, but I don't think that will help my situation much.
 
Slam62 said:
I don’t know what you can do but it sounds awful and stressful.

You could just get another survey from a reputable surveyor. I know you’ll be out of pocket, but in the grand scheme of things.
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I have been trying to not let it get to me, but this is really causing issues now. The house needs a fair bit of work which is the only reason I went with a survey this time, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. I did for my last two houses and had a couple of minor issues with surveyors, but this one is taking the absolute ****.

At this point, I can't afford another grand for a survey, we're already extremely tight on budget.

Begbie said:
Can you go to your bank that it was a scam?

How did you pay?
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I was thinking of trying this. I paid through bank transfer unfortunately, but it was to a business account. Not sure if that makes any difference, compared to a normal bank account.
 
Begbie said:
If you've definitely been scammed, I can't see why you can't report to both your bank and the police?
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Don't think I've been scammed, it's a registered business etc.

Philtor said:
Boom!
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Already have that, but I'm not sure how far that will get me, other than more delays. I will certainly be doing it either way.

Mysterae_ said:
Check your contract with them to see if there's a stated or implied service level agreement.
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Nothing I can see in there regarding that.

koolpc said:
Is it registered surveyor? I assume it is.

I would go around to his office and sort it out there and then....

Dont go near his letterbox though. At least not yet!
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Yeah he is a registered RICS surveyor. Unfortunately, he is a one man band, so I believe his office address is his home address. Otherwise I would have been in there already. I don't want to go down the route or turning up at his door at the moment if I can help it, especially the way I'm feeling at the moment.

koolpc said:
Every time i have employed the services of a surveyor, i have always had the survey done within 7 days and the report back within 3 days or so.
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That has generally been my experience. Third time unlucky it seems.


I sent a strongly worded email just now, basically saying - If I don't have the report by 5pm tomorrow, I want a full refund within two days, or I will be speaking to my bank (to try and) get my money back and logging a complaint with RICS. As well as stating the constant false promises I've been given so I can pass that all to RICS.

Whether that will get me anywhere, I don't know.
 
I share your frustration, I remember the guy we used was a right cretin despite seeing good reviews.

Just like you he was very quick to respond and arrange for a visit to the property. Although he never cancelled, he never thought it courteous to phone me after he'd been to the house to confirm he had visited, so didn't get a reply to my email till the following day, at which point he gave me a date for delivery of his report. Alas just like yours the date come and go, no response. Eventually a couple of days later he sends his apologies and commits to a new date. That date too passed with no report, I sent him a bit of a shirty email about how he's now failed to deliver twice, he basically apologised again and said he'd been conducting surveys for other clients and committed to finishing the report by end of the weekend. Think I eventually got it on a Tuesday.

I think what annoyed me most is that he was taking on new clients/jobs without finishing off the work for his existing clients/jobs. You shouldn't be taking on more if you can't handle the workload.
 
I'm future pay for this stuff via credit card, and if they don't take credit card go elsewhere.

Unfortunately I'm this day and age, things like this are getting far more common, at least you got some legal backing then.

I guarantee you if this guy received an email from your CC company asking what's going on that report would be with you within the hour.
 
As said visit him physically - like I've done for conveyancing solicitor,
maybe surprising was payed up front too, versus post invoiced, like other professions.
 
Semple said:
I think what annoyed me most is that he was taking on new clients/jobs without finishing off the work for his existing clients/jobs. You shouldn't be taking on more if you can't handle the workload.
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I'm almost certain that is what he's doing. Infact, I found his business Facebook page and he has been posting videos at other houses doing surveys.

BUDFORCE said:
I'm future pay for this stuff via credit card, and if they don't take credit card go elsewhere.

Unfortunately I'm this day and age, things like this are getting far more common, at least you got some legal backing then.

I guarantee you if this guy received an email from your CC company asking what's going on that report would be with you within the hour.
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Unfortunately, that wasn't an option. And honestly/stupidly, it didn't even cross my mind to worry about it for this sort of thing. The only thing that bothered me, was paying up front. Previously, I've paid before receiving the actual report.

Lesson learned I guess.

jpaul said:
As said visit him physically - like I've done for conveyancing solicitor,
maybe surprising was payed up front too, versus post invoiced, like other professions.
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Really keeping this as a last resort at the moment as he doesn't have an office, it's his home address.
 
To add to a little context my wife and I run a Property Company and she is a RICS Chartered Surveyor. This service that you have received is utterly appalling. We set very clear timelines and always stick to them. (I'm sure one day something will come up and we will deal with that professionally). For a level 3 we would say 7 working days until you have the report. We would have also contacted you straight after the Survey took place to give you some brief highlights. It sounds to me like you should ask for your money back and indeed get in touch with RICS as they wouldn't be best pleased (They are very picky who they endorse).

Out of interest how big of a house was it and how much did they charge? Just being nosey, tell me to keep my nose out if you like :D
 
MR_Punk said:
Out of interest how big of a house was it and how much did they charge? Just being nosey, tell me to keep my nose out if you like :D
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Not OP
I also had a crap RICS surveyor, but at least he attended the property when he said he would. I only received the report nearly 5 weeks after the survey. (As yours, I was told max 7 days after the survey).
Called and emailed the surveyor no replies. Secretary wouldn't put me through to him either.

Paid £495 for this crap in 2022.
(Level 3 survey in Birmingham for a 1000 sqft 3 bed semi)
 
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MR_Punk said:
To add to a little context my wife and I run a Property Company and she is a RICS Chartered Surveyor. This service that you have received is utterly appalling. We set very clear timelines and always stick to them. (I'm sure one day something will come up and we will deal with that professionally). For a level 3 we would say 7 working days until you have the report. We would have also contacted you straight after the Survey took place to give you some brief highlights. It sounds to me like you should ask for your money back and indeed get in touch with RICS as they wouldn't be best pleased (They are very picky who they endorse).

Out of interest how big of a house was it and how much did they charge? Just being nosey, tell me to keep my nose out if you like :D
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Thank you for the context! Part of me was thinking, maybe I'd been a little bit unreasonable, but I'm glad I'm not. I also missed out a lot of other points in my original post, as I was trying to get some ideas of what to do as quickly as possible.

He never even told me he went, he has never told me anything. I only know because the estate agent told me he had been. I've asked if there was anything to worry about just so I can set my expectations, and he just completely ignored that, to give me more excuses.

I said I'd give him till 5pm to give me a full refund or the survey, but he hasn't even bothered replying to my email from last night and ignoring my calls, so I'm going to call the bank now, to see if I can get my money back. I will also most definitely be putting in a complaint to RICS.

The house is a 4 bedroom detached, and I paid £895 for a level 3 survey. Not the most expensive I was quoted but certainly FAR from the cheapest. It's a shame you're up North, I'd quite happily pay your wife to do it, if I can get my money back from this **** that is!
 
D-Ranged said:
Thank you for the context! Part of me was thinking, maybe I'd been a little bit unreasonable, but I'm glad I'm not. I also missed out a lot of other points in my original post, as I was trying to get some ideas of what to do as quickly as possible.

He never even told me he went, he has never told me anything. I only know because the estate agent told me he had been. I've asked if there was anything to worry about just so I can set my expectations, and he just completely ignored that, to give me more excuses.

I said I'd give him till 5pm to give me a full refund or the survey, but he hasn't even bothered replying to my email from last night and ignoring my calls, so I'm going to call the bank now, to see if I can get my money back. I will also most definitely be putting in a complaint to RICS.

The house is a 4 bedroom detached, and I paid £895 for a level 3 survey. Not the most expensive I was quoted but certainly FAR from the cheapest. It's a shame you're up North, I'd quite happily pay your wife to do it, if I can get my money back from this **** that is!
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Yes fingers crossed you get some money back. I don't think you are being unreasonable at all. The way we do it is we book the survey in with the vendor and then let the customer know when that is going to take place then ask for payment 24 hours before. This keeps the customers bang in the loop and stops a lot of questions of when and where. Obvisouly I don't know the ins and outs of what you are buying but that's not an unreasonable fee. Was there a reason you went with a level 3 over a level 2, we find a lot of times folks are up sold to level 3's when they don't need them. I have the RICS guidance on the differences I can share if you want to have a look see.
 
MR_Punk said:
Yes fingers crossed you get some money back. I don't think you are being unreasonable at all. The way we do it is we book the survey in with the vendor and then let the customer know when that is going to take place then ask for payment 24 hours before. This keeps the customers bang in the loop and stops a lot of questions of when and where. Obvisouly I don't know the ins and outs of what you are buying but that's not an unreasonable fee. Was there a reason you went with a level 3 over a level 2, we find a lot of times folks are up sold to level 3's when they don't need them. I have the RICS guidance on the differences I can share if you want to have a look see.
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I only went with a level 3 because it needs a lot of work doing inside, and I'm not a builder but can do some of the work myself. Otherwise, I would have just gone for a level 2. To be fair to him, he did offer a level 2 and 3, only because I asked.

Funnily enough he did just send me the survey over and there is some issues with the roof and a few other things, so at least there's that.
 
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