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CPR 35 Written Questions: What Can They Properly Ask a Building Surveying Expert? After an expert witness report has been served, another party may disagree with its findings or require parts of it to be explained. CPR 35.6 provides a procedure for putting written questions to the expert. These questions are intended to clarify the report. They are not a second set of instructions, an opportunity to introduce an entirely new case or a substitute for cross-examination. What ar

Updated 2 November 2026 Awaab’s Law introduced fixed response times for serious hazards in social housing in England. Phase 1 came into force on 27 October 2025 and covered all emergency hazards together with damp and mould hazards presenting a significant risk of harm. From 30 November 2026, Phase 2 is due to extend the significant hazard requirements to a much wider range of housing risks. Social landlords should therefore ensure that reports of unsafe conditions are proper

Buying a Home With External Wall Insulation: What Should a Level 3 Survey Examine? External wall insulation can improve thermal performance, reduce heat loss and make a property more comfortable. A properly designed and installed system can perform successfully for many years. However, the insulation covers the original external wall and introduces new junctions around roofs, windows, doors, pipework and ground level. Buyers should therefore understand what has been installed

Older Electrical Installations: What Can—and Can’t—a Home Survey Tell You? Older properties often contain electrical installations assembled over several decades. A house may have a modern consumer unit but retain older wiring elsewhere, while extensions and alterations may have introduced additional circuits of varying ages and standards. Electrical work can also be concealed beneath floors, within walls and above ceilings. Buyers should therefore understand what a home surv

Parapet Walls and Box Gutters: Why Can Small Defects Cause Major Leaks? Parapet walls and box gutters are common features on period properties, roof extensions and buildings with concealed drainage. They can create a neat roofline, but they also introduce vulnerable junctions that may be difficult to inspect from ground level. A blocked outlet, cracked coping joint or small split in a gutter lining can allow water to enter the structure. Because the defect may be hidden behin

Cavity-Wall Insulation in Older Homes: What Should a Survey Consider? Cavity-wall insulation can improve a home’s thermal performance and reduce heat loss. Millions of properties have been insulated successfully. However, retrospective insulation is not suitable for every wall, and problems can arise where the building was unsuitable, the external masonry was defective or the material was installed incorrectly. When buying an older home, the presence of cavity-wall insulation

Vacant and Probate Properties: What Can Deteriorate While a Home Is Empty? A vacant property can appear quiet and undisturbed, but buildings do not stop deteriorating when nobody is living in them. Minor defects that an occupier would normally notice can remain undiscovered, allowing water penetration, plumbing leaks, condensation, pest activity and security problems to become progressively worse. This is particularly relevant when buying a probate property. A home may have r

Shared Drains and Sewers: What Should Property Buyers Investigate? Drainage rarely receives much attention during a property viewing. However, blocked, damaged or poorly altered pipework can cause unpleasant disruption and potentially significant expense. The position becomes more complicated where drains are shared with neighbouring properties. Before exchanging contracts, buyers should understand what drainage serves the property, who is responsible for it and whether exten

Buying a House With Solar Panels: What Should Be Checked Before Exchange? Solar photovoltaic panels can reduce electricity costs and allow a homeowner to generate renewable energy. They can be an attractive feature when buying a property, particularly where the installation is modern, properly maintained and supported by suitable documentation. However, solar panels also introduce additional legal, electrical and building-related matters. Buyers should establish who owns the

Conservatories: When Does an Attractive Addition Become a Repair Liability? A conservatory can make a property feel brighter and more spacious. It may provide a pleasant connection with the garden and create useful dining, sitting or working space. However, conservatories are exposed structures containing numerous glazed panels, seals, joints and lightweight components. When they are poorly designed, inadequately maintained or approaching the end of their serviceable life, th

Has the Garage Been Converted Properly? What Buyers Should Check A converted garage can provide valuable additional living space. It may become a bedroom, home office, playroom or part of an enlarged kitchen. However, not every garage conversion has been properly designed, approved or constructed. A converted garage can provide valuable additional living space. It may become a bedroom, home office, playroom or part of an enlarged kitchen. However, not every garage conversion

Bay Windows in Victorian and Edwardian Houses: What Defects Can a Survey Reveal? Bay windows are a familiar feature of Victorian and Edwardian houses throughout London. They increase natural light, create additional internal space and contribute significantly to the character of a property. However, a bay is not simply a set of windows. It is a projecting part of the building with its own walls, roof, foundations and structural connections. Its exposed position and constructi

End-of-Terrace Houses: What Extra Risks Should Buyers Consider? An end-of-terrace house can offer several advantages over a mid-terrace property. It usually has only one directly adjoining neighbour, additional windows, improved side access and sometimes a wider plot with extension potential. However, the exposed flank wall and additional external elements can create defects and maintenance liabilities that are not present, or are less significant, in the middle of a terrace.

Should You Commission a Survey Before Bidding at a Property Auction? Buying a property at auction can be exciting. The process is fast, competitive and capable of presenting opportunities that do not always reach the conventional market. However, that speed also creates substantial risk. With a conventional private sale, a buyer can usually arrange a survey after agreeing the purchase price and withdraw or renegotiate before exchange. At a traditional unconditional auction, t

Buying a Leasehold Flat: Could Major External Repairs Create a Large Service-Charge Bill? A leasehold flat can look immaculate internally while forming part of a building that requires substantial external repair. The roof, walls, balconies, windows, drainage and communal areas may be maintained by the freeholder or management company, but the cost is commonly recovered from leaseholders through service charges. A buyer should therefore consider more than the condition of the

Buying a Property With Spray-Foam Roof Insulation: What Should Your Survey Investigate? Spray polyurethane foam can be applied to the underside of a roof to improve thermal performance. However, when it is installed retrospectively within an older roof, it can create important questions for buyers, surveyors, mortgage lenders and insurers. The presence of spray foam does not automatically mean that the roof is defective or that the property cannot be purchased. Equally, a cle

How Can a Home Survey Help You Renegotiate Before Exchange? Agreeing a purchase price does not necessarily mean that the condition of the property has been fully considered. Buyers often make an offer after a short viewing, before the building has been independently inspected. A home survey may identify structural movement, roof defects, dampness, defective alterations or other liabilities that were not apparent when the offer was made. Significant findings can provide a reas

Replacement Windows in Older Properties: What Problems Can a Building Survey Reveal? Replacement windows can make an older property warmer, quieter and easier to maintain. However, a recently installed double-glazed window should not automatically be assumed to be sound. Problems may arise from unsuitable materials, inadequate structural support, poor sealing, restricted ventilation or alterations to the original openings. Some defects are visible during a viewing, while othe

Removed Chimney Breasts and Altered Walls: What Should Buyers Check? Open-plan kitchens, enlarged living rooms and additional floor space can make an older property more attractive. These improvements often involve removing internal walls or chimney breasts. Properly designed and executed alterations can perform satisfactorily. However, the finishes visible during a viewing rarely reveal how the building above is supported or whether the work received appropriate approval. A

Why Do Floors Slope or Feel Uneven in Older London Properties? Sloping and uneven floors are common in older London houses and converted flats. A slight fall across a room may have existed for many decades without creating a serious structural concern. However, not every uneven floor should be dismissed as normal for the building’s age. Localised depressions, excessive movement or noticeable changes in level can indicate deteriorated joists, inadequate support, dampness or st