Please Note: The Standard Terms of Engagement as written here form the contract between Site Inspection and Survey (SIAS) and the client.

The Report provided is solely for the use of the Client and the Client's professional advisers, and no liability to anyone else is accepted. Should the Client not act upon specific, reasonable advice contained in the Report, no responsibility is accepted for the consequences.

1. The standard Homebuyer Condition Survey ("the Service") described in Part A of these Terms under the heading “Description" applies unless any additional Services have been requested and agreed in writing before the Inspection.

(An example of such an addition is reporting upon parts which are not normally inspected, such as the Opening of all windows to test performance or individual electric socket testing.

2. The Surveyor who provides the Service will be competent and experienced to survey and to report upon the Properties overall condition which is the subject of these Terms.

3. Before the Inspection. The Client will inform the Surveyor of the agreed price for the Property and of any particular concerns such as plans for extensions or any similar points he or she may have about the Property.

4. Terms of payment. The Client agrees to pay the fee and any other charges agreed in writing.

5. Cancellation. The Client will be entitled to cancel this contract by notifying the Surveyor's office at any time before the day of the Inspection. The Surveyor will be entitled not to proceed with the provision of the Service and will report promptly to the Client if, after arriving at the Property, he or she concludes: that it is of a type of construction of which he or she has insufficient specialist knowledge to be able to provide the Service satisfactorily; or that it would be in the Client's best interests to be provided with a Full Building Survey, rather than the Homebuyer Condition Survey.

In the event of cancellation, the Surveyor will refund any money paid by the Client for the Service, except for any expenses reasonably incurred. In the case of cancellation by the Surveyor, the reason will be fully explained to the Client.

6.  Complaints Handling Procedure. A copy of our complaints handling procedure is available on request and has been written giving full consideration to both you the client and the RICS Guidelines.


A) Description of the Homebuyer Condition Survey Service

The Homebuyer Service comprises:

·   A Condition Inspection of the Property (Section B)

·   A concise Report based on the Inspection (Section C)

A Valuation can be appended to the report at extra cost if requested at time of appointment, unless same has not been requested by the client.

The Surveyor's main objective in the Homebuyer Condition Survey Service is to give Clients considering buying a particular Property the professional advice which will assist them: to make a reasoned and informed judgement on whether or not to proceed with the purchase, to assess whether or not the Property is a reasonable purchase at the agreed price, to be clear what decisions and actions should be taken before contracts are exchanged.

The Homebuyer Service therefore covers the general condition of the Property and will report on all serious and non-urgent defective features which might affect its present value and its future resale potential. The Report in summary will therefore focus on what the Surveyor judges to be urgent or significant matters. Significant matters are those which, typically, in any negotiations over price would be reflected in the amount finally being agreed.

The Inspection is a general surface examination of those parts of the Property which are accessible: in other words, visible and readily available for examination from ground and floor levels, without risk of causing damage to the property or injury to the Surveyor. Due care is therefore exercised throughout the Inspection process regarding both the surveyors and the clients safety.

Please Note: At no time will the client be allowed to use any SIAS access equipment or place him / herself at risk during the inspection.

The practicality and constraints experienced when being a visitor to a property (which may be occupied) are taken into full consideration and, furniture, floor coverings and other contents are not moved or lifted; and no part of the building’s fabric is forced or laid open to make elements hidden behind accessible.

The services are visually inspected (except, in the case of flats, for drainage, lifts and security systems), but the Surveyor does not test or assess the efficiency of electrical, gas, plumbing, heating or drainage installations, or compliance with current regulations, or the internal condition of any chimney, boiler or other flue. Also, the Surveyor does not research the presence (or possible consequences) of contamination by any harmful substance. However, if a problem is suspected in any of these areas, advice is given and is reported on what / any action should be taken.

Where necessary and if practical, parts of the Inspection are made from adjoining public property. Such equipment as a damp-meter, binoculars and torch may be used. A telescopic ladder is used for ceiling access hatches and also for flat roofs not more than three metres above ground level. Leisure facilities and non-permanent outbuildings (such as pools and timber sheds) are noted but not examined.

In the case of flats, exterior surfaces of the building containing the Property, as well as its access areas and boundary walls / fences are examined in order to assess their general condition; roof spaces are inspected if there is an unlocked access hatch within the flat. Communal Area ceiling access hatches are not inspected and should be maintained locked.

The Report provides the Surveyor's opinion of those matters which have been observed and noted as urgent or significant and are in need of either immediate action or further evaluation by the Client before contracts are exchanged.  It includes the following:

Category 1:  Noted and recorded but not considered as urgent

Matters observed and assessed as not urgent or not significant, in order to assist the client, are always added to the report to provide overall clarity however, other matters (such as safety) will, at all time be reported where the Surveyor judges this to be helpful and constructive. If a part or area normally examined is found not readily accessible during the Inspection, this is reported; if a problem is suspected, advice is given on what further action should be taken.

Category 2:  Significant matters requiring further investigation

For example, suspected thermal or structural movement, for which the Client should obtain (and may have to pay for) specialist reports and remedial works quotations from suitable specialist contractors.

Category 3:  Urgent repairs

For example, serious roof deflection, missing slates / tiles, defective chimney stacks, missing flashings, for which the Client should obtain remedial works quotations where appropriate.

The Report is issued in a standard format arranged in the following sequence:

·  Introduction

·  Property and location

·  Building description

·  Overall condition

·  Services and site condition (where accessible)

·  Other matters

·  Site Inspection and Survey (SIAS) summary.