by Jonathan Milner, MRICS – Technical & Development Surveyor at Home Surveying, and member of the RICS Governing Council for Residential Property. Jonathan is a candidate in the 2023 RICS Governing Council Elections for the Residential Property Group seat.
As a member of the RICS Governing Council for Residential Property and a Technical and Development Surveyor at Home Surveying, I am committed to providing the highest standards of service to our clients. As a result, it will come as no surprise that I am a major advocate of the RICS Home Survey Standards as a benchmark on which to build our inspecting and reporting standards from, and that Home Surveying are strident in their adherence to delivering the best practices for conducting residential property surveys.
At Home Surveying, we focus on three key areas to ensure that we are meeting the RICS Home Survey Standards and delivering the best possible service to our clients.
Pre-inspection communication
The first area is pre-inspection communication. Good communication underpins a successful, appropriate survey. So we make sure our clients speak with our surveyors before the inspection.
This conversation lets the client raise any concerns about the property. It also helps them understand what to expect from the survey. The initial chat gives our clients a chance to get to know our surveyors and build trust. That trust helps make sure they’re happy with the service they receive.
Post-inspection communication
The second area is post-inspection communication. Clients often have questions and concerns after the survey. So our surveyors hold a follow-up conversation to discuss their findings. This often happens on the day of inspection.
This call lets our clients ask further questions. They can get clarification on any issues from the survey. Ideally, the call puts their mind at rest as early as possible. The follow-up conversation forms an important part of our service. It helps our clients fully understand the results and make informed decisions about the property and any transaction in progress.
Energy efficiency
The third area is energy efficiency. Energy costs keep rising. This makes a property’s energy efficiency more important than ever during a survey. The client’s carbon footprint matters too.
So we’ve given our surveyors extra training. They can now judge a property’s energy efficiency during their visit. They can also recommend ways to make the property more energy efficient.
In particular, we think they should consider the property’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when compiling their report. This lets them highlight any discrepancies. They can also flag opportunities or concerns arising from the property’s condition.
Bringing it all together
Pre-inspection communication, post-inspection communication and energy efficiency. By focusing on these three areas, we deliver the highest level of service in line with the RICS Home Survey Standards.
Looking ahead
At Home Surveying, we lead the field in improving our processes. We also stay up to date with the latest developments in technology and data. All of this serves one goal: the best possible service for our clients. Need a residential property survey? Get in touch to learn more about how we can help.
