Tom Leahy
Homeowners are being forced to get creative in order to sell their properties. From installing 'green' fixtures to paying stamp duty on a buyer's behalf, tricky times are prompting shrewd selling solutions.
However, people still need to have the condition and value of their revamped property verified. No matter how many new features may have been made, if it isn't checked by a surveyor who is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, sellers can't be sure their property really is fit for sale, or is at the right price.
But surveyors aren't infallible, which can present big problems for already overstretched homeowners. Our webchat with David Dalby from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Baroness Maggie Jones from the Surveyors Ombudsman Service Board, and Keith Richards from ABTA will tell you just what's being done to help homeowners who come into dispute with surveyors. We also have Tom Leahy, a homebuyer who had a dispute with his surveyour , who will tell you about his experience.
Since June 2007, the Surveyors Ombudsman Service has operated across the UK, providing an independent overview in situations where surveyors are judged to have behaved unfairly, rudely, incompetently or have simply provided a poor service. David, Maggie and Keith will be explaining how the Surveyors Ombudsman Service can intervene and achieve successful resolutions to disputes. They will also be taking your questions about issues you may be having with surveyors yourself. Don't waste time going 'round the houses' - log on to the chat and get the inside story here instead.