Frequently Used Terms in Building Surveying

An Access Audit is a review of a building or a physical space, and provides an assessment of its suitability for disabled people to access and use the space.

Incorporating the legal rights for access to another person’s property, surveyors will be able to help ascertain the existence of a public right of way, as well as any obligations to maintain and manage them. Also known as Public and private rights of way dispute

Affordable housing can be social rented, affordable rented and intermediate housing provided to specified eligible households determined by regards to need, local household income and savings limits. Social rented housing is owned by local authorities and private registered providers for which guideline rents are determined by the national Rent Standard.

Alterations are works undertaken by the tenant which alter, cut, divide, relocate or modify the demise, which can include the building, partitions, mechanical and electrical services, or finishes.

An Application Programming Interface (API) connects software components to communicate with each other. An API is typically not intended for direct use by an end user and is for digital communications.

An Asset Survey is an analysis of all building and engineering systems included in a building or physical asset. These surveys are used for supporting evidence in the valuation, purchase, and on-going maintenance of assets.

Asset Tagging is the act of attaching a tag that uniquely identifies a physical asset to deliver organisations visibility into their assets, their location and condition, and help maintain security and with maintenance tasks.

An asset valuation is the formal “open market” or “existing use” valuation of land, offices and buildings or plant and machinery. Asset valuations are used in company accounts, or for establishing the value of an asset for loan security or in merger and acquisition activity.

A bar code, or barcode, is a machine-readable graphic that is scannable by a type of optical scanner referred to as barcode readers, and can be used for Asset Tagging.

A building condition survey is a focused assessment of a building(s) current state, integrity, and condition of the building and its infrastructure.

Building components deteriorate with time or use and at some stage their performance no longer meets a required standard. Maintenance is an intervention so that the component can perform to the required standard. Surveyors will be able to provide a visual inspection and give advice on testing, cleaning, repairs, replacement and improvement.

National regulations specifying minimum standards of construction for new buildings, extensions and alterations enforced by the local authority.

A building survey is a report on a building by a building surveyor on the structural integrity of a building and its state of repair. This report would usually cover the condition of the structure, incidence of any defects to the fabric of the building and the state of repair of fixtures and fittings, services and plant installations. A building survey is often required by a lender prior to agreeing to a loan which is secured against the value of the property in question.

Cladding is the use of placing one material over another material that provides a covering or layer. Cladding serves a number of purposes including insulation, weather protection, and to improve how a building looks.

A Commercial Survey is a survey to asses and measure budilings and phsycial assets, and delivers a detailed and accurate report regarding the state, integrity, and condition of buildings and their infrastructure.

Carried out by a surveyor, this extensive examination of a building’s physical condition highlights issues for consideration by the buyer.

The assessment of the condition of property, which highlights areas where repair is required. Many tenants will have obligations to repair their premises. Failure to do so is commonly referred to as disrepair. The state of repair is usually disregarded in making an assessment for rating, although significant dilapidation can lead to a removal from liability.

A form of decay in timber due to a particular type of fungus which needs relatively low moisture to develop and is difficult to eradicate.

An EPC is a document with information about energy use and estimated energy costs. An EPC provides an energy efficiency rating from A (best) to G (worst).

An Engineering Surveyor is a professional who assess the condition, and the associated compliance and safety of systems, machinery, industrial equipment that are subject to regulatory standards and safety obligations.

An expert witness is required to assist the court or tribunal to understand complex technical matters on which their decision might be based. Experience in the subject matter of the dispute is critical and the choice of expert witness can make or break a case. Expert witnesses appear in most property disputes, whether before the courts or arbitrators. While appointed by one of the parties, they have an overriding obligation of impartiality to the court or tribunal.

A valuer who, together with any associates, has no material links with the client, an agent acting on behalf of the client, or the subject of the assignment.

Fit-out costs are usually incurred by a tenant prior to being able to occupy new accommodation. Fit-outs will often include everything from installing cabling through to purchasing furniture.

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is a tool for local authorities to assess, identify, and protect against potential risks and hazards to human health and safety from any problems in housing. This guidance is targeted at non-specialists, specifically private landlords, to help identify required works needed on properties for the safety of the tenants.

Housing Associations in the United Kingdom and Ireland are non-profit, private, organisations offering low-cost housing for people who need a place to live. While private organisations, Housing Associations are state regulated and often benefit from public funding support.

The interim schedule of dilapidations – served during the lease term, at any time after lease commencement. It is usual for the interim schedule of dilapidations to be served before the last 18 months of the lease. The intention of an interim schedule is to identify breaches of lease and necessary works to remedy the breach within a set time frame.

The rate of interest at which all future cash flows must be discounted in order that the net present value of those cash flows, including the initial investment, should be equal to zero.

Japanese knotweed is a rapidly-growing, perennial plant with dense stems and creeping root-like growth. It can cause problems for buildings and structures due to its complex and invasive root system.

A lease is a contract between the owner of an asset and the user of the asset to use the asset for a specified period of time. The owner is called the lessor and the renter the lessee. The owner retains ownership of the asset while the lessee obtains the right to use the asset.

Legionella is a type of bacteria that can cause a serious pneumonia-like illness and a more mild illness similar to flu. Legionella was so named after an outbreak in 1976 at a convention of the American Legion. The original outbreak was found in an air-conditioning system, Legionella can also be found in humidifiers, hot tubs, spa pools, and taps and showers that are used rarely.

M&E refers to the mechanical and electrical services in a building. The delivery and management are often subcontracted, to a third party such as a facilities management company.

MEP are the mechanical, electrical and plumbing infrastructure that are required to make a building habitable.

A wall that is shared between/separates two properties. It is usually built at or on the boundary line. Party walls disputes can occur between neighbours when contemplating construction works. For this reason the Party Wall Etc. Act 1996 exists to establish rights and responsibilities for property owners affected by construction works to, or near a party wall.

A party wall surveyor is appointed in relation to the condition of, or work to, a party wall. This arises when works are planned to adjoining property and impinge on the party wall. The surveyor is independent; they produce a set of guidelines in respect of the work and its progress, a record of condition of the party wall, photographs and any relevant drawings. This is a statutory process with the advantage of removing partiality from the process and resolving what would otherwise be an ongoing dispute between adjoining owners.

A PPM survey is report detailing an inspection of a building(s) and physical asset(s) with recommendations specifying the maintenance works required to a building over a period of years into the future.

Portfolio Management describes the processes required to optimise the investment goals from a collection of buildings and physical assets.

A QR code is a machine-readable code made up of black and white squares and can be used for Asset Tagging.

A Quinquennial Inspection (QI) is a survey of a church which is carried out no less than every five years. Typically, this includes general condition of the building, detailed review of the building, mechanical, plumbing and electrical infrastructure, a summary of all works undertaken since the last inspection, recommendations for urgent repairs and timescale for completion, recommendations for future preventative maintenance, and any investigation that may be required for areas of concern.

The RICS ‘Red Book’ contains rules and practice statements for all Chartered Surveyors who undertake asset and other forms of formal types of valuation.

Reinstatement refers to the tenant’s liability to remove its alterations at lease expiry, and reinstate the premises to their original condition, as at lease commencement. If carried out under licence, there will usually be an express covenant to reinstate in the licence in addition to the ‘general’ obligation to do so in the Yielding Up clause. Frequently encountered in dilapidations cases, where the landlord’s claim for damages, based on the cost of reinstatement, is subject to a Diminution in Value test (under common law principles rather than statute, as for repairs).

A repair notice usually takes the form of an interim schedule of dilapidations. The intention of the repairs notice is to highlight to the landlord or tenant breaches of the lease during the term.

A Residential Survey is report based on a visual inspection of a property detailing the property’s condition, and highlighting any problems that may require work. A Residential Survey can include apartments, flats, studios, maisonettes, duplexes, bungalows, houses, and any other type of property that is suitable for habitation.

Moisture which soaks up a wall from underground. It is most common in older buildings, can rot structural timbers and other wood in contact with the affected wall e.g. skirting boards, door frames and architrave; cause black mould; create damp patches on walls; and ruin plaster / decorations.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is a global organisation for professionals working in the areas of the Built Environment, Real Estate, Property, Land, Infrastructure, and Construction. RICS sets standards for valuation, operation, and development of different types of property and real estate.

A record of the condition of premises at the commencement of a lease. Usually appended to the lease and referred to in the Repairing and Yielding Up covenants to limit the tenant’s liabilities – typically to repair, keep and give back the premises in ‘no better than’ the condition than that evidenced by the schedule. Limits the tenant’s exposure to various items of repair during the lease, and its dilapidations liability at lease expiry.

This is a list of outstanding repair and maintenance items (that a landlord has assessed) that have accrued under the terms of a tenant’s repair and maintenance obligations. It is often served by the landlord at the end of the lease in the form of a ‘Terminal’ Schedule of Dilapidations. The tenant is obliged to carry out the outstanding works listed in the schedule, or pay damages which represent the cost to the landlord of doing the works.

The Scott Schedule is a document that enables the parties to compare their respective positions in relation to the landlord’s original schedule of dilapidations. It comprises a series of columns in which each party sets out its response to the opposing party’s contentions.

Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) is an international professional organisation who advocate, educate and regulate surveyors. SCSI provides Surveyors with a recognised certification proving their competence, capability, and professional status.

A service charge is payable by a tenant for services provided by the landlord for the repair and maintenance of common parts, such as lifts, reception areas and the external structure of the building. The service charge usually includes managing agent’s fees. It is normally collected quarterly in advance, at the same time as the rent. A service charge payment can be capped in order to limit a tenant’s financial liability. The RICS has developed a Service Charge Code of Practice to improve standards and promote consistency, fairness, transparency and best practice in the management and administration of commercial property service charges.

SFG20 is the industry standard for building maintenance specification. SFG20 delivers a library of schedules covering over 70 different asset classes and include the building materials. SFG20 is used by multiple different businesses including education, government, healthcare, retail, and residential, ensuring safe, legal and capable maintenance of buildings.

A Site Survey, also called a Site Inspection, is a thorough and detailed review of a physical asset or building. A review using visual techniques and measurement tools are used to accurately deliver information on the site’s features, appearance, and attributes.

A Site Plan is a drawing that architects, engineers, landscaping designers, and urban planners use to show present and future states for a given location. Sites plan usually include buildings, roads, pavements paths and trails, parking, drainage, sewer and water lines, lighting, landscaping, and gardens.

Minor building works to be finished off after practical completion.

Snagging is the process of inspecting a newly built (or refurbished) property to ensure that the works completed meet the standards that the builder has agreed to meet. Snagging is not strictly a contractual term. It is a jargon word used in the construction industry to describe the process of checking building works before they are signed off as finished, with a list of unsatisfactory or outstanding works to be done being compiled for follow up and correcting works to be completed by the builder. The list will then need to be rechecked and confirmed as being satisfactorily completed.

A lease will generally include for covenants relating to the tenant’s or landlord’s obligations to comply with statute or regulations.

A Stock Condition Survey is an inspection on a property, including fixtures and fittings, including kitchens, bathrooms, doors and windows.

This is when the ground moves in a (usually) downward direction beneath a building, potentially causing serious damage to property.

Rainwater falling to a surface – typically considered in the context of roofs or external paved surfaces/roadways for the design of drainage systems.

A template is a pre-configured form that uses best practices or standards to make it easy to create, use, and to ensure quality. Some templates are editable to make it faster to create for specific requirements.

The holding of a legal interest in Property by a Tenant under a Lease or other Tenancy Agreement.

A Tenant is a person who occupies a building or physical asset, through either a rental or lease agreement.

The terminal schedule of dilapidations, served at lease end, is intended to address all breaches of lease, prepared following the recommended format in the dilapidations protocol.

Thermal imaging is a process using a special camera to capture and create an image, or multiple images, of physical objects through detection of the infrared radiation given off from a specific object.

An infestation of wood-boring beetles/larvae. There are different species of woodworm and you will usually notice their presence by spotting small holes in timber and/or a powdery deposit.

The yield up clause sets out the conditions on which the property is to be handed back to the landlord, e.g., in accordance with the lease covenants and may impose additional obligations.