Staveley Home Condition Survey – Case study
Fisher Wrathall Surveyors offer pre-purchase surveys throughout the South Lakes and surrounding areas. We recently surveyed a property in Staveley, the idyllic South Lakes village. Staveley is ideally situated between Kendal and Windermere and within easy reach of the Lake District National Park, which attracts numerous homebuyers and holidaymakers.
Acquisitions in local towns like Staveley require a surveyor with local knowledge to ensure the quality of your survey. In this particular case, having the knowledge of Storm Desmond in 2015 and having the experience in dealing with its impact, which is invaluable.
In the RICS Home Condition report, RICS HomeBuyers Report or Building Survey; it would be confirmed what measures have been put in place to mitigate future flood risk. For example, a sump pump installed; a non-return valve installed to below-ground drainage; specific flood defence sub-floor vents to ensure the subfloor to a property will not flood, and so on. With the prior knowledge of flooding to the property, it will be inspected for any evidence of flood damage, for example, to sub floor timbers with a cellar, and the standard of any remedial works undertaken as a result of previous flooding.
Our recommendations and findings of the survey help ensure the homebuyer obtains adequate insurances prior to the exchange of contracts. It will also benefit the homebuyer by making them aware of the history of flooding, thus assessing the attractiveness of the property, and ensuring they are aware of the property nuances and their affect on the future saleability of the property.
In December 2015, Storm Desmond flooded 6,568 homes in Cumbria and 784 bridges were closed with many needing to be rebuilt – including Staveley’s. Having this knowledge before the survey will ensure it is confirmed what subsequent flood defence measures have been put in place in an attempt to mitigate future flooding in not only the wider sense but specific to the subject property.
