Buying a home is usually one of the biggest financial purchases a person will make in their lifetime, and many buyers rely heavily on a surveyor to identify serious issues before contracts are exchanged.
When structural defects are missed during a survey, buyers can be left facing significant repair costs and major disruption shortly after moving into their new home.
These situations can be particularly frustrating because buyers often believe the problems should have been identified before the purchase went ahead.
What Is a Structural Defect?
Structural defects are problems affecting the stability or safety of a property. Examples include,
- Foundation movement,
- large cracks in walls,
- roof defects,
- structural instability,
- damp and water damage,
- unsafe alterations,
- failing support beams.
Some defects may be visible during an inspection, while others can develop over time.
What Does a Surveyor Do?
Surveyors are expected to inspect a property carefully and highlight significant issues that may affect:
- Safety
- Value
- Future repair costs
- Mortgage suitability
The level of inspection may depend on the type of survey carried out, but buyers generally expect major concerns to be identified and explained clearly.
What are the Common Complaints Against Surveyors?
Claims against surveyors often involve allegations that obvious cracks or signs of movement were ignored, damp problems were missed, roof damage was not identified, structural movement was underestimated, defects were mentioned but not properly explained, and buyers were not warned about potential repair costs.
In many cases, buyers later discover defects after:
- Decorating the property
- Carrying out renovations
- Experiencing leaks or movement
- Obtaining further inspections
The Financial Impact of Missed Defects
Structural problems can be extremely expensive to repair.
Homeowners may face large repair bills, reduced property value, difficulty selling the property, insurance complications or ongoing stress and disruption. Some buyers say they would have withdrawn from the purchase entirely if they had known about the defects beforehand.
Warning Signs Buyers Should Not Ignore
Although surveyors are expected to identify significant problems, buyers should also be aware of common warning signs, such as:
- Large or widening cracks
- Sloping floors
- Doors and windows are sticking
- Uneven ceilings
- Damp smells or staining
- Bulging walls
Where concerns exist, further specialist inspections may sometimes be recommended.
Can You Bring a Claim Against a Surveyor?
Not every missed issue becomes negligence. Nevertheless, if a surveyor failed to identify defects that should reasonably have been spotted during the inspection, you may be able to bring a claim.
Key questions often include:
- What type of survey was carried out?
- What should the surveyor reasonably have identified?
- Did the buyer rely on the report?
- What financial losses were caused?
Seeking Advice
Discovering serious defects after buying a property can be overwhelming, especially where repair costs are substantial.
Seeking early legal advice can help establish whether the survey fell below expected standards, what evidence may be needed, whether compensation may be available and what steps should be taken next.
Get in touch with us today and let us help you resolve your dispute. Book an appointment, call us at 0333 004 0272 or complete our contact form here for your free initial consultation.
