ABSTRACT
During the course of an inspection, it is almost inevitable that matters will arise which have possible legal implications. The surveyor is not directly responsible for resolving such queries but should report them to the client so they can be investigated and clarified by the appointed legal adviser. The surveyor is in the privileged position of seeing and examining the subject property and, in many cases, is able to ask questions of the vendor face-to-face, whereas in almost every other instance, no other adviser appointed to assist during a transaction will have those advantages. The surveyor, therefore, has a responsibility to act as the eyes and ears of the client’s legal adviser and must be particularly alert to matters which may not be apparent to someone who has not seen the property.
