ABSTRACT
The various types of survey undertaken by surveyors were last considered by the Construction Industry Council in 2005. The survey is carried out under standard conditions of engagement prepared by the professional organisation of which the surveyor is a member, and the report is prepared to a standard format approved by that organisation. The client accepts that not every defect will be reported on, but the surveyor is under a duty to report on the essential matters that are likely to affect the value of the property. Condition ratings were first suggested for use in residential surveying at the time of the introduction of the Home Condition Report. Most large property owners maintain quite sophisticated computerised databases of their portfolios, and surveyors carrying out stock condition inspections are often required to enter data directly into hand-held tablets on site and the data can be analysed in real time using an internet connection.
