The Dangers of Working on Your Own

 

Independent Surveyors

Our highly qualified independent surveyors will offer you help and advice with regards to buying property, estate agents and many other things property related. We can carry out a building survey on your property or prospective purchase; whether it is residential or for business. We can prepare a schedule of condition and property report in relation to your lease. We carry out dilaps reports for landlords or tenants. We are more than happy to email you examples of our surveys.

Free phone us on 0800 298 5424 for a friendly chat.

Free phone 0800 298 5424

This is probably a more serious article than we normally do. We just thought it was worth recognising all the work that has been done by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. As Surveyors we often work alone and this certainly has made us think.

 

The missing Estate Agent that changed everything

On 28th July 1986 Suzy Lamplugh, a 25 year old estate agent who lived in London showed a Mr Kipper around a house in Fulham and to this day has never been seen again. ( Kipper is actually a pronunciation of the Dutch name Cuiper). This lead to her mother Diana Lamplugh and her father Paul Lamplugh setting up the Suzy Lamplugh Trust which campaigns for better personal safety particularly for women in the workplace and amongst its successes has been the promotion of safety in public places and also helping to get stalking recognised as a crime. Diana Lamplugh - July 30th 1936 to August 18th 2011- earned an OBE in 1992 for her work for the charity and worked tirelessly until 2003 for the trust when she had to stop work following a massive stroke and Alzheimer's disease and has sadly since died.

 

It could happen to anyone working on their own

As Surveyors we are often working alone just as estate agents often give quite junior members of the estate agency viewing work to be carried out. Whilst Surveyors tend to have the owner or the occupier present it is always of great help to us if we can have full details of the people that are present at the house together with phone numbers etc so we can confirm who we are with the person who is in the house when we get there.

 

This is so important yet we find estate agents are one of the biggest culprits of withholding information

Over the many years that we have been visiting houses to carry out surveys it's very common for estates agents to refuse to give any information with regard to the occupiers as they wish to arrange the appointment. We understand from a sales point of view how they try to keep control of the sales but from a safety point of view as a surveyor going to a property where they have never met the person before specific information such as the occupiers name and phone number we feel are essential. We ask all estate agents to help us in this matter.

 

Suzy Lamplugh was never seen again

Let us remind everyone that Suzy Lamplugh disappeared and was never seen again. There was very little information available other than a note that was made about her showing a Mr Kipper around a house in Fulham. Following investigations from 1986 her mother and father thankfully used their energies to set up the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. In 2000 the case was re-opened and a convicted murderer was named as a chief suspect although it has to be added due to general lack of evidence the prosecution decided not to proceed. They found her white Ford Fiesta, they found her possession's but her body has never been found despite police reopening the case in December 2000 and doing searches and also in February 2001 and 2010. Nothing is more important than personal safety.

 

We recommend you take a look at The Suzy Lamplugh Trust Website

There is some interesting information on choosing a Lone Worker System. They offer training, either in house or the term open access which is for all. We found courses on practical lone working strategies, home visits, staying safe, dealing with difficult situations and aggression and personal safety when travelling for work located all across the country. A range of personal safety equipment is available, everything from charm alarms (personal alarms), personal shriek alarms to mini gas alarms, DVD's, posters and booklets. Their mission is to raise awareness to the importance of personal safety and to provide solutions that make change in order to help people to avoid violence and aggression and live safer more confident lives. You can make donations via the Just Giving website, the gift aid website, the much to love website as well as actually on the Suzy Lamplugh.org website.

 

Independent professional property advice

On a different note we are independent Surveyors that can give you help and advice. We will ask you for your name and contact details when you contact our office. We look forward to working with you.

If you need help and advice with regard to a structural survey (or building survey, as it is now commonly known; structural survey being the old term for it) or a structural problem or an engineer's report, or you need a report specifically tailoring to your requirements please do not hesitate to call us for a friendly chat on free phone 0800 298 5424.

 

We would refer you to other interest articles on our website:

Advice on Disputes

What's in Building Regulations?

Buying and Selling General Information

Why have one of our surveys?

 

 

Residential Properties

We specialise in residential property with building surveys and structural surveys on everything from listed and period buildings, Victorian and Edwardian properties and Georgian properties.

 

Commercial Properties

We also look at both freehold and leasehold commercial properties. We have great expertise in the pub and restaurant trade and we are experienced with dentist and doctors surgeries and also office blocks big and small together with other shops. If you are in the difficult situation of having a dilapidations claim against you, you may wish to look at our www.DilapsHelp.com . If you are in the difficult situation of being in a property dispute you may wish to look at our website www.DisputesHelp.com .

 

Our articles

We hope you have found this article interesting and if you have any experiences that you feel should be added to this article that would benefit others, or you feel that some of the information that we have put is wrong then please do not hesitate to contact us (we are only human).

The contents of the web site are for general information only and are not intended to be relied upon for specific or general decisions. Appropriate independent professional advice should be paid for before making such a decision.

 

Our rights

All rights are reserved the contents of the web site is not to be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or part without the express written permission of www.1stAssociated.co.uk

 

 

 

building engineers

Home Buyers Reports Property Surveys - why we're the best. Engineers Reports
© Copyright 1stassociated.co.uk

1stassociated-logo-for-footer IVSA-badge IVSA-putting-client-first call-us-for-footer

We have thousands of free property articles to help you - or call us freephone on 0800 298 5424

We have been working in the property industry for many years and have been
providing free property articles for over ten years. All for free and to help you with buying your next property.

House and Home Surveys and Useful Information

All you need to know about Building Surveys

Building Control, what do they do?

Designers and Architects will they save me money or will they cost me money

Enviroment, Your Building and Garden Gnomes

Estate Agents help sell houses and work for the vendors

Have a Structural Survey to protect you against structural problems

Home improvements, builder problems and ideas for you on how to solve them

How a Surveyor values a property, Chartered Surveyors and Regulated Valuers

How Chartered Engineers and Building Engineers can help you

Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas

NHBC National House Building Council

Structural Surveys and How We Can Help You

Traditional and Non-Traditional Houses and Mortgage Problems

Valuations and how much is the building worth?

Whats the difference between a Chartered Building Surveyor, Chartered Surveyor and an Independent Surveyor

Useful property problem articles by Chartered Surveyors explaining building issues to avoid

External - Helpful information on building problems on the outside of the property

Chimney issues and problems

Cracking and Movement Problems and Surveying Solutions

Flat Roof Problems, how we can solve them

Foundations and Structures and Settlement and Subsidence and Underpinning

Pitched Roofs Problems and Solutions

Roof Problems

Wall Problems

Windows and Doors and Fascias and Soffits and Wet Rot and Dry Rot and other problems

Internal - House problems we have investigated inside

All you ever need to know about floors

Asbestos in your home, what you need to know

Ceiling Cracks and Structural Problems

Condensation, Damp and Black Mould Problems

Cracking and Movement Problems and Surveying Solutions

Windows and Doors and Fascias and Soffits and Wet Rot and Dry Rot and other problems

Woodworm is it a problem or not? Is it active or not?

Services - Building help and advice on costly services

Drainage, what's underground can affect what's above ground

Heating; I just can't get my house warm enough or alternatively I just can't get my house cool enough

You can't mess around with the electric, you need an expert

 

Commercial Property Services

Building Terms Explained and Directories

Commercial Property Surveys

Commercial Structural Surveys

Leisure Facilites

Offices Large and Small

Shops and Retail

Warehouse and Industrial Buildings

Dilapidations Help and Advice What is a Dilapidations Notice?

A Beginner's Guide to Dilaps

Damp Mould and Condensation

Dampness Rising Damp Mould Black Mould Condensation

Dilapidations and Negotiations

Dilapidations Claim by a Landlord

Energy Saving what can I do?

Finance what is a Financial Adviser (We are not Financial Advisors)

Fire Risk and Help

Health and Safety Risks

Insurance how do I get the correct property insurance?

Landlords Surveying Advice

Property Investment how can I invest in property?

Property TV Reviews by an Independent Surveyor

Schedules of Condition Leasing a Commercial Property

Scotts Schedule and Section 18 Valuation

Tenants Surveying Advice

Weather how does weather affect my property?

Flooding

Rain

Snow and Ice

Strong Winds

Reviews from clients on Commercial Building Surveys

Churches and Charities, helpful reviews from our clients

Industrial Buildings and Warehouses and what our clients say about us

Offices Large and Small, reviews and feedback from our clients

Pubs, Restaurants, Hotels and other Leisure facilities we have surveyed over the years

Shops and Retail, helpful reviews from our clients

 

First Time Buyers

Buying a Leasehold or Shared Freehold Home

Buying and Selling Houses for the experienced house and home purchaser

First Time Buyers how do I go about buying my first house and home?

Improve your property knowledge with our presentations on house, homes and commercial property

Building Surveys

Building Surveying Useful Information

Dilapidations

Dilapidations Presentations in Detail

Final Year Building Surveying Exams for University Students or those that would like to know more

How old is your Building? Which era was it built in?

Party Walls

Surveyors and Design Tools

Disputes and Party Walls

Boundary Disputes

Building and Property Disputes

Party Wall Book Reviews

Party Walls Your Rights and Responsibilities

1stAssociated Surveyors Review for Structural Surveys and Building Surveys

Building Surveys, reviews and feedback from satisfied customers

Buy to let property clients, what they say about our structural surveys

Buying at auction, review of the survey

Buying bungalows and retirement properties and how our surveyors can help

Both at work / busy couples, how we can help and some 1stAssociated client reviews

Families with a young person flying the nest, reviews and feedback

First Time Buyers, what they say about us

Listed buildings, structural surveys

Older buildings, a review of buying an older house

Families with children looking for a new home, feedback and reviews

Buying a Non-Traditional Property

Residential Surveys

House and Home Surveys

Commercial Building Surveys

Commercial Surveys

1st Associated Surveyors Are Also Available in the Following Areas:

East Anglia and East

South and South East

West Country and South West

Midlands

North and North East

 

London

London Markets

London Parks

 

Wales

Areas of Britain

1stAssociated Independent Expert Property Surveyors

Specialists in Home Buyers Reports, Building Surveys and Structural Surveys and Schedules of Condition

All Surveyors are Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors qualified and RICS regulated

and are Members of the Independent Surveyors and Valuers Association

Putting the Client First

We do not accept service of documents by email or fax