Issues related to property tend to be incredibly expensive, and in these cash strapped times budgets for most property purchases and projects are pretty tight. Architects and surveyors have some of the highest fees in the property and development sector and it can be particularly galling to be presented with an enormous bill where there is a sneaking suspicion that a job has not been done properly or to a sufficiently high standard. However, if you feel that an architect or surveyor has been negligent in the service they have provided there is action that can be taken.
The implications of surveyor negligence
A surveyor is normally employed to carry out a professional assessment of a property – often in the context of a buyer looking to purchase that property – and to highlight any issues that could be particularly costly for a buyer or developer. Where this isn’t done properly there can be huge financial repercussions - defects that are not spotted in time cannot be factored into any price negotiations and this can result in a buyer being left with a property that is worth less than what was paid for it. Often the only solution is that the defects in the property are rectified by the buyer – again a process that can generate enormous expense, inconvenience and unnecessary hassle.
The implications of architect negligence
With an architect again, the consequences of negligent work can be quite catastrophic. Bad design behind any structure can make it almost completely worthless and trigger a series of ongoing issues and bills during the process of trying to make a property function as it would if the plans had been drawn up by a skilled professional. It can also be very dangerous for those using a property if relevant building and health and safety regulations are not met.
Specific negligence situations
There are some quite specific situations in which this type of professional negligence might take place:
1. Plans and designs that have been badly or carelessly executed.
2. Financial calculations. For example where there has been a failure to factor in inflation to the cost of the building work and materials.
3. Ignoring environmental requirements, such as constructing the right kind of foundations for the building and the ground it is being built on.
4. Financial loss from an under or over valuing of the work being done and the property itself.
5. Not obtaining the right certifications, or providing those that are defective.
6. Dangerous situations, such as where asbestos is not properly handled, the building is not structurally sound or hazardous substances are present.
What you can do
For anyone who has suffered from the above it is possible to make a claim against a surveyor or architect who may have been negligent. Receiving a bad service is disappointing but this on its own isn’t enough to make a claim. However, where there has been architect or surveyor negligence and a financial loss has been suffered then action can be taken. Contact our team to see how we might be able to help you.