Terms of Engagement

South West Property Surveys ("we", "us", "our") is a RICS regulated firm providing residential surveying and valuation services. These Terms of Engagement set out the basis on which we will provide services to you ("the Client").

The specific service to be provided will be confirmed in our written instruction letter or fee proposal, which forms part of these terms. Services may include:

• Home Survey Level 2
• Home Survey Level 3 (Building Survey)
• RICS Red Book Valuation (RICS Valuation — Global Standards)

We are regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Our services are carried out in accordance with the relevant RICS professional standards and guidance notes, including:

• RICS Home Survey Standard (for Level 2 and Level 3 surveys)
• RICS Valuation — Global Standards (Red Book) (for valuations)
• RICS Rules of Conduct

All valuations are RICS Red Book compliant and governed by RICS Valuation — Global Standards. They are independent, impartial, and suitable for use by mortgage lenders, solicitors, courts, and other third parties where specified.

We will:

• Carry out the agreed service with reasonable skill and care
• Act independently and impartially
• Provide a written report within the agreed timescale
• Maintain professional indemnity insurance as required by RICS
• Keep your information confidential in accordance with our Privacy Policy

Our surveys are visual inspections only. We do not carry out intrusive investigations, open up the fabric of the building, or move furniture, floor coverings, or stored items. We do not test services (gas, electricity, plumbing) unless specifically agreed.

The report reflects the condition of the property at the date of inspection only. We cannot be held responsible for defects that were not visible or accessible at the time of inspection.

Our reports are prepared for the use of the named client only and must not be relied upon by third parties without our written consent.

Our fee will be confirmed in writing before the instruction is accepted. The fee is payable in full prior to the inspection unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Payment may be made by bank transfer or other agreed method. We reserve the right to withhold the report until payment has been received in full.

If an inspection is aborted due to circumstances beyond our control (e.g. the property is inaccessible), a reasonable abortive fee may be charged.

You may cancel your instruction at any time before the inspection by notifying us in writing. If cancellation is received:

• More than 48 hours before the inspection — no charge
• Less than 48 hours before the inspection — up to 50% of the agreed fee may be charged
• After the inspection has taken place — the full fee is payable

We are committed to providing a high standard of service. If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service, please contact us in the first instance:

Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07908 036 125

We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and aim to resolve it within 21 days. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, you have the right to refer it to the RICS Dispute Resolution Service.

As a RICS regulated firm, we are required to have a complaints handling procedure and to refer unresolved complaints to an independent redress scheme approved by RICS.

We maintain professional indemnity insurance in accordance with RICS requirements. Details of our insurance are available on request.

We maintain professional indemnity insurance in accordance with RICS requirements. Our liability to you in respect of any claim arising from the services provided shall not exceed the level of our professional indemnity insurance cover, details of which are available on request.

We accept no liability for any loss arising from reliance on our report by any party other than the named client, unless we have provided written consent for a third party to rely upon it.

Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.