Many homes could find themselves impossible to sell or secure a mortgage on because of an emerging crisis over insulation. The guidance being offered to RPSA members is to adopt a highly cautious approach. Sprayed polyurethane expanding foams are used in the lofts of houses, either to stabilise a failing roof covering, or to [...]
The cause of damp in properties can be complex. This particular house, with 18th century origins, is mostly of traditional timber frame construction with external walls partly made of solid brick and stone using soft lime based mortar. The physical damp proof course installed in most of the external walls, to prevent rising damp, is [...]
The Home Condition Survey tells you about structural issues. The chimney breast in this Victorian semi-detached house, located in East London, was removed from the ground floor some time ago. No evidence of structural support was visible underneath the remaining part of the chimney breast and the ceiling at this point, within the room below, was cracked [...]
Pitch fibre was a material widely used in the 1960's to construct underground drain pipework. Its serviceable lifespan is only expected to last 40 years and it is prone to sudden failure and no longer used. Any drain pipes made of pitch fibre should be replaced as soon as possible. Further advice may be obtained [...]
The purchaser of this London flat was glad i spotted this plant in the next door neighbours rear garden! Japanese Knotweed is an invasive plant species. It grows rapidly, sometimes by as much as 1.5m in height a month, and spreads easily by stem fragments and rhizomes, underground root systems. The root system of a [...]
From April 2016, The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 will bring into force minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) in the residential and commercial private rented sector. Essentially Landlords with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Rating below an E will be required to undertake work to improve the energy performance of the [...]
The Government funded report by The Lending Group has been looking at innovative ways to encourage the public to make energy efficiency improvements to their homes and at making these homes more attractive to buyers. The report suggests that homebuyers could take out bigger mortgages on those properties that have a higher EPC rating. This [...]
Bats are a protected species under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations (2010) and cannot be disturbed. If owners want to carry out any building works which might disturb any resident bats they would need permission from Natural England. Grey squirrels may also be found in roof spaces, particularly where surrounding trees give them [...]