Property  consultancy services are provide by our team based on a competitive hourly rate. Please contact us with your requirements. If it is something we feel we can assist with and add value then we will be happy to accept your instruction.

Whilst there is not a limit to the projects that we would accept on a consultancy basis, to follow are an example of some of the projects we have undertaken to date:

  • Portfolio reorganisation
  • Portfolio Review
  • Development Appraisals
  • Freehold/Ground Rent Valuations
  • Lease Negotiation, assignments and disposal.
  • Site Appraisals
  • Landlord and Tenant Matters
  • Starting or developing a buy to let portfolio
  • Advice on improving Energy Efficiency in dwellings
  • Boundary Issues
  • Design / Layout to maximise capital or rental values

Get in touch with your requirements.

Significant discounts are offered for Charities, Educational Institutions  and other Non profit organisations.

Contact Us

Energy Performance Certificates or  EPC  is a mandatory requirement whenever a property is sold or let. This is true regardless of whether the property is a new or existing property or whether it is commercial or residential.

Different assessments are required depending on whether the property is commercial or residential and a further, more involved assessment is required for newly built or newly converted premises.

Graham Kinnear Property Consultant are expert in the the field of Energy Performance Certificates having undertaken over 10,000 surveys on every property type from studio flats to farmhouses, shops, offices, trade counters and even a bottling plant.

The EPC records the energy efficiency of a property, providing a rating of the energy efficiency and carbon emissions of a building on a scale from A to G, where A is very efficient and G is very inefficient.

The report can only be undertaken by an approved accredited surveyor. We hold accreditations with Quidos, Elmhurst, ECMK and Stroma and can provide your reports via our Accreditation accounts or through your own Corporate Accounts.

EPCs are produced using standard methods about energy usage so that the energy efficiency of one building can easily be compared with another building of the same type. This allows prospective buyers, tenants, owners, and occupiers to see and compare information on the energy efficiency and carbon emissions from a building, so they can consider energy efficiency and fuel costs as part of their investment decision.

For dwellings, two ratings are shown, the current rating and the potential rating. The actual energy-efficiency rating is a measure of a dwelling’s overall efficiency. The higher the rating, the more energy-efficient the dwelling is, the lower the associated carbon emissions are and the lower fuel bills are likely to be.energy performance certificates, epc margate, epc ramsgate, epc broadstairs, epc thanet, epc canterbury, epc herne bay, epc whitstable

The energy efficiency rating is based on the performance of the building itself and its services such as heating and lighting. The certificate also lists the potential rating indicating what can be achieved if the recommendations were implemented.

The EPC is generally valid for a period of 10 years. You can check whether your property has a valid EPC and when any current certificate expires by clicking on the following links:

Domestic EPC Register          Commercial EPC Register

Following recent legislation, in the event that you are wishing to rent out a property, you should be aware that you will require your EPC score to be a Band E or higher.  Further details of this requirement are discussed in the video below or alternatively you can read some of our blog posts

We accept instructions from private individuals, estate/letting agents, property companies, auction houses, solicitors and a number of the nationwide panel firms. Discounts are offered for multiple or regular instructions.

Residential EPCs  from £50 plus VAT,

Commercial EPCs from £180 plus VAT,

New Build (SAP) Assessments from £175 plus VAT

 

Contact Us

There are a variety of reasons why property is sometimes vacant. It may be you are selling or letting your property, perhaps awaiting the grant of probate,  or perhaps waiting on a planning decision or for building works to commence.

We provide a management service to private owners,  insurance companies, asset managers, insolvency practitioners and LPA receivers whereby we can inspect and monitor vacant premises to ensure security and comply with any insurance conditions.

Our service can include the initial securing of the premises by way of lock change, services disconnection, water drain down and the securing of entry points and letterboxes. Beyond this we can undertake routine visits and provide a full report of our findings and recommendations.

Depending on your requirements we can also arrange for routine cleaning and gardening services.

Periodic roof and ground inspections are also available via pole camera or Drone if required.

Contact Us

Legionella Risk Assessments are now a mandatory requirement for those who rent out property. We undertake Legionella Risk Assessments throughout the South East for domestic premises as part of the landlords compliance. In addition to the initial risk assessment we can provide on going management and/or regular review assessments.

The Approved Code of Practice L8 provides that Landlords must have a legionella risk assessment undertaken of their rental property and to ensure that this assessment is regularly monitored to control and where possible reduce any risks which may exist. You can download a copy of the Government L8 Guidance here: hse-acop-l8-legionnaires-disease-the control-of-legionella-in-water-systems

The report that we undertake looks at the water system at the property and its fittings and makes comment and recommendations in terms of how any risks can be managed.

In addition to the initial inspection we are able to undertake the ongoing monitoring should you wish.

Why do we have to have a risk assessment now when we have not needed one previously?

The law has changed in that previously a risk assessment for legionella was only required if the system had a capacity of 300 litres or more of water. That minimum amount has been reduced to zero litres and therefore there is now a requirement to risk assess residential properties.

The landlord has no water tank as water comes from the mains so does he still need an assessment?

Yes. There may be other factors within your system that increase the risks of legionellosis, eg deadlegs, showerheads and/or long runs of pipe work containing warm water. A risk assessment should also consider anyone who could be potentially exposed to any legionella bacteria in your system, and particularly groups that are at a higher risk of contracting legionellosis. However, once you have completed your risk assessment you may decide that the risks are insignificant. If you do, you need take no further action other than to review the assessment regularly in case anything changes in your system

Why is this down the landlord and not the water board?

The water board are not responsible for the water once it enters the property. The obligation for the risk assessment and ongoing monitoring lies with the landlord of the property.

How often does this have to be done?  

There should be an initial risk assessment and there should then be a monitoring programme in place. Most of the reports suggest that a monitoring visit should take place every 24 months however if the water system is particularly complex or there are concerns regarding the standard of the system then more frequent monitoring could be recommended.

What is involved with the risk assessment?

legionella risk assessment kentThe surveyor will look at the water system in the property, the pipework, any tanks, heaters and cylinders and take temperature readings at each water outlet. This information will then form the basis of the report that will be provided to you.

What happens if I don’t have a risk assessment done?

Technically you would be in breach of the legislative process. Certainly in the event of an outbreak of legionnaires disease in one of your properties you could be in a difficult situation in the event that you had not undertaken a risk assessment and therefore made efforts to control/reduce any risk that existed.

How long does the survey take?

For a standard residential dwelling the survey will take around 45 minutes.

What recommendations may the survey make?

Safeguards may involve disinfecting water systems, cleaning shower heads, servicing air conditioning units, removing or stagnant water pools and water tanks from systems, insulating pipework, and keeping water cisterns properly covered and free of debris.

Does the law apply to flats and HMOs or just houses?

All property let for residential purposes should have a risk assessment undertaken.

Contact Us

Graham is a published author whose first book, “The Property Triangle” was released in 2015.The Property Triangle  You can order your copy by clicking HERE.

In addition, Graham has written over 2000 articles on property matters which have featured in national newspapers including Financial Times, Daily Mail, The Scotsman and Evening Standard as well as many regional titles. He remains happy to provide property commentary to media outlets.

Additionally he can provide content for online purposes, trade journals and estate/letting agency internal documents.

property media articlesSince 2015 Graham has been one of the regular monthly columnists for Your Property Network Magazine covering topics such as tenant eviction, energy efficiency, party wall awards and tenant referencing. He always invites readers to contact him directly with any further questions or queries that they have relating to their property endeavours. If you would like a free copy of the magazine then please CLICK HERE

Graham has also contributed to both television and Radio having previously appeared on BBC1 as well as BBC Radio Kent.

Furthermore, Graham is a seasoned speaker and provides informative and often humorous talks on graham kinnear public speaking propertymany property matters at events around the Country. He has hosted property Q&A sessions as well as undertaken keynote talks on a variety of property topics. In addition he undertakes a talk entitled “The Property Triangle” which is based upon his book of the same title.

We would be delighted to hear from you with your requests for media content or speaking engagements so please get in touch with your requirements.

Grahams talks for non profit organisations are generally “fee free”. All he asks for in return is a warm welcome, a good coffee and a donation to the charity of his choice.

Contact Us

Looking for a Party Wall Surveyor? Party Wall work is a distinct strand of Building Surveying and here at Graham Kinnear Property Consultant we help Owners and Neighbours throughout England and Wales to deal with Party Wall matters. Graham Kinnear is a fellow of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors and Member of the Pyramus & Thisbe Society

The following video gives a very brief over view of the Party Wall Surveyor process and when it applies.

The Party Wall Etc Act 1996 came into force on 1st July 1997 and applies throughout England and Wales. It does not apply in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

A Party Wall is defined as a wall which forms part of a building and stands on lands belonging to different owners, or so much of a wall as separates buildings belonging to different owners.

The purpose of the Party Wall Etc Act is to provide a robust framework in which issues relating to party wall maters can be resolved without the need to resort to potentially expensive legal action between neighbours. It is also a mechanism where a Surveyor can authorise an Owner to undertake works which would otherwise be unlawful at common law. In addition to the permissions it gives to those wishing to undertake building works, it provides protection and safeguards to those who live adjacent or near to such developments.

Party Wall in Kent, Ashford party wall Ashford party wall surveyor canterbury party wall canterbury party wall surveyor faversham party wall surveyor folkestone party wall surveyor maidstone party wall surveyor party wall Ashford party wall Ashford kent party wall canterbury party wall canterbury kent party wall in Ashford party wall in Ashford kent party wall in canterbury party wall in canterbury kent party wall surveyor Ashford party wall surveyor Ashford kent party wall surveyor canterbury party wall surveyor canterbury kent party wall surveyor faversham party wall surveyor faversham kent party wall surveyor folkestone party wall surveyor folkestone kent party wall surveyor in Ashford party wall surveyor in Ashford kent party wall surveyor in canterbury party wall surveyor in canterbury kent party wall surveyor in faversham party wall surveyor in faversham kent party wall surveyor in folkestone party wall surveyor in folkestone kent party wall surveyor in maidstone party wall surveyor in maidstone kent party wall surveyor in thanet party wall surveyor in thanet kent party wall surveyor in whitstable party wall surveyor in whitstable kent party wall surveyor maidstone party wall surveyor maidstone kent party wall surveyor thanet party wall surveyor thanet kent party wall surveyor whitstable party wall surveyor whitstable kent thanet party wall surveyor whitstable party wall surveyor

In short the Act sets out precisely what can be done when building works are proposed that may have an effect on an Adjoining owner.

The types of work which are covered by the Party Wall Etc. Act 1996 include the following:

  1. Building on or over a boundary position which is not currently built upon.
  2. Undertaking works to a shared wall
  3. Excavating ground within 6 metres of an adjoining structure or property

The 1996 Act is in some senses a rather complex piece of legislation and therefore we offer a free, no obligation review of plans and drawings in order that we can advise you and /or your Architect whether the Act applies to your proposed development or indeed whether you are likely to be affected by a development proposed by your neighbour. If you have any questions at all then please get in touch!


So how does the process work?

In simple terms a Party Wall divides the buildings of two owners with the boundary between the two properties, usually, but not always, positioned at the centre of the wall. If an owner plans to undertake works which directly affect a party wall they must write to their neighbour explaining what it is they propose to do and when they are planning to start.  We can help you with the notices you may need to send if you are looking to undertake work to your property.

So if I don’t share a wall with my neighbour the work won’t be covered by the Party Wall Act?

Many owners are surprised to learn that the Act actually covers two other specific types of work (that’s why the “etc” bit is in the title!); new walls (but not fences) built at or astride the boundary and excavation (ie digging for foundations) close to an adjoining owners structure.

House in Kent with exposed party wall, Ashford party wall Ashford party wall surveyor canterbury party wall canterbury party wall surveyor faversham party wall surveyor folkestone party wall surveyor maidstone party wall surveyor party wall Ashford party wall Ashford kent party wall canterbury party wall canterbury kent party wall in Ashford party wall in Ashford kent party wall in canterbury party wall in canterbury kent party wall surveyor Ashford party wall surveyor Ashford kent party wall surveyor canterbury party wall surveyor canterbury kent party wall surveyor faversham party wall surveyor faversham kent party wall surveyor folkestone party wall surveyor folkestone kent party wall surveyor in Ashford party wall surveyor in Ashford kent party wall surveyor in canterbury party wall surveyor in canterbury kent party wall surveyor in faversham party wall surveyor in faversham kent party wall surveyor in folkestone party wall surveyor in folkestone kent party wall surveyor in maidstone party wall surveyor in maidstone kent party wall surveyor in thanet party wall surveyor in thanet kent party wall surveyor in whitstable party wall surveyor in whitstable kent party wall surveyor maidstone party wall surveyor maidstone kent party wall surveyor thanet party wall surveyor thanet kent party wall surveyor whitstable party wall surveyor whitstable kent thanet party wall surveyor whitstable party wall surveyor

How Close?

For excavation to be notifiable under the Act it must be within 3 metres of a neighbouring structure, increasing to six metres for deep excavation and deeper than the foundations to that structure.

What will my neighbour do once they receive the Notice?

If they are relaxed about the work and the affect that it may have on their property then they can simply confirm their consent in writing. However if they are concerned it is recommended that they seek professional advice from a Party Wall Surveyor before replying to the notice. They can, at any time, dissent to the notices and appoint a surveyor to help address their concerns. If they do not reply to the notice within 14 days then they will be deemed to have dissented and be “in dispute” with yourself, the building owner.

Dispute sounds serious?

Dispute is simply the term used in the Act when an adjoining owner does not consent. It doesn’t mean that you cannot remain friends with your neighbour or that you cannot undertake the proposed work; it just means that the Act’s dispute resolution procedures are triggered and the owners are obliged to appoint a party wall surveyor.

To do what?

The appointed surveyors will review the plans, assess the risk to the adjoining property and agree what must be done to reduce that risk. They will also ensure that the building owner carries out their work in a manner that limits the inconvenience to the adjoining owner.

Who can act as a Surveyor?

Other than the owners themselves, pretty much anyone, although as there are important construction issues to be agreed it would clearly be helpful if they had a relevant qualification and were familiar with party wall procedures. That will normally mean appointing a surveyor who is a member of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors and or the Pyramus & Thisbe Club. If you need a Party Wall Surveyor in Kent then we hope our firm will be your first choice!

Party wall Thanet with new wall on line of junction, Ashford party wall Ashford party wall surveyor canterbury party wall canterbury party wall surveyor faversham party wall surveyor folkestone party wall surveyor maidstone party wall surveyor party wall Ashford party wall Ashford kent party wall canterbury party wall canterbury kent party wall in Ashford party wall in Ashford kent party wall in canterbury party wall in canterbury kent party wall surveyor Ashford party wall surveyor Ashford kent party wall surveyor canterbury party wall surveyor canterbury kent party wall surveyor faversham party wall surveyor faversham kent party wall surveyor folkestone party wall surveyor folkestone kent party wall surveyor in Ashford party wall surveyor in Ashford kent party wall surveyor in canterbury party wall surveyor in canterbury kent party wall surveyor in faversham party wall surveyor in faversham kent party wall surveyor in folkestone party wall surveyor in folkestone kent party wall surveyor in maidstone party wall surveyor in maidstone kent party wall surveyor in thanet party wall surveyor in thanet kent party wall surveyor in whitstable party wall surveyor in whitstable kent party wall surveyor maidstone party wall surveyor maidstone kent party wall surveyor thanet party wall surveyor thanet kent party wall surveyor whitstable party wall surveyor whitstable kent thanet party wall surveyor whitstable party wall surveyor

So how much will this cost?

In all normal circumstances, the building owner pays the surveyors fees; which is only fair given that it is them benefitting from the building work. Our costs for the drafting and service of all the required notices under the Party Wall Etc Act are £190.00 plus VAT.

What happens if my neighbours property gets damaged?

The Legislation can either allow the building owners contractor to make good any damage to the neighbours property or request a payment in lieu in order that they can employ their own contractor. If there is a dispute over the cause or extent of damage you can use the Act’s dispute resolution procedures. If there is an award produced, it will include a record of your property before the work commences.

What if I start the works without adhering to the Party Wall Etc Act?

If you start your project without adhering to the Party Wall Etc Act then in essence the notifiable aspects of your project would be unlawful and your neighbour would be potentially entitled to apply for an injunction forcing you to stop your project. Furthermore in the event of a dispute with your neighbour you would have to resort to the potentially expensive route of civil litigation as the protections offered by the Party Wall Etc Act would not be in play given that Party Wall Notices were never served.

Visible party wall on terrace house, Ashford party wall Ashford party wall surveyor canterbury party wall canterbury party wall surveyor faversham party wall surveyor folkestone party wall surveyor maidstone party wall surveyor party wall Ashford party wall Ashford kent party wall canterbury party wall canterbury kent party wall in Ashford party wall in Ashford kent party wall in canterbury party wall in canterbury kent party wall surveyor Ashford party wall surveyor Ashford kent party wall surveyor canterbury party wall surveyor canterbury kent party wall surveyor faversham party wall surveyor faversham kent party wall surveyor folkestone party wall surveyor folkestone kent party wall surveyor in Ashford party wall surveyor in Ashford kent party wall surveyor in canterbury party wall surveyor in canterbury kent party wall surveyor in faversham party wall surveyor in faversham kent party wall surveyor in folkestone party wall surveyor in folkestone kent party wall surveyor in maidstone party wall surveyor in maidstone kent party wall surveyor in thanet party wall surveyor in thanet kent party wall surveyor in whitstable party wall surveyor in whitstable kent party wall surveyor maidstone party wall surveyor maidstone kent party wall surveyor thanet party wall surveyor thanet kent party wall surveyor whitstable party wall surveyor whitstable kent thanet party wall surveyor whitstable party wall surveyor

So just remind me again where the rules apply….. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

  1. If you are excavating for foundations within 3 metres of any part of your neighbours property then you must serve a party wall notice.
  2. If you are building on or astride the boundary you share with your neighbour then you must serve a party wall notice.
  3. If you are going to undertake any works to a wall that you share with your neighbour then you must serve a party all notice.

I still have more questions….

Then please contact us on 0844 414 8659 or 01843 583000 or by email at [email protected] . Alternatively you can read some of our blog posts.

Contact Us

Project Management is one of our key services at Graham Kinnear Property Consultant. We are proud to have brought many derelict buildings back to life as well as successfully overseen the construction of new buildings from the ground up. If you are contemplating a development in the Kent area then we would be delighted to hear from you. Construction Management KentWe provide a project management service which can operate from the start of the development to the finish, or at any point inbetween. Regrettably we are currently only able to accept instructions in the Kent area. This is due to the fact that our project management service is very intensive and requires frequent site visits. We are therefore only able to act to the standard that we want to, in our immediate locality.

We aim to ensure that the project is completed to the required standard, compliant and delivered to the Client both on time and on budget.  Our service will save you stress and time and should save you money that an over-run on time or overspend on budget would otherwise incur.

The services that we can undertake can include any or all of the following:

Costing of Development

Selection and appointment of Contractors

Negotiation on Price/Rates

Drawing up and signature of contract with Builders

Dealing with Party Wall or other pre development compliance issues

Undertaking a Health and Safety Review and required Risk Assessments

Arrangement of site security

Site Management

Construction Management

Liaison with Building Control or Approved Inspector

Weekly progress meetings either on site or by photo/video/skype

Dealing with Utility Providers

Snagging and Handover

Negotiation and release of retentions

Additionally we can provide post completion works including

Building Regulation Sign Off

Energy Performance Certificates/ SAP Assessments

Fire Risk Assessments

Installation Certificates for Gas & Electric supplies and installations

Fire Sprinkler System commissioning certificate

We genuinely believe that we will, in all likelihood, save you far more money than we ever charge you as well as removing an enormous amount of stress and headache that self managing a project can often bring.

Get in touch for a no obligation informal discussion about your plans and let us explain how we feel we can help. Our fees are bespoke to your project. They will depend on the size of the project and the level of involvement that you require.

Bank / Funding Monitoring

We also accept appointments  from Banks and  lending institutions  to monitor development sites where funding is being provided. This role, more commonly known  as bank fund monitoring,  involves our undertaking an initial survey following which our team will monitor the development on an ongoing basis.Project Management, Construction management

A typical instruction will mean that we provide a report confirming:

  • all statutory consents are in place – Planning, Listed Building Consent, Building Regulations Approval and Party Wall
  • we assess the reasonableness of the  projected build costs
  • we review the  Construction Drawings for compliance.
  • we ensure the Programme of proposed works  is suitable and reasonable
  • we ensure the correct insurance is in place and remains so throughout the project
  • we ensure that the correct contracts are in place. This is normally a JCT contract.
  • we ensure that CDM Health & Safety regulations are in place and complied with
  • we assess whether the appointed contractors are capable of carrying out the construction project in the time allowed.

The report we produce will highlight any shortfalls or areas of concern that need to be addressed or amended.

During the construction phase every time the developer needs to draw down funds, we carry out a thorough site visit to ensure the stated works have been  completed to the required standard and, that being the case,  we advise the bank or  lending intuition that they can release further funds for the next phase of the project.

In essence we are the eyes and ears of the project in a very similar way that we provide project management to private Clients.

Contact Us

It is a common held thought that you can negotiate better for someone else than you can for yourself, so why not consider engaging us in respect of property acquisition or disposal?

Property Buyers service

With 20 years estate agency experience and having acquired over 150 properties we are ideally placed to assist you. We have experience in the acquisition of residential and commercial property including standard residential property, new build, blocks of flats, hotels, licensed premises and even a pier!

We can deal with sourcing, liaising with estate agents, solicitors, funding providers, price and terms

negotiation. Our charging structure on acquisition means that we will save you more money then we charge you in fees.

Property Buying service

In terms of disposal we can deal with advising on marketing method and strategy, appointing estate agents, marketing suggestions and press releases, fee negotiation, sales progression and solicitor liaison. That said it may well be that we already have a Buyer in mind given that we have been dealing with property investors for almost a quarter of a century.

We seem to have developed a reputation for assisting with the disposal of unusual or problem properties however we relish the challenge!

Contact Us

Having assembled and managed property portfolios for private Clients for over 20 years, we are perfectly placed to provide informed advice regarding maximising your property assets.  We can undertake a review of your portfolio either to assess that the rental income is at an appropriate level or to identify which, if any, properties may be best suited for sale. We can also arrange to provide valuation advice in advance of a bank valuation for refinancing.

Alternatively we can provide advice on refurbishment and improvement, potential planning gain, scope for change of use, further subdivision and the like together with an analysis of how expenditure would impact the rental return achievable.

Our teams have considerable experience and expertise in planning legislation including permitted development and prior notification, planning policy and a strong understanding of the development process as well as the needs and demands of our various local market places.

Whether your property portfolio is to provide a current income, retirement income or a legacy for generations to come, it makes sense that it performs for you to the absolute maximum.

Contact Us

Letting Agent & Estate Agent Training is the primary function of the Graham Kinnear Property Academy. Property Training to us means “Teaching Property Properly.”  There are a number of property training courses out there by a number of people who claim to be experts. Our pedigree, however,  speaks for itself. During the 11 years that our Founder owned and ran an Estate/Letting Agency, that firm won 8 national awards including the Cecil Jackson Cole award for Corporate Social Responsibility, was featured on TV/Radio on several occasions, successfully traded every year including those turmoil years of 2008 – 2009 and whose founder was runner up in a Lifetime Achievement in Property Award being beaten to first place by the former Countrywide Chairman, Harry Hill. Add to that Graham was a Fellow of both NAEA and ARLA, is an Associate of the Institute of Residential Property Management and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and additionally holds both the Certificate in Practice in Estate Agency and the Certificate in Residential Lettings and Management.

With a collective 20 years experience in the Letting Agent & Estate Agent Training environment , having been employed as a Manager and Trainer before setting up a four branch, multi award winning agency in Kent, Graham has experienced all market conditions.  Since that business was sold to Countrywide in 2014, Graham was asked by the Industry governing body PropertyMark to write and deliver courses to train Agents from around the Country.

In addition to training for PropertyMark, Graham provides Letting Agent & Estate Agent training services directly to Estate and Letting Agents from Trainee through to Director level.

As well as classroom style training at venues  throughout the UK we  also provide on site training to letting and estate agents in their own office environment. One to One training is available as well as training for groups.

We can custom the training topic to suit your requirements and train staff from trainee through to Senior Manager level.

The topics upon which we most often provide training include the following:

  1. Legislation and Best Practice
  2. Winning Instructions and Increasing market share
  3. Branch Turnaround – turning a loss into a profit or making an average office into your best office.
  4. Dealing with Problem Tenants, Rent Arrears, Tenant eviction.
  5. Engage the Investor market. Double your office income by developing a dedicated investment department.
  6. Overcoming objections & closing techniques

Please feel to contact us to see how we can assist in the training and development of both your staff and your branch. Minimum qualifications for Estate Agency staff are going to be implemented. Get your staff ahead of the game now!

Letting Agent Training        Estate Agency Training Nationwide        Letting Agent & Estate Agent Training

To follow are some of the firms whose staff we have trained.

Nationwide Firms:

Martin & Co

YOPA

Link Up Properties

Castle Estates

Birmingham:

Cottons Chartered Surveyors

Scanlans

Cornwall:

Maxine Lester

Essex:

The Home Partnership

Gloucestershire:

CJ Hole

Hertfordshire:

Marshall Vizard

Hamilton Chase

Kent:

Miles and Barr

Milton Ashbury

Prospects UK

Quely & Co

London:

Ashdown Marks

Ashmore & Co

Compass Residential

Davies & Davies

Fine & Country

Jane Thorne Residential

Kalmars

Lord Estates

Luxus Hauser

Peterman & Co

Robert Irving Burns

Shaws Kensington

Stanford Estates

Stanley Chelsea

Manchester:

Rivershill Property Sales

Norfolk:

Gilson Bailey

Melanie Estates

Northamptonshire:

Charles Orlebar

Oxfordshire:

Abbey Rentals

Sussex:

Brock Taylor

Scotland:

Kelvin Valley

Umega Lettings

Contact Us

Newly constructed or newly converted premises require a different type of energy assessment than existing premises. The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) is the method approved by the Government to calculate and compare the energy and environmental performance of buildings to ensure that newly built and newly converted homes will not only meet the requirements of the Building Regulations, but also the current energy and environmental policy initiatives. The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP)  assessment is undertaken from the various drawings, sections and specifications relating to the development rather than involving a site visit as is the case with existing dwellings.

SAP Assessments The principle aim is to calculate the quantity of energy that a new development will use, whilst delivering a prescribed level of comfort. This is done in part using standard assumptions for occupancy levels and the behaviour of those occupiers.

SAP calculations are similar to an existing dwelling assessment in so far as they are based on the energy balance of the property, considering a range of factors that contribute to energy efficiency. The SAP assessment however involves are more detailed look at the factors which have an effect. These include:

Principle materials of constructionSAP assessments for new build or conversion
Insulation provided to the building (roof, walls and floor)
Air leakage results for the dwelling and the performance of ventilation equipment
The efficiency of the heating system and the controls provided to regulate heat
the calculation of solar gains through openings in the dwelling and the elevations on which they are located
The type of fuel used to provide space and water heating, ventilation and lighting
Renewable energy technologies such as solar photovoltaic panels and thermal water systems

SAP assessments are a legal requirement for all new-build, domestic properties in the UK under Part L of Building Regulations. Homes must achieve a ‘Pass’  for the project to be approved by Building Control.

Without this, you will be unable to obtain your Building Control Completion Certificate and will not be able to sell or let your completed property.

SAP assessments KentGiven that many parts of the assessment relate to the construction of the property, we recommend that the SAP scores are calculated and considered at the outset of the project in order to be assured that the proposed construction method will meet the regulations.

You should be aware that SAP Assessments are not confined to just new buildings. New extensions or conversions (such as commercial to residential conversions, subdivision of a dwelling into separate flats) also require a SAP Assessment under Part L1b of the Building Regulations.

At Graham Kinnear Property Consultants,  we are undertaking SAP Calculations every week and by involving one of our qualified surveyors at the planning stage, we can help ensure that your property will, once complete, comply with  all Building Regulation and environmental guidelines.

Once the initial drawings are agreed and approved, a design-stage SAP calculations (known as a predictive energy assessment), showing a pass, must be provided to Building Control works start on site.

We can undertake these so called PEAs for you. If a pass is not achieved we can put forward cost effective changes which, if implemented, would mean the building could pass. This may mean alterations or  improvements to the heating system, levels or type of insulation, improved glazing, or a more air-tight construction technique.

On completion of this exercise we can issue design-stage SAP reports for submission to Building Control.

Upon completion of the construction works we shall update the design-stage SAP calculations to incorporate any changes to the design, manufacturer details for all heating systems and the as-recorded air permeability rate.

We shall then issue as-built SAP reports and an Energy Performance Certificate. The SAP certificates will be required by Building Control prior to their issuing you with your completion certificate and so it is important to not leave them until the last minute.

We are qualified and accredited to undertake both Predictive Energy Assessments and Final SAP assessments. Due to the fact that these are undertaken from the drawings rather than a site visit, we are able to offer this service on a nationwide basis.

Contact Us

Lease extensions are an important consideration for leaseholders.  In our experience, many leaseholders do not know where to turn to find advice on what needs to be done. It seems they are unsure whether they need a Solicitor or a Surveyor.

lease extension kentIf your lease has more than 80 years remaining then  lease extensions will be considerably cheaper than will be the case for shorter leases. The reason for this is that once a lease falls below 80 years, the leaseholder is obliged to pay a sum known as “marriage value” as part of the lease premium. This can increase costs significantly.

Regardless of the current unexpired term, the cost of  lease extensions will increase with every year that passes. It therefore makes good financial sense to investigate extending your lease without further delay.

We provide a service where we will orchestrate the lease extension process in conjunction with a firm of solicitors who are experienced in this field.

The first consideration is to understand whether you are legally entitled to extend your lease. On the basis that the original lease was for a period in excess of 21 years and providing you have owned the property for a minimum of 2 years then you will likely qualify.

Assuming you qualify you will presumably want to know what a lease extension would look like? The extend your lease kentlease extension via the formal route will result in you receiving an additional 90 years on the current lease (i.e. if you currently have 60 years remaining then this would be increased to 150 years) and the ground rent currently payable under the terms of your lease would be removed entirely.

The next step is to get in touch with us in order that we can arrange for a valuation of your premises so that we can formulate the figure that will form part of the notification that will be served on your freeholder.

Once they are in receipt of these Notices, they have a period of two months within which they must respond and agree to the lease extension or make a counter offer requesting that you pay a different premium for your lease extension.

Following a counter notice from your freeholder there is normally an element of negotiation between surveyors and in many circumstances this results in agreement being reached. In the event that agreement cannot be reached then you have recourse to the Tribunal (LVT) who will determine the correct premium to pay of your lease extension. Regardless of how the process transpires, we shall be there to guide you through.

Once the premium is finally agreed then your nominated Solicitor would complete the various legal works and register the revised lease length with the Land Registry.

Contact Us

Floor plans and lease plans are generally required for the marketing of a property, inclusion within a lease or to register a legal interest at the Land Registry.

Floorpans: We provide floorplans to estate and lettings agents as well as private vendors and landlords to aid with the marketing of their properties. For Agents we can even watermark their logo on the floorplan to discourage their competitors from borrowing it! As well as standard 2D plans, we can also provide them in a 3D format.

Incredibly competitively priced and discounted even further when ordered with an EPC.

Lease Plans: We can provide lease plans to various scales and in various electronic formats to suit your needs and the requirements of HM Land Registry. Contact us today for a quotation.

Contact Us

Why do I need a schedule of works?

We can provide a detailed schedule of works which provides a comprehensive insight to the works required to your property. This is generally required in three scenarios:

1) if you are planning maintenance or repair to a block of apartments that you are responsible for, either as Landlord, Managing Agent or Right to Manage Company.

2) If you are a landlord of commercial premises and need to provide your outgoing tenant with a schedule of works prior to the end of their lease or

3) If you want to provide a comprehensive specification in order to procure tenders and quotes for works which you wish to undertake on your property.

schedule of works, section 20 schedule of works

Schedule of works for the maintenance and repair of a block of flats:

A schedule of works in respect of a block of flats is covered by Section 20 of the 1985 Landlord and Tenant Act. It is intended to protect leaseholders from paying unnecessarily large sums for work carried out to their buildings. In essence it conveys that a leasees contribution to the works will be heavily restricted in the event that the landlord fails to follow a strict consultation process.

Section 20 of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1985 sets out a three-stage process which must be followed by landlords or indeed their managing agents where appointed, if carrying out works to a building where the contribution from any one lessee will be in excess of £250, or in respect of a qualifying long-term agreement where the contribution from any one leaseholder may exceed £100 in a single year.

Accordingly, prior to the service of Notice, most landlords will appoint a surveying firm such as ourselves to undertake a schedule of required works in order that they can have an understanding of the nature and extent of the works required.

Schedule of works in respect of a Commercial Lease:

In respect of commercial leases, particularly those which are of a full repairing nature, there is normally a clause which requires the tenant to put the property into repair prior to the end of the lease. Obtaining a schedule of works from a firm such as ourselves provides landlord and tenant with a clear, impartial schedule of the works which are required to be undertaken and will therefore often avoid or resolve any dispute between the parties.

Schedule of works commercial premises, external redecoration Section 20

Schedule of works in respect of Property Refurbishment or Repair:

For those simply wishing to undertake works to their property either by way of refurbishment or general repair, a schedule of works enables contractors to more accurately price the work and more accurately determine the timescale which the works will take. In addition, by detailing the works required there is less likelihood that there will be a dispute with the Builders in respect of works which should have been undertaken.

Still have more questions?

Please contact us with your requirements on 01843 583000 or [email protected] and we can provide you with a competitive fixed fee for producing a schedule for your project.

Contact Us