Issue 1


10/06/2007

Since the inception of the company in 1983, the name “Maitlands” has become synonymous with quality, reliability and expertise within the esidential surveying profession.The founding partners of Maitlands Chartered Surveyors, Garrett O’Hanlon and Graham Stephenson, have over 40 years of surveying expertise between them and during the past 22 years have inspected all manner of
residential properties.

Inspections have included converted accommodation forming part of the beautiful and historic Lullingstone Castle in Kent. This required an understanding of the intricacies of a historic construction and the ability to align the needs of modern habitable accommodation with the constraints imposed by such a mature structure. The practice has also undertaken inspection and preparation of a structural survey report on Vanbrugh Castle, a Grade 1 Listed building on the edge of Greenwich Park. Built by Sir John Vanbrugh as his own house in 1712 and having been subsequently rebuilt in 1904, it has now been converted to create separate residential units.

Over the years, in fact, the practice has carried out many inspections of period properties including a number of barn and oast conversions, church conversions, and, in fairly recent times, an inspection of the oldest residential property in the London Borough of Bexley.

The diversification of properties inspected is considerable, both in size and value, from a 14-bed, 10-bathroom detached residence in the Kent countryside, to a small purpose-built or converted studio with a South East London post code; from properties in excess of £2 million to those below £100,000, which, in this day and age, are few and far between.

The practice has been responsible in the past for providing block valuations on developments along theThames Corridor, at a time when the Docklands was being re-planned and re-developed. It has since undertaken inspections within the new London skyline developments along the Thames, which consist of ultra-modern conversions and new build properties.


WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING WITH THE BEST

The quality and expertise of the practice has been recognised by the appointment of Maitlands to approved panels of many major mortgage lenders, including the Abbey National, Alliance & Leicester, Bank of Ireland, Bristol & West, Halifax, Woolwich and Northern Rock. We are also panelled to the country’s largestbuilding society, the Nationwide, along with smaller societies and high street banks.

Throughout their years in practice, Garrett and Graham have seen many changes in construction attitude to various technical elements relating to residential building. Not that long ago, it would have been very difficult to obtain a mortgage on a Victorian property which incorporated "tie bars" exposed on its flank wall, this being a traditional form of strengthening and restraint used during the post-Victorian period.As fashion changes, so do attitudes, and nowadays most lenders would not be concerned to see such tie bars in use provided that they remain solid and effective.

Other technical challenges over the years have included concerns over lead pipework within plumbed installations, the content of solder used in the forming of copper pipework joints, and the use of high alumina cement concrete. These now seem to have passed away from public concern and consideration, only to be replaced by concerns with regard to the presence of asbestos and asbestos-bearing materials within the properties, radon gas, electro-magnetic fields imposed by pylons/overhead power lines, etc, and now mobile telephone masts. In addition, there is a need to consider soil/ground contamination and, as always, proximity of trees to buildings when having regard to the nature of subsoils.


MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION

Very often we, as a nation, adopt the attitude "it won’t happen to me". Such a comment in the context of a property could mean it won’t collapse there is no dry rot or damp, or there are no real items of significant expenditure. In our opinion we consider it necessary for a proper survey to be commissioned on a house before we can say with some confidence, "it won’t happen to me".A report would identify areas of concern or defects to enable you to make an informed judgement on whether to proceed with the property and, if so, what repairs and expenditure will be necessary to maintain it. It is, after all, likely to be the biggest purchase and investment in your lifetime.


PAYINGATTENTIONTOTHE ENVIRONMENTAND REGULATIONS

More recently, issues of environmental changes, global warming and the Kyoto Agreement have resulted in a requirement for properties to be provided with an energy rating.The practice has met the challenge by employing surveyors appropriately accredited to the Elmhurst Energy Systems standards, and by under taking inspections that include SAP ratings on properties for certain lenders. In the fullness of time, with the advent of new legislation for January 2007, seller’s packs will contain energy reports on the properties. As mentioned earlier, there is an ever-changing environment and attitude towards proper ties. All char tered surveyors within the practice are required to maintain continuing professional development diaries at the request of the Royal Institution of Char tered Surveyors to demonstrate a continued and forward approach to additional studies.

Recognition of the broad-ranging experience of the partners is indicated by the fact that, on several occasions, they have been called upon to act in the capacity of professional advisors to assist in defending claims against chartered surveyors from other well-established companies and organisations. Between them the partners have inspected over 40,000 residential properties, and this has been a very strong consideration in relation to these appointments.

As far back as the mid 1980s, the practice was chosen through selective tender to carry out inspections on a very large number of residential properties close to the site of works on the RochesterWay relief road on behalf of the then Greater London Council. In keeping with the desire to maintain the highest of standards at all times, the practice introduced a quality control system and with this qualification having been achieved some years ago, the company is proud to be able to display the fact that it is now quality assured to ISO 9001:2000.

As chartered surveyors of many years’ standing, both Garrett and Graham are always proud to maintain the long-standing traditions of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, which has origins dating back to 1868.


NEW NAME BUT STILL PROVIDING A HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE

The formation in December 2004 of Maitlands Acorn Professional Ltd sees an amalgamation of two well-established and respected names within the residential property sector.The Acorn Group has seen very impressive growth over the last 20 years, and the coming together of all the existing Acorn Divisions with the professional services offered by Maitlands under the new banner of MAP Ltd is a logical and progressive venture for both companies.

The company looks to further strengthen its position within the residential property sector, and will be ideally positioned in relation to the Governments for thcoming proposals for a seller’s pack and associated home condition report requirements.

Both Garrett and Graham aim to continue to offer a "hands on" service to the public and to all associated property professionals in the future as they have done in the preceding 22 years. For people investing whether for the first time or not, in the property market, the investment required forms an integral part of mapping out their future. With this new joint venture, the directors of Maitlands Acorn Professional Ltd hope to be an integral par t of assisting homeowners to "MAP" their future path.