To succeed in a professional negligence claim against a surveyor, an individual or business must be able to show that they have suffered financial loss as a result of negligent advice. A claim cannot be brought for complaints of service quality, costs or poor administration. These should be directed towards the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or the National Association of Valuers and Surveyors (NAVA).

Surveyors offer several different levels of service which vary in price and in the degree of examination of the property concerned. A full structural survey of the property in question will not be carried out if you have only paid for a visual examination. A basic survey will simply identify the most obvious defects and even a full structural survey may not include examination of foundations or other items that are difficult to access without the expenditure of substantial sums. Before considering any surveyors professional negligence claim, our solicitors will need to consider the original agreement between the surveyor and the client to establish exactly what the surveyors duty to you was.

If you believe you have a potential claim against a surveyor, our team of professional negligence solicitors will initially assess whether the claim is valid. If it is, we will write a letter of claim, which is the first step required in any proceedings against professionals for negligence. Most claims of this nature settle without resorting to litigation, but if a settlement cannot be achieved in the short term, our team of expert lawyers can guide you through the conduct of court proceedings. Our specialist lawyers provide clear and practical advice through each stage of the legal process to achieve the best possible outcome for you.