Valuing and Surveying Historic

Buildings - The Future

RICHARD OXLEY

Abstract
The majority of Grade II listed buildings, and those within conservation
areas, are residential. It is therefore highly probable that a significant pro-
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portion of these buildings will, at some time, be subjected to the influences of

the housing market.
The housing market can impose complex pressures upon the historic hous-
ing stock of Britain, with arguably the most onerous being the mortgage val-
uation and the pre-purchase survey. These everyday events can be shown to
be the primary instigators of inappropriate and unnecessary work to our his-
toric housing stock, undermining both the character and the value of these
buildings.
Currently there is little formal recognition, nor a co-ordinated response, to
the problems caused or instigated by the housing market on the historic hous-
ing stock. Consequently, the damage being suffered by these buildings is con-
tinuing unabated. The Government has made proposals and suggestions on
ways to improve the house buying system. It is therefore an appropriate time
to assess the influences that current practices impose upon the historic build-
ing stock of Britain.
This paper pruvides an introduction to the poignant issues; including an
analysis of the nature of the problems suffered, together with a positive solu-
tion to mitigate the levels of unnecessary damage being suffered.

Introduction
When a residential historic building is put up for sale, it becomes sub-
ject to various external influences. These include:
• the competitiveness of the mortgage lending market;
• the demands and requirements of lending institutions;
• the demands and requirements of professional indemnity insurers;
• the lack of awareness, knowledge and training of valuers and

Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999 43

 Richard Oxley
surveyors in respect of the special needs and requirements of his,
toric buildings;
• the expectations and demands of potential home owners; and
• the demands for instant single solutions, by both professionals and
prospective homeowners, reflected in the driving desire for all
works to be covered by guarantee.
For the purpose of this paper the definition of a historic building is one
that is listed or situated in a conservation area.
In order to avoid perpetuating common misconceptions, some basic
introductory background information on the differences between a
mortgage valuation and a pre,purchase survey is provided.
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The mortgage valuation

What is a mortgage valuation?
The Building Societies Act 1986 (sub,section 1 [a]) expressly requires
building societies to obtain 'a written report on the value of the land
and any factors likely to materially affect its value is made by a person
who is competent to value'. This written report is the mortgage valu,
ation.
It is important to appreciate that it is not a detailed structural or
building survey. A mortgage valuation is only a brief report to the
mortgage lender (i.e. the bank or building society).

The mortgage valuation report

There is no uniform mortgage valuation report. Each individual lender
has their own particular format, which can vary quite considerably
from lender to lender.
Typically the valuation report requires the valuer to provide some
basic, and very brief, information on the following:
• the age and type of building;
• the accommodation, number of bedrooms, etc.;
• general remarks, a concise summary of the building's location, etc.;
• a brief description of the condition of the building;
• comment on whether the building requires any repairs as a condi,
tion of the mortgage.
It is the exception for a lender to specifically ask the valuer to iden,
tify whether a building is listed or situated in a conservation area.
The mortgage valuation report is limited in content and length,

44 Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999

 Valuing and Surveying Historic Buildings - The Future

usually comprising one or two sides of A4, with many valuation forms
requiring the valuer to answer specific tick box questions.
Most lenders require the valuer to use standard or preferred para-
graphs when completing the valuation form. The valuer is encouraged
to choose, where appropriate, from a set of phrases relevant to the cir-
cumstances found on site. The use of standard forms and phrases
speeds up the production of the report by the valuer and the process-
ing of the applications by clerical staff. The speed at which mortgages
arc offered to prospective borrowers is one of the primary measures by
which lenders assess and compare performance in a competitive
market.
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The inspection for the mortgage valuation

To obtain the information required for the mortgage valuation report,
the valuer is expected only to carry out a brief inspection. The princi-
pal aims of the inspection are to assess that the building is a suitable
security for the loan required, that it meets the lending criteria of the
lender, and to assess any factors that may materially affect the value.
On average, an inspection of a small two- or three-bedroom cottage
will take no longer than 45 minutes for the purposes of a mortgage val-
uation.

The Red Book

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Appraisal and
Valuation Manual (the Red Book) is the principal guidance for mem-
bers of the RICS and the Incorporated Society of Valuers and
Auctioneers (ISVA) on how to approach and carry out valuation
work.
It is the only document that provides 'official' guidance for valuers
inspecting and reporting on historic buildings.
The Red Book is divided into Practice Statements, with Practice
Statement 9 - Guidance notes for valuers on the valuation and inspection
of residential property for mortgage purposes on behalf of building societies,
banks and other lenders - being the relevant sect10n.
It is mandatory for valuers to comply with the requirements of the
Practice Statements of the Red Book, unless they can show that it was
not appropriate. Otherwise, valuers will open themselves to discipli-
nary measures from the RICS!ISVA and also increase the risk of
claims of negligence.

Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999 45

 Richard Oxley
Where a building is listed and/or in a conservation area, this poten,
tially brings into play paragraph 3.10 of Annex A to Practice
Statement 9 of the Red Book. That states:
Where the Valuer decides to report a necessity for works to be carried out
to a property as a condition of any advance and the Valuer identifies the
property as being:
3.10.1 of architectural or historical interest, or listed as such; or
3.10.2 in a conservation area; or
3.10.3 of unusual construction,
The Valuer is to advise that a person with appropriate specialist knowl,
edge be asked to give advice as to the appropriate works unless, excep,
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tionally, the Valuer believes he/she is competent to give advice which if

adopted would not be detrimental to the property's architectural or his,
toric integrity, its future structural condition or conservation of the build,
ing fabric.
There is further guidance contained in the Red Book within
Guidance Notes Appendix 2 (GNA 2): Recommendation for Works in
Respect of Buildings of Architectural or Historical Interest, in Conservation
Areas, or of Unusual Construction.
These Guidance Notes identify that the 'process through which any
building passes when used as a security for a mortgage loan can easily
lead to inappropriate works being undertaken'. For this reason, the
guidance in respect of valuing historic buildings generally seeks to limit
the advice that the valuer should provide in the mortgage valuation
report.
It is important to note that Practice Statement 9 relates specifically
to the valuation of residential property for mortgage purposes and that
paragraph 3.10 will only apply where repairs are made a condition of a
mortgage advance (i.e. where repairs have to be carried out as part of
the mortgage agreement). Consequently, the Red Book does not apply
to any survey work that does not include a valuation.

The pre..purchase survey

What is a pre,purchase survey?
A pre,purchase survey usually takes the form of a detailed report pro,
duced specifically for the purchaser of a property. This may be com,
pared with the brief valuation report produced for the lender, albeit
copies of the mortgage valuation report are usually disclosed to the
applicant/purchaser.

46 Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999

 Valuing and Surveying Historic Buildings - The Future

There are two principal types of report format available for survey,
ing residential buildings:
• the Homebuyer Survey and Valuation Report
• the building survey

The Homebuyer Survey and Valuation Report

The Homebuyer Survey and Valuation Report is a standard reporting for,
mat produced by the RICS and ISVA.
The service for a Homebuyer Survey and Valuation Report is described
within the Standard Terms of Engagement as 'a concise Report... that
incorporates a Valuation'.
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The HOMEBUYER Service ... covers the general condition of the Property
and particular features which affect its present value and may affect is
future resale .. .focusing...on what the Surveyor judges to be urgent or sig,
nificant matters.
As the Homebuyer's service incorporates a valuation, it should still,
in principle, need to take into account the guidance of the Red Book,
albeit that the Homebuyer's report is not strictly for mortgage
purposes.

The building survey

A building survey can be defined as a more comprehensive and
detailed form of inspection and reporting - the primary aim of which
is to determine the condition of the building. It is not limited to a 'con,
cise' report as with the Homebuyer's Survey.
A building survey does not usually contain a valuation, unless specif,
ically requested by the client, and therefore the guidance of the Red
Book does, in most cases, not apply.
The RICS recognizes that 'there is such an infinite variety of this
type of property (residential) that no general guidance can cover all
circumstances.' 1
The 'infinite variety' of private residential property also explains why
there is a wide variation in the type and format of building survey that
can be encountered, with individual surveyors, practices and compa,
nies having their own preferred method of inspection and reporting.
The flexibility offered by a building survey makes it the most suitable
vehicle of the currently available 'products' by which the condition of
historic buildings can be assessed and reported upon.

Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999 47

 Richard Oxley
The existing situation
The Red Book (Guidance Note GNA 2.1.3) highlights that:
'Many standard treatments used to overcome defects in relatively modem
buildings can, when applied to historic buildings, cause considerable dam-
age ... Common problems include:
• treatment for rising dampness;
• treatment for penetrating dampness;
• repainting or re-rendering;
• structural movement;
• timber treatment; and
• windows'.
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The Red Book provides some initial g11idance on these 'common

problems', despite which valuers and surveyors continue to rely on
modem standard treatments in their recommendations. This is illus-
trated in the following examples.

Rising damp and timber treatment

A typical response by valuers and surveyors to finding evidence of
damp or wood-boring insect infestation is to recommend that 'special-
ist reports' are obtained.
The consequences of this action were recently illustrated in an
analysis of over 1,000 telephone technical enquiries received in a
twelve-month period by the Society for the Protection of Ancient
Buildings (SPAB). 2
This analysis revealed specific examples of the insertion of retro-
spective damp-proof courses into historic buildings at the insistence of
surveyors/lenders and the reliance upon firms with a vested financial
interest in their own recommendations.

Structural movement
The consequences of ill-thought, and probably unnecessary, under-
pinning can be seen in Figure 1.

The financial implications for surveyors and their insurers

Out of court settlements of between £15,000-£30,000 have been
encountered where surveyors have not identified readily-apparent
problems. The principal reason for these financial losses has been a
lack of basic understanding on the part of the surveyors that historic
buildings need to 'breathe'. 3 This is compounded by a lack of

48 Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999

 Valuing and Surveying Historic Buildings- The Future
Figure 1 Collapse of
wychert building following
under-pinning. An
excellent example of how
standard solutions to non-
standard buildings can go
drastically wrong.
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appreciation for the type and nature of defects that are likely to be pre-
sent and the influence that these defects could have on the structural
integrity of a building.
As an example, the introduction of impervious cements and paints
over the external walls of a historic timber-framed building increased
the likelihood of serious timber decay. As this was not identified, the
surveyors did not advise their clients (the prospective purchasers) that
there were potentially serious structural problems. The cost of imple-
menting the necessary repair work was not reflected in the purchase
price. This resulted in legal proceedings against the surveyors and the
subsequent out-of-court financial settlements.
There is general ignorance in respect of the potential financial impli-
cations of unauthorized works, that is works that have not received
listed building consent. For example, a building survey of a Grade II
listed building identified a long list of works that had not been grant-
ed, or been the subject of an application for, the requisite listed build-
ing consents. These works included the removal of historic lime ren-
dering and its replacement with a cement render, the replacement of
historic windows, and the demolition of internal partitions.

Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999 49

 Richard Oxley
The calculated cost of reinstating the building into a condition
acceptable to the conservation officer (so that retrospective listed
building consent would be granted) was in excess of £50,000.
Obviously this factor played a significant part in the future negotiation
of the sale of the building. Imagine the reaction of the purchaser, the
lender and the professional indemnity insurer if the inspecting survey,
or had not identified this particular problem. This would have result,
ed in serious financial repercussions for the surveyor and the insurers.
This example illustrates the profound effect that listed status can
have upon the value of a building, which needs to be taken into con,
sideration by the inspecting valuer and surveyor, but rarely is.
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As these examples show, the financial consequences of valuing and

surveying historic buildings can only be underestimated by the lenders,
the insurers and the surveying profession at their own peril.

Why do these problems exist?

The lack of effective controls
The Red Book: The only specific guidance in respect of valuing historic
buildings is in the RICS Red Book. As this guidance relates only to the
valuation of residential buildings for mortgage purposes, and only
where repair works are made a condition of the mortgage, it has an
extremely limited influence, particularly with pre,purchase surveys
that do not contain a valuation.
These limitations are compounded by valuers being generally
unaware, or choosing to ignore, the recommendations of the Red Book
when valuing historic buildings. 4
Consequently, the spirit of the Red Book guidance is largely disre,
garded to the detriment of the historic housing stock, albeit that it is
mandatory upon the members of the RICS and ISVA.
It can therefore be argued that there are no formal or effective con,
trols currently in force that ensure that historic buildings are inspect,
ed and reported upon in an appropriate manner.
The lack of effective guidance in respect of valuing and surveying
historic buildings is exacerbated by the inconsistent interpretation and
implementation of the statutory legislation by conservation officers.

The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: The
1990 Act is an important factor to take into consideration when
assessing the value and/or condition of a building. Nevertheless, many

50 Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999

 Valuing and Surveying Historic Buildings - The Future

valuers and surveyors remain unaware of the extent and nature of the
legislation and the associated implications.
Section 7 of the 1990 Act states:
No person shall execute or cause to be executed any works for the demoli-
tion of a listed building or for its alteration or extension in any manner
which would affect its character as a building of special architectural or
historic merit.
'If a person contravenes Section 7 he shall be guilty of an offence'
(Section 9).
Many valuers and surveyors make recommendations that cause
works to be executed that affect the character of a listed building.
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They are therefore unwittingly increasing their exposure to criminal

prosecution which, if successful, could lead to them being expelled
from their professional bodies and institutions.
A greater understanding of the legislation and its practical implica-
tions is required, if only to eradicate common misconceptions such as
only the front or the exterior of a building is listed.

The limitations and influence of the mortgage valuation

The current reliance upon the mortgage valuation report, by both the
lender and the purchaser, illustrates that in relation to its limited
nature (i.e. a brief inspection for a concise report) the mortgage valu-
ation has a significant influence upon our historic housing stock.
The risk of inappropriate work increases where the valuer does not
follow the Red Book guidance and goes beyond the intended remit of
providing 'limited advice'. 5
The inclusion of the simple question on the mortgage valuation form
- 'Is the building listed or in a conservation area?' -would increase the
chances of making the valuer stop and think of the consequences of
the building's status. This would be a big step in the right direction.
The mortgage valuation is used. as a detailed survey report by many
purchasers with the recommendations made being adopted irrespec-
tive of the limited nature and the restrictions of both the inspection
and the report.
This presents a dichotomy where repairs are being made as a condi-
tion of the mortgage or a recommendation of a survey with the inten-
tion of putting the building into a sound condition when, in fact, they
are causing physical damage, accelerating the rates of decay and the
loss of value.

Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999 51

 Richard Oxley
Energy ratings
Some lenders and national surveying companies already offer energy
rating reports as part of their mortgage valuation or Homebuyer Survey
and Valuation package. Energy ratings can result in standard recom,
mendations for improved heating systems, insulation, draught exclu,
sian and the provision of double glazing in order to improve the ener,
gy efficiency of buildings. The adoption of these standard measures
can have a detrimental effect upon the traditional performance of his,
toric buildings and result in the unnecessary loss of historic windows. 6

Pre,purchase surveys
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The limitations of the Homebuyer's service: The documentation for

Homebuyer's survey makes no mention of listed buildings, either in
tht: guidance notes for the surveyor or in the description of the service
for the prospective client. Neither is there any specific guidance as to
the age and type of property to which this type of report is considered
to be best suited. It is therefore implied that it is up to the inspecting
surveyor to decide whether the Homebuyer's service is appropriate for
the building in question.
There is a general consensus among practising surveyors that the
concise nature of the Homebuyer Survey and Valuation Report makes it
most appropriate for modest modern buildings (post,First World War)
that have not been subject to any significant alteration.
Nevertheless, it is not unknown for the Homebuyer's format to be
used to report upon the condition of historic buildings which, by their
nature, can have a complex history of alteration and adaptation. The
concise nature of the Homebuyer's format does not make it ideally
suited for reporting upon historic buildings.

The building survey: Many of the problems encountered with build,

ing surveys are directly attributable to the manner in which surveyors
approach older buildings, particularly those of an 'unusual' construe,
tion such as historic timber,framed and earth structures.
Recommendations for repair are made based upon each surveyor's
personal experience and knowledge, which is usually with modern
conventional structures and the principles of repair and maintenance
appropriate to these buildings (Figure 2).
For this reason, surveyors fail to recognize that modern materials and
methods are incompatible with the traditional performance of historic
buildings, can cause problems of dampness and timber decay, and

52 Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999

 Valuing and Surveying Historic Buildings- The Future

Figure 2 Historic penny-

struck pointing, in excellent
condition. Because this
pointing is soft, compared
to a cement-based mortar,
the joint it is at risk of
being condemned by
surveyors as requiring
repainting.
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hasten the deterioration of the building fabric.7

This emphasizes that many surveyors are unaware of how historic
buildings were constructed and perform, and reflects that there is a
general lack of education and training in the field of building conser-
vation, which is now acknowledged as a fully fledged specialist field of
work.

Negligence and case law

It is important to appreciate that the manner in which a valuer or sur-
veyor inspects and reports is strongly influenced by the risks of negli-
gence and the decisions made in associated case law where a negli-
gence action has ended up in court.
Professional indemnity insurance is used by valuers and surveyors to
cover themselves against financial loss as a consequence of negligence
action. The professional indemnity insurers are therefore highly influ-
ential in the manner in which buildings are inspected and reported

Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999 53

 Richard Oxley
upon, as they will be trying to minimize their exposure to any claims.
The pressures of potential negligence (i.e. increased insurance pre-
miums and excesses) have only resulted in defensive reporting by val-
uers and surveyors. This is reflected in valuation and survey reports
being full of negative caveats and carefully worded phrases.

The influence of vested financial interests

One of the consequences of defensive reporting and standard phrases,
which is a natural response to the increased risks of negligence, is a
general reliance upon recommending that further inspections be car-
ried out and specialist reports obtained.
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It is good practice to recommend that further investigations be car-

ried out where the restrictions of the inspection or the limitations of
the report do not allow positive conclusions to be made. However, this
good practice is completely undermined by almost a total reliance
upon these further investigations being undertaken by 'specialist con-
tractors' who, not only have a vested financial interest in their own
recommendations, but will, in many cases, be less qualified and expe-
rienced to comment than the original valuer/surveyor.
The most common example of vested financial interest is the rec-
ommendation, using a standard phrase or paragraph, for a report from
a specialist damp and timber treatment company to address perceived
problems of dampness and/or timber decay.
This practice is a recipe for disaster, as damp and timber contractors
are paid by the litre and the square metre to spray and inject chemi-
cals and to plaster walls with dense cement renders (Figure 3).
There is no incentive for the remedial damp and timber contractor
to say that no 'remedial' treatment is required. Treatment will fre-
quently be recommended and carried out irrespective of whether it is
required or not. This is contrary to the controlling legislation (Control
of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations) and good practice
guidance (Health and Safety Executive).8
This is why, in a vast majority of cases, the reliance upon a 'special-
ist contractor' with a vested financial interest instigates the whole
process of inappropriate, unnecessary and damaging work. 9

The lack of adequate training and education

The reliance upon 'specialist contractors' reflects a general lack of
confidence in surveyors in certain fields, particularly in relation to
damp and timber defects. This is directly attributable to a lack of

54 Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999

 Valuing and Surveying Historic Buildings - The Future
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Figure 3 An example of an unnecessary injection damp-proof course (DPC).

The DPC has been injected into a cavity wall with an existing physical DPC.

knowledge and training, which is at the root of the problems suffered.

Before a surveyor can make any worthwhile recommendations, (s)he
must have an appreciation for the type and nature of defects that the
building is likely to suffer from, together with an understanding of the
influence that these defects will (or could) have on the structural
integrity of the building. The complexity, and the associated risks, of
surveying historic buildings requires that valuers and surveyors
improve their understanding of these buildings.
Achieving this level of understanding, rather than applying modem
standard solutions to non-standard buildings, will substantially reduce
the risk of exposure to a negligence claim (Figures 4, 5 and 6). 10

Imminent changes
The dynamic and competitive nature of the housing market means
that it will always be subject to change. An attempt is made in the fol-
lowing sections to assess some of the likely changes that could affect
how buildings are valued and surveyed in the imminent future.

Valuations
By definition, only building soc1et1es need to obtain a mortgage
valuation report under the Building Societies Act. Many other lenders,

Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999 55

 Richard Oxley
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Figure 4 Behind the render is a timber frame.

Figure 5 The render is a soft and porous lime-based render.

56 journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999

 Valuing and Surveying Historic Buildings - The Future
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Figure 6 The chances of the timber frame surviving were increased by the soft
porous lime-based render and internal finishes allowing the building to breathe.
This is reflected in the amount of timber frame surviving.

such as banks and central lenders, who are not governed by the Act,
currently use the mortgage valuation report as a standard method of
assessing the value and condition of a proposed security.
Over recent years, many lenders have converted from a building
society to a bank (such as the Abbey National and the Halifax). As
they are no longer building societies, there is no statutory obligation
for these lenders to obtain a mortgage valuation.

Non-disclosure of mortgage valuation reports

Irrespective of the valuation being a report for the mortgage lender
(the bank or building society), many prospective purchasers (the bor-
rower) do not commission their own survey report and instead rely
solely upon the findings of the valuation report to make their pur-
chasing decision.
This is mainly because it is common practice for lenders to disclose
a copy of the valuation report to the borrower/purchaser. However, an
increasing number of lenders no longer disclose the mortgage valua-
tion report to the prospective borrower.

Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999 57

 Richard Oxley

Risk assessments
Lenders are increasingly assessing the risks involved in lending money.
One of the common methods is to apply a loan to value ratio. For
example, if the loan is less than 75 per cent of the proposed purchase
price, the proposed security for the loan (i.e. the building) will be
assessed by carrying out a 'drive~past' valuation or a desk~ top appraisal
rather than the usual inspection of the building for a mortgage valua~
tion. In these circumstances, a mortgage report will not be produced.
These examples illustrate that, in all probability, the mortgage valu~
ation will play a diminishing role in how buildings are assessed as a
suitable security by the lenders.
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The Red Book

The RICS Red Book looks like it will be superseded, or at least sup~
plemented, by a Blue Book that will provide a benchmark for valua~
tion practice across Europe. 11
Currently there is no specific guidance in respect of valuing historic
buildings in the Blue Book, 12 and there is no guarantee that any guid~
ance will be included in any future changes or amendments. It would
be irresponsible for the important cultural and financial assets of
Britain and Europe not to be represented in any valuation guidance.
Although the spirit and recommendations of the Red Book are large~
ly ignored, it is the only specific 'official' guidance in respect of valu~
ing historic buildings. If this guidance is lost, or its influence reduced
even further, this can only be to the detriment of the historic housing
stock of Britain.

Surveys
It is anticipated that there will be an increased demand for pre~pur~
chase surveys if valuations reports are not disclosed to purchasers by
lenders.
There would also be a dramatic increase in demand if 'vendor sur~
veys' are introduced as part of the Government's proposal for seller's
information packs to include vendor surveys. 13 It is proposed that ven~
dor surveys are to be based upon the Homebuyer Survey and Valuation
format. However, the limitations of this format do not make it the
most appropriate method for reporting upon historic buildings.
The proposed information pack could impose additional pressures
upon old buildings. For example, there may be requirements for ener~
gy audits and all guarantees to be included in the 'Seller's Pack'. This

58 Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999

 Valuing and Surveying Historic Buildings - The Future

will only provide an opportunity for exploitation by damp and timber

contractors, and double-glazing salesmen.
Even though recent reports suggest that the Government will not
enforce the need for a 'vendors' survey within the proposed 'Seller's
Pack' (as a result of opposition from mortgage lenders and survey-
ors), 14 the potential implications for the historic housing stock need to
be appreciated and acted upon.
lt is highly likely that there will be diminishing reliance placed by the
lenders on the mortgage valuation (as we currently know it) as the
vehicle for assessing a building as a suitable security for a loan. This,
combined with an anticipated increase in the number of people who
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will commission their own survey reports, provides a strong argument

for a specifically designed surveying 'product' for the historic housing
stock of Britain.
Such a product will provide the opportunity for these buildings of
special interest to be reported upon in an appropriate and sympathet-
ic manner, particularly in the initial stages of the buying and selling of
property.
This could be achieved by providing a bespoke survey 'product' - the
'historic building survey'. 15

The historic building survey

The historic building survey can be defined as a bespoke format that
is designed to achieve the following principal aims and objectives:
• to provide a survey format that will aid the inspecting surveyor to
report in an appropriate and sympathetic manner on the condition
of, primarily, listed buildings;
• to provide a means of assisting the inspecting surveyor to report
upon what is most likely to be a highly individual building;
• to make the surveyor aware of the special needs and requirements
that should be considered when inspecting listed buildings;
• to assist the surveyor in making recommendations that are based
upon reasoned and informed decisions;
• to encourage the surveyor to provide positive advice that avoids
the reliance upon those with a vested financial interest in their own
recommendations; and
• to reduce the likelihood of inappropriate and unnecessary repair
being carried out.

Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999 59

 Richard Oxley

This will be achieved by providing a recognized format that is suit·

able for reporting upon the condition of listed and, where appropriate,
other historic buildings.
The format will not be dissimilar to that of the Homebuyer Survey and
Valuation, with appropriate headings and supporting information, but
will not include a valuation. However, it is intended to provide the
flexibility associated with building surveys rather than the limitations
of the concise nature of the Homebuyer's format.
It is considered that the historic building survey could provide the
following benefits:
• a product that the public, the surveying professions, lenders and
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insurers, as well as those in building conservation, can identify

with;
• a product that can be positively marketed by lenders, surveyors and
conservation officers;
• the creation of a stand-alone product that is free from external
pressures and influences, thereby providing the opportunity for
consistent guidance;
• a benchmark that will provide minimum standards for surveying
historic buildings;
• a format that assists and encourages the involvement and develop·
ment of the 'average' surveyor;
• a reduction in potential negligence problems for surveyors;
• the provision of a basic template from which surveyors can work
that will guide them towards good practice. For example:
* the implications of the building being listed
* the importance of the traditional 'breathing' performance
* that certain types of building, such as timber-framed and earth
buildings, require a special approach
• the provision of supplementary guidance, to both the surveyor and
the prospective purchaser, that will encourage the development of
knowledge and understanding of the issues involved;
• the creation of increased opportunities for specific training and
guidance to be provided to a larger and targeted audience;
• a reduction in the amount of inappropriate and unnecessary work
to the historic housing stock; and
• a positive product that protects the financial value of the building
being surveyed.
One of the principal aims of the proposed historic building survey is

60 Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999

 Valuing and Surveying Historic Buildings - The Future
Figure 7 Accelerated
decay to chalk stone
walling caused by the
introduction of cement-
based pointing. The historic
building survey wiU assist
in increasing the number of
surveyors who appreciate
these types of problems.
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to encourage the 'average' surveyor, who does not specialize in build-

ing conservation, to get it right (Figure 7).
The involvement of the 'average' surveyor will be essential to the
acceptance, integration and success of the historic building survey.
This will also address the problem that there are an insufficient num-
ber of suitably-qualified surveyors who can report upon old buildings
to cope with the potential increased demand of pre-purchase surveys.

Summary
The dilemma that historic buildings face is that the housing market is
a large and dynamic force, with the historic housing stock only being
considered as a small percentage of its overall business. For this rea-
son, there is no perceived incentive (financial or otherwise) on behalf
of the lenders, insurers or surveying profession to take into account the
special needs and requirements of the historic housing stock.
The condition and value of many historic buildings are, however,
being undermined by mortgage valuations and pre-purchase surveys.
The financial repercussions of this are only starting to be felt by the

Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999 61

 Richard Oxley

surveying profession and their insurers.

The most effective manner in which the many diverse and detri~
mental influences of the housing market, and the risk and financial
repercussions for the surveying profession can be reduced, is by ensur~
ing that historic buildings receive appropriate and sympathetic advice
in the initial stages of passing through the housing market.
The introduction of a surveying format specifically designed for his~
toric buildings will improve the chances of these buildings receiving
the special service they require in these initial stages and will assist the
inspecting surveyor in getting it right.
The rues has been sensitive to recent criticism over surveying stan~
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dards, and has outlined improvements in response to this criticism.

These improvements include ensuring that rues members are proper~
ly trained and accredited - together with considering a requirement
that they offer services to the public only in work when they can
demonstrate a record of specialized continuing education. 16 There is
an opportunity for the proposed historic building survey to act as a
suitable vehicle that will assist the rues in meeting their aims and
objectives, and so overcome the 'stress, frustration, misery and finan~
cialloss' 17 associated with the housing market.
The existing situation is completely unacceptable from a profession~
al, financial and conservation point of view. There is a dire need for
the historic housing stock to be recognized and treated as 'special'
within the buying and selling process before the very qualities and
characteristics that made these buildings special are completely erod~
ed away. This recognition would be to the benefit of all the parties
concerned - owners, lenders, surveyors, purchasers, conservationists
and, last but not least, the buildings themselves. It is hoped that any
changes in the way buildings are bought, sold and surveyed will fully
reflect the special interest of the historic housing stock of Britain.

Biography
Richard Oxley BSc, DipBldgCons, ARICS
Richard Oxley is a Chartered Surveyor with a RICS Diploma in Building
Conservation from the College of Estate Management and is RICS accredited
in Building Conservation. His dissertation for the Diploma was entitled The
Impact of Mortgage Valuation on Historic Buildings. Richard Oxley carried out
mortgage valuations and pre-purchase surveys for ten years before specializ-
ing in building conservation and establishing his own independent historic
buildings consultancy in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. He is a member of

62 Journal of Architectural Conseroation No 3 November 1999

 Valuing and Surveying Historic Buildings - The Future
the RICS Building Conservation Practice Panel and the IHBC Technical
Sub-Committee.

Notes
1 Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, A Guidance Note for Surveyors - Builaing
Surveys of Residential Property, RlCS, London Qune 1996).
2 Gardner, A., 'Some Statistics on the SPAB Telephone Technical Enquiry Service',
Context, No 62, June 1999, pp. 18-19; SPAB News, Vol20 No 3, 1999, pp. 16-18.
3 Hughes, P., 'The Need for Old Buildings to "Breathe"', SPAB News, Spring 1986,
Information Sheet 4.
4 Higgins, M., 'Problems for Mortgage Valuers who Assess Listed Buildings',
Chartered Surveyor Monthly, July/August 1996, p. 35.
5 Oxley, R., 'Valuations on Historic Buildings', Context, No 51, September 1996, pp.
24-25.
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6 Oxley, R., 'Further Thoughts on the Building Regulations', Context, No 47,

September 1995, pp. 15-16.
7 Oxley, R., 'Mistaken Protection', SPAB News, Vol 20 No 2, 1999, pp. 16-19.
8 Health and Safety Executive, Remedial Timber Treatment in Buildings: A Guide to
Good Practice and the Safe Use of Wood Preservatives, HMSO, London (1991).
9 Oxley, R. 'Ignore It and It Will Go Away: The Problems of Uncontrolled and
Unnecessary Remedial Damp and Timber Treatment in Historic Buildings', RICS
Building Conservation Journal, No 13, Winter 1995, pp. 9-12.
10 Oxley, R., 'Thinking of Surveying an Historic Building?', Chartered Surveyor
Monthly, January 1997, p. 41.
11 Anon., 'Red Book on its Way Out', Estates Gazette, 27 February 1999, p. 40.
12 Champness, P., Approved European Property Valuation Standards, report com-
missioned by TEGoVA (The European Group of Valuers' Associations), Estates
Gazette, London (1997).
13 Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, The Key to Easier
Home Buying and Selling-A Consultation Paper, DETR, London (December 1998).
14 Jackson, L. and Murphy, J., 'Housing Minister Reneges on Deal to End "The
Miseries of Gazumping"'. The Sunday Telegraph (The News), 18 July 1999, p. 7.
15 At the time of writing (August 1999), the historic building survey is to be devel-
oped and put out for initial consultation under the auspices of the Technical Sub-
'Committee of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC).
16 Anon., 'RlCS Aims to Upgrade House Surveys and Valuations', Chartered
Surveyor Monthly, June 1997, p. 6.
17 Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, op. cit. (1998).

Journal of Architectural Conservation No 3 November 1999 63