Building surveyor damaged property

[Iamthedom]

My buyers arranged for a building survey yesterday
I’ve just gone to the property to collect any mail and he’s done the following
Tried to remove a period tile and had broken it in half
Didn’t leave the tile anywhere
Ripped up laminate flooring under the bay window - obviously to check for damp but the flooring can’t be replaced
Removed a kicker and not replaced it
Ripped wallpaper of the bedroom wall to check a crack
Removed a floorboard didn’t put it back and left nails sticking up
No idea if he has done in
I’m furious and upset .Yes the house is old and is a dooer upper but it’s being sold as such

The period tile in the entrance hall can’t be replaced its been there since 1870s so can’t exactly get it from B & Q
What do I do
Im sending a email to my estate agent with photos and I have spoken to them and they were really shocked and said this should not have done this

Is he a qualified surveyor or some random guy they've sent round (cowboy builder) to check out your home.

Can he be reported to his organisation (RICS) of he is genuine?

No idea
I will know more on Monday but I’m so angry

Was he there alone?

Well, the building surveyor is going to have to source a replacement tile, whatever the cost.

This is really bad. The buyers had better not try and get money off the house due to having to replace flooring or tiles etc. They caused it to be broken!

That's really bad, obviously took advantage of the fact the property was empty.
I'd also give your solicitor the heads up.
Do you have the surveyors information? I had it for our buyers surveyor as they contacted me directly to arrange a time. That would let you check if they were registered correctly with RICS etc.

Im assuming he was there alone
If they ask for anything off due to that survey I will be telling them to do one
I’ve been very laid back and helpful but I won’t be allowing any further visit

No details
I just got the details from my estate agent that they were doing a building survey
The property is empty but i live close so just went today to get the Mail

I'd phone the estate agents now and get the company name and details of what level survey was supposed to be carried out.

Make sure you take care photos of the damage he's caused.

I’ve take photos
I’ve emailed the estate agent and copied in my solicitor

He will have insurance and will have to claim on that to repair any damage. I would complain to the company and then RICS. They have a strict code of conduct.

christ, all the surveys I have ever read have been full of..."stuff in cupboards" "fully laid floor coverings" "loft full" "roof inaccessible" "no ladder for looking at gutters!

I bet it's not a real surveyor...some chum with a concrete mixer and a van full of sandwich wrappers.

Unless he was a professional with appropriate insurance, surely he shouldn't have been in the house alone?

I doubt he's a genuine surveyor too.

That is criminal damage to your property OP.

You must be so upset.

Just awful.

Is it normal for them to be allowed view the property without supervision?

Fecking hell I'd be furious!

Second vote for criminal damage, that's awful, what the hell was the surveyor thinking?!

We bought an empty doer upper, and the estate agents let our electrician collect the keys to do an inspection, so I think that might be standard.

The buyers don't own it yet, they have no authority whatsoever to ask anyone to bash holes in shit any more than if they rocked up at my house and started ripping up my lounge floor. That's assuming they've asked for whatever survey it is where they lift floorboards (can't remember what it's called!) and the surveyor hasn't just gone massively off piste.

He lifted one floorboard in the bedroom didn’t put it back

He ripped up laminate flooring in the front room under the bay window
I’ve attached a photo

@Iamthedom

He lifted one floorboard in the bedroom didn’t put it back

He ripped up laminate flooring in the front room under the bay window
I’ve attached a photo

Blimey OP - that’s criminal damage!

@Iamthedom

He lifted one floorboard in the bedroom didn’t put it back

He ripped up laminate flooring in the front room under the bay window
I’ve attached a photo

Good god! That's criminal! He's no professional. He's a cowboy builder, touting for work. He's going to give them a list as long as your arm of things needing done, for them to get money off.

That happened to me before- said my real wood floor had wood worm 🤬
Sale fell through and I moved estate agents

Honestly OP, see what your solicitor says but I think this is a police matter.

Who allowed him to enter your home, unsupervised and do such damage.

Really unbelievable.

When we bought our old house, both us and their EA were in attendance when our surveyor viewed the house.

Wow so sorry OP. I dont think thats a registered suryevors work or even a proper contractor. Looks like they have just ripped the underlay apart into random chunks. Surely a professional would try to do that neatly with a stanley knife or something.

@LemonSwan

Wow so sorry OP. I dont think thats a registered suryevors work or even a proper contractor. Looks like they have just ripped the underlay apart into random chunks. Surely a professional would try to do that neatly with a stanley knife or something.

A professional wouldn’t lift laminate at all, not even with a Stanley knife.

That's absolutely nuts!

That photo literally had me open mouthed. Never heard of anything like this.