Valuation & Survey

Property specialists can be very useful to have when you need them. Most people are not experts in anything to do with their property and this can result in some serious issues arising. When you don’t know enough about a topic to make informed decisions, you should bring in an expert. This is exactly what you should do with anything related to property. Watsons will ensure that you don’t make a...

With restrictions being extended for at least another month, at Watsons we continue to do everything possible to keep you and our team safe. We have been following the Government’s sector-specific guidance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and our staff continue to take the safety of our customers and the Watsons team very seriously. We want customers to be assured that we  follow all the...

Moving to the Country? When we move house, what are we really looking for… is it a place to live or a place to work, a house or a community, a home or a lifestyle?  It’s probably all these things and more. Understanding the needs of rural communities and their businesses is a key priority as the nation emerges from the worst impacts of COVID-19. Watsons are pleased to be supporting researchers at...

As your lease runs down it dramatically decreases the value of your flat or apartment. The longer this goes on, the more expensive it will become to renew. On top of this, each lender has different criteria with regards to lease length and this will restrict the number of lenders in the market potentially cutting out the best deals, meaning it becomes increasingly difficult to sell when you want to. At...

Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has confirmed that the housing market will remain open during the new lockdown in England.

The Future of Surveying We know the challenges facing the built environment and the surveying profession - now it's time to act. For over 150 years, the RICS has led the profession through change, enabling members to take advantage of opportunities and manage the risks presented to them. This change is now happening faster than ever, requiring all of us to think strategically about how we deploy our...

We can use thermal imaging cameras to diagnose a variety of problems by scanning the floors, walls and ceilings when walking from room to room during an inspection. The camera we use (FLIR One Pro) attaches to any device  (tablet or mobile phone) to create a very powerful, thermal imaging camera. It produces an image on the screen with colours corresponding to different temperatures on the visible...

What is HM Land Registry? Within England and Wales, HM Land Registry’s responsibilities are to provide: a reliable record of information about ownership of and interests affecting both land and property. owners with a land title, guaranteed by the government. a title plan that indicates general boundaries. You MUST register all land or property with HM Land Registry if you’ve: bought it...

Watsons are still in operation! We can still carry out surveys on empty properties or those where the occupants are out of the property during the time of the inspection. We follow the latest Government guidance (26 March 2020) which states that work carried out in people’s homes can continue, provided the tradesperson is well and has no symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Current...

A Challenging Conversation and A New RICS Home Survey Standard The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) are encouraging a greater degree of transparency with regards to the preparation of reports, ensuring that the customer gets what they want and more importantly understands what it is they are getting. Surveyors are encouraged to speak to their clients both before the survey, to ensure...