The frustration of a landlord’s valuer

When advising tenants on the likely cost to extend their leases / acquire their freehold, they are more than willing to let you inspect their property in order to form a view prior to giving formal advice. After all, they see you as their friend to hold their hand in what is perceived as a complicated process.

When advising a landlord, especially where there are more than one flat that needs to be inspected, the position is entirely different. To achieve an appointment where one can move from one flat onto the other in one visit is nigh on impossible despite the lease allowing access with reasonable notice.

Obviously one can only advise any client once one has inspected to not only check as to whether the lease terms have been complied with, condition as to state of ‘in’ or ‘out’ of repair / lasting improvements and take a photographic record but crucially to get a sense of space, aspect and gut feel essential to forming a view.

It’s as if there is a sense of fear that the ‘enemy’ wants to come round my home which is far from reality. We are all human and always strive to reach a fair result in any forthcoming negotiation.