What Is A Bat Survey?

A bat survey can ensure you take all the necessary steps to avoid long term damage or impact to a pre-existing bat population, while still seeing your project come to fruition.

A bat survey will determine what species of bat are present, estimate numbers of bats, find bat access points, and assess how and when bats are using the building. Finding bats is a skilled operation and building owners or managers will need to commission a bat specialist consultant licensed by Natural England. 

Why Are Bats Protected In The UK?

Bats play an essential role in pest control, pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. All bat species in the UK are protected by law because their numbers have declined so dramatically. The decline is due to loss of feeding habitats and flight lines, loss of insects to feed on, and development affecting roosts. Bats are becoming more reliant on urban habitats, where they roost in buildings and forage in nearby wooded parks and gardens.

They are protected by international and domestic legislation; namely, the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 and Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.

When Might You Need To Undertake A Bat Survey?

If you are planning to undertake work on a property that you own, or are in the process of purchasing, where you might interfere, disturb or disrupt a bat in its natural habitat then you will likely need to undertake a bat survey 

Local authorities are obliged as part of their local planning policies to ensure the conservation of biodiversity, including bats and other species protected under the European Habitats Directive. As a result, they need to assess every planning application against these criteria and will make a judgement on your application. You will need to undertake a survey if there is a ‘reasonable likelihood’ of bats being present.

How Do You Conduct A Bat Survey?

A bat survey will be needed to be conducted during bat survey season and will need to be conducted by a licensed bat surveyor. As bats often roost in inaccessible crevices there may be no obvious signs of their presence on the outside of a building. Therefore, it is likely to be necessary for a bat specialist to conduct a daytime preliminary roost assessment followed by further surveys. Initial roost inspection surveys can be carried out at any time of year, however surveys that require bats to be active are carried out from May to August. Historic England have a handy table of the recommended months for different survey types >> click here to view.

How Long Are Bat Surveys Valid For?

Typically, bat surveys are valid for one to two years. However, there is a risk that out-of-date bat surveys can impact building plans and will need to be addressed at a later date, therefore both private developments as well as commercial developments should be mindful of ensuring the bat surveys conducted are in date.  

Should You Get A Bat Survey Before Applying For Planning Permission?

It is advised that you carry out a bat survey as early as possible in the process, particularly if there are any signs of potential bat activity. This will save you having to consider the costs of mitigation later on in a project, at a point where it may be too late, and you may find you are engaging in illegal activity. This will also ensure you can implement any necessary actions before the bat survey season begins.

Do You Still Need To Get A Bat Survey Even If You Think You Don’t Have Bats?

If the building or development even has a small chance of bats being present, we recommend it is worth commissioning a survey to ensure no bats are present.

What Do I Do If Bats Are Discovered?

If bats are discovered after a Preliminary Roost Assessments, then phase 2 of the survey will include a more detailed assessment of the area to establish how the feature is being used and by what species. Unlike the Preliminary Roost Assessment, the phase 2 survey must be conducted within a certain time period (between May and September), as this is when bats are most active. This is generally referred to as the bat survey season, and it is vital that any necessary bat survey preparation bears this timeframe in mind. This enables ecologists to actively measure their presence, in order to establish the exact impact of a potential project on the bats present.

Some mitigation can be undertaken to enable you to continue with your planned development, however often this can only be undertaken by acquiring a bat licence. The type of bat licence should be discussed with an ecologist but may include either a full licence or bat mitigation class licence (BMCL). The BMCL is only available for certain species and is aimed at low impact situations and is a special type of licence restricted to only some ecologists.

VKB Building Consultancy do not undertake bat survey’s, but we work with lots of fantastic professionals and would be more than happy to recommend someone, so please do get in touch.

Common Issues Found During A Property Survey

Now that you’re set on purchasing your new home, you need a surveyor to compile a report on your prospective property purchase. You’re hoping for a clean bill of health for the new house you plan to call home. However, it is important to note that problem-free survey reports can be extremely rare, especially if the building is older. But what could be so bad that the surveyor may uncover?

There are a few common house survey problems that still show up on reports often. Some of these include:

Asbestos

Despite asbestos once being used for construction and fireproofing, it is now a material that strikes fear, especially when to referred to in reference to your home. However, if asbestos is uncovered during your home survey, not all is necessarily lost.

In most instances of discovering asbestos, it can often be safely contained by a specialist if it hasn’t been damaged or is in a poor condition. If the asbestos is found in such a condition, then the asbestos must be removed by a professional in such field. The cost of this removal can vary due to different factors of the removal, such as where it is found and how much of it there is.

Damp

Damp is also a very common issue flagged up by property surveyors. It can affect the structure of the building as well be extremely detrimental to our health. Discovering that damp is present in your potential new home could not only save your property but also a life.

Like the Asbestos, Damp can be rectified quite easily, but this can also depend on how bad the problem is. If the issue stems from condensation, the fix is very simple, however damp-proofing requires expert help and can be extremely costly. If the conducted survey shows a serious damp issue, it is recommended to acquire a further survey conducted by an approved damp surveyor. Conducting this additional survey will provide additional insight into the type of damp you are dealing with as well as the full extent of the issue.

Cracks

Cracks are incredibly common in most homes, yet although they may look unnerving, they don’t always mean that there is a huge problem with the home. The key is to understand the cause of the cracks. Your survey will inform you of any underlying issues that are associated with the cracks.

While cracks are a normal part of home ownership, they can also be a clear sign of subsidence. Structural movement isn’t uncommon, but there are levels of severity to be aware of. Your building surveyor will be able to inform you if there’s an issue that will require further investigation.

Boundaries

Property surveys not only take the internal factors of a property into account, but also the external factors of the home. Your surveyor will inspect the property grounds and consider the conditions of elements such as boundary walls and fences.

It is common for issues to become apparent during this part of the inspection, especially if the boundaries are parallel to any public property, this is because the security of your home could be at risk. It is also important to note that an issue such as a broken fence may be overlooked during a home survey report as this is usually not seen to have an impact on the value of the property.

Unapproved extensions and alterations

If the property has any additions or alterations to the original structure, they must be accounted for. This means that they need to be compliant with the current building regulations. An issue that may be presented here is that the regulations for extensions changes often, so an amendment to the property that was completed by the previous owner, may have been while a different law was in place.

However, Regularisation allows for retrospective approval, which can be gained from the local authority’s building control body. It is important to note however that only work carried out after 11th November 1985 can be approved via regularisation. 

Drainage Issues

Drainage issues can often stretch from faulty drainpipes to sagging gutters, both of which can be highlighted in your building survey report. A lot of the time, drainage related issues may seem insignificant, but their impact on your home can be huge if they are left unchecked, which is why it is included in the survey. Identifying and rectifying any drainage issues early enough won’t send costs through the roof if they are caught early enough.

If you are affected by one of the issue above, you might find our article ‘Using A Building Survey Report To Negotiate A Sale’ useful. Please feel free to Contact Us if you would like advice.

What is a Schedule of Condition?

A Schedule of Condition is a detailed, factual record of the condition of a property which is usually retained to use at a future time to establish the previous condition of the premises. The survey is typically included within a Lease to limit Tenant’s repairing obligations to the condition of the property at Lease commencement.

To fully record the condition of a building we undertake a Full Schedule of Condition. This would typically include a general description of a property, a detailed schedule which would document the form of construction and condition of each building element, supported by photographic and sometimes video records to give evidence. Specialist information can also be included in a schedule to fully record a buildings condition, for example a CCTV Survey of the underground drains, an electrical test report of the electrical system, an engineer’s report on the lifts etc.

When is a Schedule of Condition required?

For commercial property leases, a schedule of condition can be required when a new lease is entered into to confirm the condition of the property. This ensures that the condition recorded so that any existing defects are identified prior to a commitment to lease being made and can help with lease negotiation. It can also be used to establish responsibility for dilapidations and reinstatement, at the end of a lease.

A schedule of condition might also be prepared before construction work begins for adjacent properties or structures that will be retained, or if part of a building is being refurbished. This not only helps protect against potential claims from neighbours, who may only notice pre-existing defects in their property when the noise and vibration of construction begins but can also establish contractor liability for damage to the employer’s properties.

For both commercial and residential properties, a schedule of condition can be prepared where the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies. This is to provide evidence of the condition of the neighbouring building prior to works beginning. The party wall surveyors can then undertake a re-inspection of the building and determine whether any damage has occurred and what repairs should be carried out. 

What is the difference between a Schedule of Condition and a Condition Survey? 

There is often confusion between a Schedule of Condition and a Condition Survey. The main differences are that a Schedule of Condition is purely a record of the condition of the building to be appended to an Agreement whilst a Condition Survey (often also referred to a building survey, pre-acquisition or pre-lease commencement survey) is prepared to not only show the condition of the building but identify repair works required, usually with costs to assist in planning maintenance works which may be needed. VKB Building Consultancy can advise on the most appropriate type of survey that is required and complete the survey if necessary. Our surveys can be appropriately tailored to meet each individual clients specific requirements. 

Why instruct a surveyor?

It is often thought that by simply having some photographs on file these can be used to reduce a Tenant’s repairing liability under the term. If the photographs are not specifically referenced in the Lease and the Lease is held on standard full repairing terms, then it is unlikely they would limit a Tenant’s obligation and the Tenant could be liable for putting the property into repair, even if it was clearly in disrepair at the start of the Lease. This is why it is important to obtain specialist advice from a Chartered Building Surveyor. An incomplete, inadequate, or poorly drafted Schedule can often result in protracted negotiations, disputes and may result in negating the desired effect of undertaking a Schedule and fail to fulfil the intended purpose. Our knowledge will help reduce your liability and save you thousands of pounds at the end of the lease.