Appointment of a surveyor and management audits
Appointing and instructing
Where a tenant, or group of tenants, or a recognised tenants’ association wish to proceed they should take time and care in the selection and instruction of the surveyor or auditor.
Not all surveying practices (and very few accountancy practices) specialise in this area and tenants should not therefore presume the practice to have the necessary expertise or a full knowledge of the relevant legislation.
The rights available to the tenants, through the auditor or surveyor, are entirely dependent upon full compliance with statutory procedures and the appointment of a professional adviser not fully conversant with those procedures can endanger the process.
Tenants should ask, in interview with a prospective adviser, for them to explain the process, particularly relating to notices and timescales, and set out a proposal of what they intend to do, when, and to provide an outline timetable for feedback to the tenants. Some practices may also provide a structured scale of fees for the work, if not, this should be discussed. The fees should be agreed and a contract entered into before the surveyor starts work.
- Last updated:
- 27 August 2021
- Next review:
- 12 December 2026
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