Getting a professional opinion on the management of your building
Appointing a surveyor to advise leaseholders
Under the Housing Act 1996, a surveyor can be appointed by a recognised tenant’s association to independently investigate if the management of the property, service charge costs and maintenance are cost-effective, efficient and legal.
What a surveyor can do
The surveyor can examine issues including:
- is the landlord fulfilling their legal duties
- how the landlord deals with repairs and maintenance
- do contracts meet residents’ needs and offer value for money
- how service charge money is held, protected and managed
- how shared areas and facilities are managed
The surveyor can provide the leasewith an informed professional judgement:
- is the landlord actually providing the services required
- are the services provided to a reasonable standard
- is the landlord obtaining value for money
A surveyor can ask to see:
- financial records
- safety compliance documents
- maintenance history
The surveyor can also carry out other tasks according to the tenants’ association’s requirements.
Choosing the surveyor
The tenants’ association can choose the surveyor. They must be a qualified surveyor.
The surveyor may appoint another expert to help them in relevant areas, such as an accountant or consulting engineer.
When choosing, tell prospective surveyors what you need, and ask them to:
- explain any relevant experience they have
- explain how fees are calculated, for example hourly or fixed rate
- explain any extra costs that might be incurred, such as travel or bringing in extra expertise
- confirm they are not connected to your building’s landlord
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS): Find a surveyor
Telling the landlord about the surveyor
The appointment starts when the tenants’ association serves a notice on the landlord and managing agent. The notice must include:
- the surveyor’s name and address
- how long the appointment will last
- the matters the surveyor is appointed to investigate
Asking the landlord for documents or a property inspection
An appointed surveyor can ask the landlord to:
- let them inspect and copy any documents they reasonably need
- let them inspect shared areas and related property
The landlord usually needs to comply within one week. If the landlord objects to the request, the landlord should contact the surveyor explaining why.
If the landlord fails to comply within one month, the leaseholders can ask the surveyor to apply to the court for an order requiring the landlord to comply.
Ending the appointment of the surveyor
The appointment stays in place until the association serves another notice cancelling it.
- Last updated:
- 17 August 2026
- Next review:
- 17 August 2028
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