Current Residential Property Issues 2024

KEY SUBJECTS

• RESIDENTIAL BUILDING SERVICES – CONCISELY
• LEVEL 2 AND 3 REPORTS – WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
• THE BUILDING SAFETY ACT AND BUILDING REGULATIONS – LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
• THE EFFECTS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE, MOULD AND CONDENSATION 
• PLANNING: A NEW BLUEPRINT TO DELIVER 1.5 MILLION NEW HOMES?
• CLIMATE EMERGENCY FOR RESIDENTIAL SURVEYORS – WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN PRACTICE

SPEAKERS

Larry Russen, Chartered Building Surveyor, Consultant Russen & Turner and Allied Surveyors

Anna Thompson, FRICS FCABE Chartered Building Control Surveyor

Steve Hodgson, Principal Steve Hodgson Building Consulting Ltd

Ian Anderson, Senior Director, Lichfields

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

09.30am CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION

RESIDENTIAL BUILDING SERVICES – CONCISELY

Sometimes inspected too quickly in anticipation of the usual CR3, how can we add value for the client and protect them and us from ‘services that can kill’? This talk will:

• Look at how to get to the correct condition rating
• Consider a structured approach to ensure consistency
• Look at some of the typical mistakes we can make and how to avoid them
• Give a practical reporting sample based on a case study

Larry Russen, Chartered Building Surveyor, Consultant Russen & Turner and Allied Surveyors

LEVEL 2 AND 3 REPORTS – WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

This talk will look at the difference between what is expected from a level 2 report compared to a level 3 to ensure we give our clients the right service. It will also assist those who want to upskill to level 3. The talk will:

• Identify the fundamental differences between the two types of survey
• Confirm what the RICS HSS says about the differences
• Identify some of the additional knowledge, understanding and competencies required for a level 3
• Demonstrate an inspection and reporting example

Larry Russen, Chartered Building Surveyor, Consultant Russen & Turner and Allied Surveyors

THE BUILDING SAFETY ACT AND BUILDING REGULATIONS – LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

This session will cover the implementation of the Building Safety Act, frequently asked questions and what it means in practice for clients, designers and contractors and what’s on the horizon

• The Building Safety Act- Key points
• Principal Designer responsibilities
• Principal Contractor responsibilities
• Client responsibilities
• The new Building Control regime
• A look forward to future changes to Building Regulations

Anna Thompson, FRICS FCABE Chartered Building Control Surveyor

THE EFFECTS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE, MOULD AND CONDENSATION

Atmospheric moisture imbalance leads to water deposition (condensation), deterioration of decorations, mould, and timber decay. For many people, the appearance of even small areas of seasonal mould is now a significant cause for concern. This session will explore how water transported through the air, requires surveyors to understand the physics, politics and products that are making this natural mechanism a growing challenge in modern homes. The talk will consider:

• Public awareness and impact on building and occupant health
• Water activity, vapour movement and wetting and drying
• The importance of heat and temperature
• Ventilation and air exchange
• The assessment and measurement of moisture balance
• How to report your observations and assumptions

Steve Hodgson, Principal Steve Hodgson Building Consulting Ltd

PLANNING: A NEW BLUEPRINT TO DELIVER 1.5 MILLION NEW HOMES?

The new Government has made a strong commitment to simplify planning and deliver 1.5 million new Homes.

The King’s speech in July 2024 sets out the intent to ‘speed up and streamline’ in order to build more homes of all tenures. The ambition is for a revamped system to be an ‘enabler of growth’, with ‘democratic engagement on how, not if, homes and infrastructure are built’.

But will it?

This session will look at:

• The Government’s proposed reform of the Planning system
• The new NPPF24 including:
  • Top down targets
  • The ‘Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development’
  • Approach to Green Belt and ‘Grey Belt’
• Potential further ‘permitted development’ opportunities for residential proposals
• Potential changes to the Use Classes Order

Ian Anderson, Senior Director, Lichfields

CLIMATE EMERGENCY FOR RESIDENTIAL SURVEYORS – WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN PRACTICE?

Clients hear about climate change on an almost daily basis and some commentators suggest it will happen quicker than anticipated; so how should we be giving our clients best advice?’ This course will look at:

• What practical steps is the construction industry and other sectors taking to accommodate anticipated changes in weather patterns?
• The lessons we can learn from other parts of the world
• Which parts of a building’s fabric in the UK are likely to require special attention to allow for climatic changes
• By using a case study, considers what tomorrow’s reporting world may look like

Larry Russen, Chartered Building Surveyor, Consultant Russen & Turner and Allied Surveyors

5.00pm CLOSE OF PROCEEDINGS