Peter Barry Chartered Building Surveyors

Peter Barry, chartered surveyors with six offices in London

Peter Barry Chartered Building Surveyors is a residential surveying and valuation firm headquartered in Kensington with a network of six offices across the Greater London area, within the M25 perimeter. The company presents itself as one of the London surveyors with the highest volume of Google reviews, with more than 800 ratings.

The company was founded in 1983 by Messrs Peter and Barry as an estate agency. In 2000 it passed into the hands of the current director, Justin Burns, and since then it has grown from a small team in its North London office to more than twenty employees. The head office is at Vicarage House, on Kensington Church Street.

RICS Level 2 and Level 3 reports

The bulk of the activity focuses on home condition reports under the standards of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The firm offers the RICS Level 2 Home Survey, aimed at giving the buyer enough information to make a reasoned and informed decision on whether to proceed with the purchase, and the RICS Level 3 Home Survey, the most detailed report in its catalogue, recommended for houses and properties in poor condition. The latter closely examines the structure and condition of the building and carries out a surface examination of the services.

In addition to these two levels, the company produces Specific Defect Reports and comparisons between both levels to help the client choose the appropriate one.

Party wall and relations with adjoining owners

Peter Barry has surveyors with experience in party wall matters, acting both for the building owner carrying out the work and for the adjoining owner. The firm covers the three scenarios contemplated by the Party Wall etc. Act: alterations to shared party walls, construction of new walls at the property boundary and excavations near neighbouring structures.

The company has specific pages for party wall services in West London, South London, Kent and Sevenoaks, and publishes informative content on the applicable law, enclosure expenses, loft conversions and the obligations of adjoining owners and building owners.

Leasehold valuations and other valuations

The firm prepares valuation reports in accordance with the Leasehold Reform Act (as amended) and undertakes negotiations on behalf of the landlord or the leaseholder. Its catalogue in this area includes lease extension, freehold enfranchisement, dealing with absentee freeholders and houses subject to lease extension and enfranchisement. It also offers a leasehold calculator.

In the general valuations section, the following are listed: Charities Act valuations and Section 119 reports, Help to Buy and shared ownership valuations, inheritance tax valuations, roof space, vault and basement valuations, and capital gains tax valuations.

Commercial surveys and project management

The company extends its activity to the commercial sphere with commercial property surveys and commercial schedules of condition. In project management and residential services, the firm handles insurance reinstatement valuation, access over neighbouring land, scaffold and crane licences, calculating the cost of access and preparing schedules of outstanding works (snagging list).

The firm also processes licences to alter and lease plans, and offers to negotiate with other surveyors, freeholders or agents on behalf of the client.

Team and customer service

The company stresses that each of its surveyors is a qualified specialist in their field and that the service is characterised by a personal approach and advice tailored to each project. The firm is regulated by RICS and operates as Peter Barry Surveyors Limited, a company registered in England with number 09496310.

Location and contact

Vicarage House, 58-60 Kensington Church Street, Kensington, London W8 4DB · Telephone: 020 7183 2578 · Email: surveying@peterbarry.co.uk