Urban Pollution Management in the UK

Following consideration by the Professional Practice Committee of an allegation of professional misconduct made against a member who had been commissioned to report on part of a building occupied by a client, the Committee in conjunction with other committees of the Institution, has prepared the note below for the guidance of members who may carry our inspections of buildings in multiple occupation.

Since about 1990 the law reports have been filled with cases involving professionals in the property field, especially valuers and building surveyors. This is not surprising. The fall in property values and the consequential rise in the number of repossessions has caused disappointed purchasers and funders to examine all possible avenues for recovering, or at least limiting, their losses. Although many of these cases have been concerned with valuation points, a significant number involve allegedly negligent structural surveys by surveyors or structural engineers (the legal principles as between these two sets of professionals tend to be similar). Ian R. Yule

The art and science of structural engineering is not only concerned with space frames, office developments and commercial enterprises. Many structural engineers are involved in the more sensitive aspects associated with the restoration and refurbishment of historic and ancient buildings. Lori Noeth