It could be said that all Chartered Surveyors are experts and therefore should be able to act as Expert Witnesses. However, to perform this role, a Surveyor also requires knowledge of court proceedings & applicable laws.
Experience
In addition to knowledge of the relevant laws, a surveyor needs the competence & experience to prepare expert reports in a clear and logical manner. For this reason, our founder Matthew Wood deals with all Expert Witness instructions.
Qualifications
Matthew has obtained the Cardiff University Law School Bond Solon Civil Expert Certificate. This is the premier qualification for Expert Witnesses and is highly regarded amongst law firms and other instructing parties.
The Cardiff University Bond Solon (CUBS) Civil Expert Witness Certificate is a demonstration of appropriate training and examination in this specialised field.
This qualification is broken down in to five assessed modules, comprising of Excellence in Report Writing, Courtroom Skills, Cross Examination and Civil Law Procedure 1&2.
National Register of University Certificated Expert Witnesses
Evidence of Training
The Courts and most instructing Solicitors now require an Expert Witness to have some formal training. We would be happy to provide evidence of this, if required.
Furthermore, under part 6 of the Protocol for the Instruction of Experts, solicitors appointing experts must ensure that the expert has the experience, expertise and training appropriate to the value, complexity and importance of the case.
Expert Reports
Reports from an expert witness are intended to assist the Court in matters of which the witness has appropriate expertise, in order to reach a decision on the case. The report must comply with the Civil Procedure Rules and be the independent & unbiased product of the surveyor.
A well drafted, unbiased expert witness report can often help parties to reach agreement and settle a dispute without the need for a court hearing.
All our reports are prepared in accordance with CPR part 35 requirements and are well researched & written, clear & well presented.
The areas in which we can provide expert evidence are:
including damp, condensation, mould, structural issues, roofs, walls & floors
including fire, flood, structural, subsidence, etc.
of Building Surveyors, Architectural Designers and Contract administrators
(Minor Works and Intermediate Forms)
Advanced Equipment
We utilise a range of advanced technology equipment during our inspections, dependent on the issue being investigated. These include boroscopes, microscopes, access cameras, high-level cameras, thermal imaging, surface temperature readers, damp meters and calcium carbide meters.
We also have access to a number of well regarded laboratories which undertake material testing.
We operate throughout the UK for Expert Witness instructions.
Expert Determination Services
In addition to providing our Expert Witness service, we also provide Expert Determination services.
This is a private process involving an independent technical expert who makes a binding decision on technical rather than legal issues. They have the power to ask questions of the parties before rendering his or her decision.
The decision is binding unless it is agreed by the parties at the outset that the determination will not be.
Expert determination is particularly suited to disputes of valuation or a purely technical nature across a range of sectors.
We offer a free initial consultation and fees are generally charged on an hourly basis. We will endeavour to give an estimate of fees based on the probable time necessary to inspect or analyse the issue, peruse documents, undertake research and prepare the report.