Harding Chartered Surveyors — Kingston Office
Property advice from our Kingston office
Harding’s Kingston office is based at The Green in New Malden and supports clients across the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and neighbouring parts of south-west London and Surrey. We advise buyers, homeowners, landlords, leaseholders and professional clients who need an independent survey, a formal property valuation or specialist guidance on a building-related matter.
We inspect at the property itself; a visit to the Kingston office needs a prior appointment. For an appropriate quotation, send the address, property type, reason for the report and any relevant sales particulars or drawings through the instant quote form.
23 The Green
New Malden,
Kingston KT3 3LD
Phone: 020 7736 2383
Email: enquiries@hardingsurveyors.co.uk
Health and safety: Appointment required · Staff wear masks · More details
Kingston Office Reviews
Property advice from our Kingston office
Local knowledge for Kingston, New Malden and the surrounding area
Kingston’s property stock changes noticeably from one neighbourhood to the next. New Malden and Old Malden include mid-Victorian and Edwardian homes alongside extensive inter-war housing and later infill. Kingston and Norbiton combine period houses, purpose-built blocks, converted flats and modern development. Surbiton is known for substantial Victorian and Edwardian streets as well as twentieth-century apartments, while Coombe includes larger detached houses on more spacious plots.
The borough also has conservation areas and Local Areas of Special Character. That does not mean that every older building has defects, but historic construction, original detailing and a record of later alterations can affect the surveyor’s advice. Extensions, roof conversions, replacement windows, changes to internal layouts and alterations to flats should be considered in the context of the building as a whole and followed up through the purchaser’s legal enquiries where necessary.
Properties close to the Thames, the Hogsmill or other watercourses may call for separate flood-risk and environmental searches. A building survey can comment on visible damp, drainage indicators and the condition of accessible fabric, but it is not a substitute for those searches. We make the scope and limitations of the inspection clear.
Residential surveys matched to the property
The right survey depends on construction, age, condition and your plans—not simply the purchase price. A lender’s valuation is for the lender’s security and should not be treated as a condition report for the buyer.
RICS Level 2 Home Survey
Consider a RICS Level 2 Home Survey for an apparently well-maintained, conventionally built house or flat with no major alterations or unusual features. The concise format grades condition and directs you to material defects, legal checks and specialist investigations.
RICS Level 3 Building Survey
A RICS Level 3 Building Survey provides fuller analysis of the building, defects and repair considerations. It is generally more suitable for an older or larger property, a heavily altered house, a building of non-standard construction, a visibly neglected home, or a purchase where substantial refurbishment is planned.
Our dedicated Chartered Surveyors in Kingston page explains the local residential options in more depth. You can also compare report types on the property surveys hub.
What a Kingston inspection may need to consider
The surveyor follows the agreed service and responds to the individual property. Depending on what is visible and accessible, relevant points can include:
- pitched and flat roof coverings, chimney stacks, flashings, parapets and rainwater goods;
- evidence of moisture, condensation, poor ventilation or timber deterioration;
- cracking, distortion or signs of movement and whether specialist investigation is justified;
- the condition and detailing of extensions, dormers and structural openings;
- the relationship between external ground levels, damp protection and internal floors;
- drainage indicators and the possible influence of mature trees on buildings and below-ground services;
- visible defects to windows, walls, balconies and accessible common parts of flats;
- items that require documents from the seller, freeholder, managing agent or local authority.
The survey is not destructive: furniture, floor coverings and sealed finishes are not removed as part of a standard home survey. Where access prevents a conclusion, the report should say so and recommend a proportionate next step.
Flats, conversions and leasehold considerations
Kingston, New Malden, Norbiton and Surbiton include many purpose-built and converted flats. A home survey considers the accommodation and any common or external parts that are accessible and within the agreed scope. It does not replace the legal work needed on the lease, service-charge accounts, planned major works, building insurance or management information.
This distinction matters. A stain inside a flat may point to a defect in a roof or façade controlled by the freeholder, while the practical and financial responsibility will depend on the lease and management arrangements. The report can identify the visible concern and give your conveyancer a focused question to pursue.
Independent RICS valuations
A formal valuation is needed when an independently supported figure is required for a defined purpose. Our Kingston work includes appropriate probate, Capital Gains Tax and matrimonial reports, plus valuations connected with lease extensions, shared ownership, Help to Buy and Right to Buy. Other market-value briefs can be considered once we know who will rely on the figure and why.
The purpose, valuation date and intended users need to be confirmed before inspection. Read the RICS property valuation overview or use the broader valuations hub to find the relevant service. A formal valuation should not be confused with an estate agent’s marketing appraisal or the condition advice in a home survey.
Party wall advice for extensions and alterations
Semi-detached and terraced homes across the Kingston area are frequently extended or adapted. Work to a shared wall, building at the boundary, certain excavations close to a neighbour, chimney-breast removal or a loft conversion that cuts into a party wall may fall within the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
Harding can advise a building owner planning work, an adjoining owner who has received a notice, or both owners where an agreed surveyor appointment is appropriate. Depending on the circumstances, the work may involve notices, a schedule of condition and a Party Wall Award. Start with the party wall services hub or the South West London party wall page. Advice is most useful when drawings are available and before the building programme is fixed.
Specialist and commercial surveying
The Kingston office can also discuss a focused roof survey, a new-build snagging survey, schedules of condition and commercial building surveys. A focused service is useful when the decision is narrow; it should not be presented as covering the whole building if that is not the agreed scope.
From enquiry to report
- Initial information: tell us the address, type of property, purchase or project stage, and what you need the report to achieve.
- Service selection: we consider the building and purpose, then issue a quotation and terms setting out the scope.
- Documents and access: sales particulars, plans, notices or known defect information are gathered, and access is arranged with the appropriate person.
- Inspection: the surveyor inspects the visible and accessible parts required by the agreed service.
- Report and next steps: the written findings distinguish significant defects, limitations, legal enquiries and any specialist investigations that should follow.
Areas covered by the Kingston office
The Kingston/New Malden office handles enquiries in New Malden, Old Malden, Kingston upon Thames, Norbiton, Coombe, Berrylands, Surbiton, Tolworth, Chessington and Worcester Park. Nearby Surrey instructions are considered by service and address; ask us to confirm coverage when requesting a quote.
Kingston office FAQs
Why is the Kingston office address in New Malden?
The Kingston office is in New Malden, within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. The page should state this plainly so clients know where the office is and so website details remain consistent with the contact page and Google profile.
Is a Level 2 survey enough for a 1930s house?
Possibly, if it is conventionally built, appears well maintained and has not been substantially altered. If it has extensive additions, visible defects, non-standard construction or planned major works, the additional detail in a Level 3 survey may be more useful. Share the particulars so we can advise.
Can you survey a flat when the roof is owned by the freeholder?
Yes, but the extent of inspection depends on access and the agreed survey level. The report can comment on visible and accessible common or external elements; your solicitor must establish responsibility, planned works and financial liabilities under the lease.
Does a home survey include a market valuation?
Not automatically. The agreed terms will say whether a valuation is included. If you need a figure for tax, court, probate, shared ownership or another formal purpose, request the appropriate RICS valuation separately.
I am planning a rear extension. When should I ask about party walls?
Ask once the drawings and foundation proposals are sufficiently developed, and before work is due to start. The surveyor can identify whether the Act appears relevant and what notices or further information may be needed.
Contact the Kingston office
For a survey, valuation or specialist property matter, request an instant quote online, email enquiries@hardingsurveyors.co.uk or telephone 020 7736 2383. Include the full property address and your reason for commissioning the report so the team can recommend an appropriate service rather than a generic package.
