Can a broker insist on the buyer using a certain surveyor?

[Matt H]

Hi
Im in the proccess of buying a new boat (used, but new to me.)
The broker seems very keen for me to use a specific surveyor. Is it not at the buyers discretion who carrys out the survey?

Thanks Matt

 

[landlockedpirate]

The surveyor works for you, you pick who to use. I would walk away if the broker will only let you use his preferred firm.

 

[gjgm]

Hi
Im in the proccess of buying a new boat (used, but new to me.)
The broker seems very keen for me to use a specific surveyor. Is it not at the buyers discretion who carrys out the survey?

Thanks Matt

As you are going to pay for the bill, I think it is pretty clear that you can employ who you want.
Say your location and I am sure people on here can recommend someone.
They vary in quality.. I have certainly had one that didnt say much more than the boat is pointy at one end and a bit square at the other...

 

[Kawasaki]

The surveyor works for you, you pick who to use. I would walk away if the broker will only let you use his preferred firm.

+1

 

[Matt H]

Hi Mark

I thought that was the case. Thanks for clarifying that for me. The broker isnt insisting, but in previous conversations seemed keen I use someone he recommends.
He now knows who Im using and that doesnt seem to be an issue. No need to walk away.

Matt

 

[Tranona]

Hi
Im in the proccess of buying a new boat (used, but new to me.)
The broker seems very keen for me to use a specific surveyor. Is it not at the buyers discretion who carrys out the survey?

Thanks Matt

The broker works for the seller, but it is common for him to give buyers a list of possible surveyors, but the choice is yours as the surveyor acts for you. There may be a sound reason why the broker is suggesting a particular surveyor, for example because of specific expertise, but there is always a suspicion of an ulterior motive!

 

[PEJ]

but there is always a suspicion of an ulterior motive!

I think certain surveyors have a reputation for "going easy" and some for being really picky. Brokers prefer the easy going to the picky. I would rather have the picky one working for me.

 

[snowdn]

Hi,
Just recently bought a new (used) boat, and when I told the broker who the surveyor was going to be, he slated him, and said he was very poor and banned from many of the marinas in the area. He said that he may find that there is a scratch on the hull, but will miss the bigger things like an engine problem.

After discussion with my co-owner, we decided to use a different surveyor. The broker recommended 3, and we choose the one that he recommended from the three. It was the wrong decision, kind of. The surveyor has missed a number of obvious things and we are unhappy.
The broker has agreed to put right some of the items, but we still feel that we should have used our original surveyor.

I'm not a legal person, but I believe that It also puts the broker in a very weak position should there be a problem in the future. The broker slated the surveyor and then recommended his own. If we were to go to court on this, I think a judge would look at it, and say that they colluded to hide the issues... thats just my opinion.

 

[Bat21]

I was given a list of local surveyors by the broker, I then requested a list of local surveyors from a marine engineer and instructed the one that was on the engineers list but missing from the brokers list.

 

[volvopaul]

A good broker should be able to give a number of surveyors so you can choose which one you like, it's always a good idea to try and source info about there ability to do the job . You can also ask them there qualifications and back ground . I come across many surveyors , most have been to university and have studied naval architecture and are well experienced. Some have no qualifications but are members of certain bodies that give them letters after there name.
The one that makes me laugh is M I M S . All it stands for is , member of the institute for marine surveyors , anyone can join up. The most important thing before employing surveyor is to ask him for his indemnity insurance . If he has none and misses something that later you have to put right you will want to claim against him. It's worth asking first .

 

[Crabman]

A good broker should be able to give a number of surveyors so you can choose which one you like, it's always a good idea to try and source info about there ability to do the job . You can also ask them there qualifications and back ground . I come across many surveyors , most have been to university and have studied naval architecture and are well experienced. Some have no qualifications but are members of certain bodies that give them letters after there name.
The one that makes me laugh is M I M S . All it stands for is , member of the institute for marine surveyors , anyone can join up. The most important thing before employing surveyor is to ask him for his indemnity insurance . If he has none and misses something that later you have to put right you will want to claim against him. It's worth asking first .

You can say that about rina and ybdsa surveyors . ybdsa is basically funded by the Ancasta boss. Look around ,there are some very good surveyors ,don't use a surveyor off a list. Good luck.

 

[kashurst]

+1 the brokers recommendation - ignore them. Post on here where you are approximately and there will no doubt be some recommendations. I've used 5 different surveyors over the years with mixed experiences, from not much use to excellent. As per VP are they insured ? don't forget marine surveyors don't touch the engines - you need an engine survey for that.

 

[Jim@sea]

In the Channel Islands I asked a broker to recommend a surveyor to survey a boat they were selling and they recommended a particular Boatyard who did surveys. (Big Mistake)
They did a survey and I bought the boat. When I had a good look at it having dried it out against a wall at Alderney I found Osmosis.
So I had another survey, this time with a proper surveyor (from another island) and his report said that he had done a survey 4 years before on the same boat and Osmosis had been present and it was recommended that it be treated and the hull repainted.
Which apparently was done BY THE VERY BOATYARD which I paid for the first survey.
The boat I had was large and unusual and I found it hard to believe that a small boatyard would not have remembered painting it four years previously especially as the "surveyor ?" was one of the directors and that as the Broker was only one (of two) on the Island they would not have noticed the work being done previously.
My advice. get a proper surveyor.

 

[epervier]

You are paying for the survey,not the broker, choose who you want, plus it needs to be ashore, you'll be paying for the lifts as well.