Stock condition survey FAQs
We are surveying our homes to make sure the information we hold is accurate and up to date. The survey will help us understand the condition of our homes, identify potential risks and plan future repairs, maintenance, investment and energy efficiency improvements.
The survey does not necessarily mean that repair or improvement work will take place immediately. The findings will help us prioritise future work and direct investment to the homes and components that need it most.
We have appointed specialist surveyors, Faithorn Farrell Timms, also known as FFT, to carry out the surveys on our behalf.
All surveyors will carry an FFT photographic identification card and a letter of authority from Red Kite. Please ask to see both before allowing the surveyor into your home. Our contractors expect residents to check their identification.
Ask the surveyor to show their FFT photographic identification and Red Kite letter of authority.
Here is an example of an FFT photographic ID badge:
If you are unsure whether the surveyor is genuine, do not allow access until you have checked. You can call Red Kite’s Contact Centre on 01494 476100 to confirm the surveyor’s identity.
If your home is included in the current survey programme, FFT will contact you with information about the proposed survey date and how to arrange a convenient appointment.
Please contact FFT using the telephone number or email address shown in your appointment letter. Alternative dates may be limited, so please respond as soon as possible.
The surveyor will visually inspect key parts of your home, which may include:
- the kitchen and bathroom
- windows and external doors
- the boiler, radiators and heating controls
- visible electrical items, such as the fuse box
- insulation and ventilation where accessible
- signs of damp, mould or condensation
- roofs, guttering, external walls and other external components
- relevant cupboards and accessible loft areas
- the general condition of your home.
The surveyor will record the age, condition and likely remaining life of relevant components.
Yes. The surveyor will need access to all rooms, relevant cupboards and any loft or external areas that form part of the property and can be accessed safely.
Please keep these areas reasonably accessible for the appointment. The surveyor will not move heavy furniture.
No. The survey is a visual and non-intrusive inspection.
The surveyor will not lift carpets or floorboards, move heavy furniture or cause damage. The surveyor may take measurements and photographs of relevant property components.
The survey will normally take around 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the size and type of your home and the areas that need to be inspected.
Yes. The surveyor may take photographs of relevant property components, such as the kitchen, bathroom, heating system, windows and doors. The photographs will support and validate the survey findings.
The surveyor will avoid photographing residents and personal belongings wherever possible.
Any urgent health and safety concern identified during the visit will be reported promptly to Red Kite for assessment and appropriate action.
Not every issue identified during the survey will require immediate work. Other findings will be considered as part of our future maintenance and investment planning.
Not necessarily. The purpose of the survey is to collect accurate information about the condition of your home and its components.
The findings will help us decide what work may be needed, when it should take place and how it should be prioritised. If work is planned for your home, we will contact you separately and provide appropriate notice.
Residents will not automatically receive a copy of the survey report. The information will be provided to Red Kite and used to support future maintenance and investment planning.
If you would like information about findings relating to your home, please contact Red Kite’s Asset Management Team at assets@redkitehousing.org.uk.
Please contact FFT as soon as possible using the details in your appointment letter. FFT may be able to arrange an alternative appointment, although the dates available may be limited.
Please contact FFT using the details in your appointment letter to discuss another appointment. Rearranging promptly will help avoid delays to the survey programme.
Your tenancy agreement allows Red Kite and authorised contractors to access your home for inspections, subject to appropriate notice and arrangements.
We encourage you to cooperate with the survey because the information will help us keep your home safe, warm and well maintained. If you have concerns about access or cannot accommodate the proposed appointment, please contact FFT or Red Kite so that suitable arrangements can be discussed.
Yes. Surveyors will carry disposable shoe covers and will wear them at your request.
Please tell FFT or Red Kite when the appointment is arranged if you need additional support, a reasonable adjustment, information in another format or language, specific communication arrangements, or a family member, support worker or representative to be present.
FFT and Red Kite will discuss the appropriate arrangements with you.
The stock condition survey is a visual, non-intrusive inspection. The surveyor may record the visible condition of relevant materials or areas, but the visit is not a full asbestos survey.
If there is a concern about a material that could contain asbestos, the surveyor will report it to Red Kite so that it can be assessed through the appropriate process. Please do not disturb, cut, sand or damage any material you believe may contain asbestos.
Further information is available on our asbestos webpage, or by calling the Contact Centre on 01494 476100.
For questions about arranging or changing an appointment, please use the FFT contact details shown in your appointment letter.
For questions about the survey programme or your home, contact Red Kite on 01494 476100 or email assets@redkitehousing.org.uk.