An introduction to basic terminology used in housing construction, highlighting the places in buildings where problems can arise. Participants will conduct a housing inspection, and learn what to look for and how to report on deficiencies identified and conditions found. The course also looks at the legal context of house inspection including the new way of assessing residential accommodation under the Housing Act 2004.

Course contains

• Reasons why it is necessary for housing to be inspected
• How traditionally constructed houses are built
• Modern forms of construction
• Common problems in housing
• Reporting on and describing accommodation and deficiencies
• Legal provisions relating to deficiencies in housing
• Carrying out an actual inspection and preparing a report of defects

Learning outcomes

After this course, you will be able to:

• Understand why proper inspection of homes is important within the legal context
• Carry out a basic inspection of a property and report on matters found
• Identify deficiencies in housing with confidence
• Understand some of the most common terminology
• Understand the different forms of dampness and causes.

Suitable for

Anyone working in housing or related fields who needs to inspect properties, communicate their findings from the inspection and prepare an inspection report as part of their work. Previous experience of house inspection or report writing is not required.

Note
As the course involves an inspection of a property which may be in poor condition, participants should come dressed appropriately. Participants will travel to the inspection site by public transport on day two. A map and full instructions will be provided.

Enquiry line

Please call 0344 515 1155 or email training@shelter.org.uk

In-house training

We can also run this course in-house. Find out more about in-house training