ABBE/Sava Level 6 Diploma in Residential Surveying & Valuation (ABBE, UK)

During the inspection of a 1930s semi-detached house, you observe horizontal cracking along the mortar joints of the front elevation at roughly 900mm intervals. The brickwork appears slightly bowed outwards. What is the most likely cause of this defect?

• ASulphate attack within the mortar joints
• BCorrosion and expansion of mild steel cavity wall ties
• CThermal expansion of the external brick skin
• DSubsidence of the front bay window foundation

A client complains of dampness on the lower ground floor of a Victorian terraced house. Your inspection reveals salt band efflorescence and damp plaster up to 1 metre high on the front solid wall. A moisture meter indicates high electrical resistance readings in a continuous band. What is the most appropriate diagnosis?

• APenetrating damp from defective external render
• BCondensation caused by poor mechanical ventilation
• CRising damp due to a lack of or bridged damp proof course (DPC)
• DLateral dampness from high ground levels abutting the wall

While inspecting the roof void of a property built in 1970, you notice that the gang-nailed timber trusses are leaning laterally and some of the horizontal tiling battens are bowing. There is no diagonal bracing installed. What structural defect is occurring?

• ANail fatigue
• BRoof spread
• CRafter sagging
• DLack of longitudinal and diagonal stability bracing

A solid brick wall of a Georgian house is finished externally with a modern cement-based render. You observe extensive cracking and hollow-sounding areas when tapped. Why is a cement-based render unsuitable for this substrate?

• ACement render is too vapor-permeable and allows excessive moisture ingress
• BIt is too rigid and impermeable, trapping moisture and causing freeze-thaw damage
• CIt reacts chemically with the historic lime mortar, causing sulphate attack
• DIt increases the thermal transmittance of the wall, leading to condensation

You are assessing a property situated on shrinkable London Clay. There is a large oak tree located 10 metres from the rear elevation. The rear wall shows diagonal stepped cracking (5mm wide) that is wider at the top than the bottom. What is the most probable cause of this movement?

• AGround heave due to the removal of vegetation
• BThermal contraction of the rear extension
• CSubsidence caused by clay shrinkage due to moisture abstraction by the tree
• DSulphate attack in the concrete strip foundations

During a roof space inspection, you identify a white, cotton-wool-like fungal growth on the ceiling joists, accompanied by dark brown, bracket-shaped fruiting bodies. The timber is deeply cracked along and across the grain (cuboidal cracking) and crumbles easily. Which timber-destroying fungus is present?

• AConiophora puteana (Wet Rot)
• BSerpula lacrymans (Dry Rot)
• CAnobium punctatum (Common Furniture Beetle)
• DDonkioporia expansa (White Rot)

A modern cavity wall property (built in 2015) has a finished ground floor level that is only 75mm above the external block paved driveway. What is the main regulatory and maintenance concern regarding this detail?

• AThe driveway will suffer from structural instability due to poor sub-base compaction
• BThe damp proof course (DPC) is bridged, increasing the risk of penetrating and rising damp
• CSurface water will flow into the cavity weep holes, flooding the floor void
• DThe foundation depth is insufficient under Approved Document A

You inspect a property with solid suspended timber ground floors. There are only two air bricks on the front elevation and none at the rear due to a solid concrete conservatory extension. What defect should you actively look for in the floor joists?

• ADry rot caused by lack of cross-ventilation and elevated sub-floor relative humidity
• BSulphate attack from the concrete conservatory slab
• CDeflection under dead loads due to wet-bulb temperature variations
• DInfestation by Death Watch Beetle (Xestobium rufovillosum)

What is the primary indicator of 'nail fatigue' in a slate roof of a mid-Victorian terraced house?

• AThe slates splitting along their natural cleavage planes due to frost action
• BSlipped slates gathered at the eaves or in the gutters due to corrosion of the fixing nai…
• CA white efflorescent powder forming on the underside of the slates
• DThe purlins sagging and causing the slate course lines to warp diagonally

While surveying a property built in 1965, you notice extensive vertical cracking in the external brickwork panels directly beneath the windows on the southern elevation. The cracks close up during the winter months. What is the cause of this cyclical movement?

• AThermal expansion and contraction of the brickwork
• BSeasonal moisture variations in the clay foundations
• CCorrosion of the window lintels
• DCarbonation of the mortar joints

During the inspection of a 1970s bungalow, you find that the concrete ground floor slab has risen in the center of the living room, cracking the ceramic floor tiles. There is no plumbing leak. What chemical reaction in the sub-base material could explain this?

• ADezincification of brass pipe fittings
• BCarbonation of the concrete aggregate
• CSulphate attack on the concrete floor slab from high-sulphate shale fill
• DDelamination of the damp proof membrane (DPM)

A surveyor notes diagonal cracks (3mm wide) running upwards and outwards from the lintel corners of a newly built extension. The lintels are catnic-style steel lintels. What is the most likely cause of this cracking?

• AThermal expansion of the steel lintel pushing the masonry
• BInadequate bearing length of the lintel on the masonry supports
• CRust expansion of the steel lintel due to lack of galvanisation
• DDeflection of the lintel under excessive floor load

When inspecting a timber-framed house constructed in 1990, you find evidence of condensation and mold growth inside the cavity between the outer brick skin and the inner timber frame. What construction layer is likely missing or defective?

• AThe external breather membrane
• BThe internal vapor control layer (VCL)
• CThe cavity insulation batts
• DThe cavity trays above openings

A surveyor notices that the mortar joints of a chimney stack on a Victorian house are white, powdery, and crumbling. The brickwork faces are spalling, and there is vertical cracking in the stack. What chemical action is occurring?

• AFrost action on saturated masonry
• BSulphate attack caused by combustion gases reacting with wet mortar
• CCarbonation of the lime mortar
• DAcid rain dissolving the clay bricks

You are surveying a 1950s house with a solid concrete ground floor. The thermoplastic floor tiles (Marley tiles) have lifted and show a white powdery residue around the edges. What is the most likely cause?

• AFailure of the adhesive due to cleaning chemicals
• BRising damp due to the absence of a damp proof membrane (DPM)
• CSulphate attack from the sub-base shale
• DCondensation forming on the cold tile surface

In a 1900 Edwardian property, you observe stepped diagonal cracks (up to 4mm wide) above the lintel of the front bay window. The window frames were replaced with uPVC units 2 years ago. What structural failure has occurred?

• AThermal expansion of the new uPVC frames
• BLoss of structural support because the original timber window frames acted as load-bearin…
• CSubsidence of the bay window foundation
• DLintel decay due to dry rot

During the inspection of a house built in 1920, you note that the external solid brick walls (finished in lime mortar) show localized areas of dampness on the internal plaster. The dampness corresponds with areas where cement mortar has been used for repointing. What is causing this?

• AThe cement mortar is more porous and absorbs water
• BThe cement mortar restricts evaporation, forcing moisture into the brickwork and internal…
• CA chemical reaction between the cement and the original lime mortar
• DCondensation forming on the colder cement joints

You are inspecting a flat-roofed extension built in 2005. You observe sagging of the roof deck and damp patches on the ceiling plasterboard. The roof is a warm roof design. What is the most likely cause of the dampness?

• AA missing or torn vapor control layer (VCL) allowing moisture to condense within the insu…
• BThe roof insulation is too thin, causing thermal bridging
• CThe felt covering has cracked due to UV degradation
• DInadequate ventilation of the roof void

What is the key visual distinction between rising damp and penetrating damp during a property inspection?

• ARising damp causes mold growth, whereas penetrating damp never does
• BRising damp is limited to the lower ground floor with a defined 'tide mark', while penetr…
• CPenetrating damp always shows a high level of nitrates and chlorides, while rising damp d…
• DRising damp only occurs on solid stone walls, while penetrating damp only occurs on brick…

A surveyor is inspecting a property built in 1980 and notices that the external brickwork is showing white, powdery deposits on the surface. The deposits can be easily brushed off and do not cause damage to the brick face. What is this phenomenon?

• AEfflorescence caused by soluble salts migrating to the surface as water evaporates
• BSpalling caused by frost action on saturated bricks
• CSulphate attack on the brickwork clay
• DCryptoflorescence crystallizing beneath the brick surface

During the inspection of a 1930s house, you observe diagonal stepped cracks (3mm wide) on the flank wall. You notice that a large poplar tree was removed from the garden 6 months ago. What soil action is likely causing the cracking?

• ASubsidence due to foundation overload
• BHeave caused by clay swelling as it rehydrates following tree removal
• CSulphate expansion within the concrete strip foundations
• DThermal contraction of the flank wall panels

A surveyor notes that the ceiling under a flat valley gutter of a terraced roof shows damp staining. The roof has slate covering. What is the most critical maintenance check for a valley gutter?

• AChecking for nail fatigue in the adjacent slates
• BChecking for debris accumulation and cracks in the lead lining due to thermal expansion
• CVerifying the U-value of the ceiling insulation
• DChecking the moisture content of the purlins

While surveying a property built in 1910, you notice that the internal lath and plaster ceilings are sagging in several rooms. When you press gently, there is significant movement. What is the primary cause of this defect?

• AFailure of the timber joists due to overload
• BBreakage of the plaster 'keys' that hold the plaster to the timber laths
• CShrinkage of the timber laths due to central heating
• DCondensation within the floor void

You observe vertical cracking (2mm wide) at the junction between a 1930s house and a newly built rear extension. The extension has solid concrete strip foundations, and the original house has shallow brick footings. What is the most likely cause of this cracking?

• ASubsidence of the original house foundations
• BDifferential settlement between the new extension and the original house
• CThermal expansion of the extension masonry
• DSulphate attack in the new concrete floor slab

A Victorian property has a solid brick front wall. During winter, dampness appears around the head of the window opening on the first floor. Your external inspection reveals no defects in the brickwork or lead flashing, but there is a dense cement mortar pointing. What is the most likely cause?

• APenetrating damp through the solid wall
• BThermal bridging and surface condensation at the lintel due to a cold bridge
• CRising damp reaching the first floor level
• DWater entering through a defective roof valley

A client requests a valuation of a residential property for capital gains tax (CGT) purposes. Which RICS Red Book Global Standard specifically covers the written report format and content requirements that the surveyor must follow?

• AVPS 1 (Terms of Engagement)
• BVPS 3 (Valuation Reports)
• CVPS 4 (Bases of Value, Assumptions and Special Assumptions)
• DVPGA 10 (Valuation for Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance Tax and Stamp Duty Land Tax)

When valuing a flat in a high-rise block for mortgage purposes, you identify that the building has cladding. Under RICS guidance (December 2022 update), what document is required to confirm the fire safety of the wall system, and how does it affect your valuation?

• AAn Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or above
• BAn EWS1 (External Wall System) form, which determines if remedial works are needed and th…
• CA Building Regulations Part B compliance certificate from the local authority
• DA structural survey report from an Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) member

Which of the following describes 'Market Value' as defined in VPS 4 of the RICS Red Book?

• AThe estimated amount for which an asset should exchange on the date of valuation between…
• BThe price that would be received to sell an asset in an orderly transaction between marke…
• CThe value of an asset to a specific owner or prospective purchaser for individual investm…
• DThe estimated amount for which a property should lease on the date of valuation between a…

You are valuing a three-bedroom detached house for probate (Inheritance Tax) purposes. You identify three comparable properties that sold within the last 3 months. Comparable A has an extra bathroom but is identical otherwise. How should you adjust the value of Comparable A to help determine the subject property's value?

• AAdd the estimated cost of building an extra bathroom to the subject property's value
• BDeduct the market value contribution of the extra bathroom from Comparable A's sale price
• CAdd the market value contribution of the extra bathroom to Comparable A's sale price
• DIgnore Comparable A because it is not an exact match

A client wants to purchase a residential property that has a remaining lease term of 68 years. What is the primary valuation concern regarding this lease length?

• AThe ground rent will automatically double every 5 years under the Leasehold Reform Act
• BThe property becomes unmortgageable for most lenders, and the cost to extend the lease wi…
• CThe freeholder can repossess the property immediately without compensation
• DThe leaseholder will lose their right to manage the building

Which of the following valuation methods is most appropriate for assessing the market value of a parcel of residential development land with planning permission for 5 detached houses?

• AThe Comparable Method
• BThe Residual Method
• CThe Investment Method
• DThe Profits Method

What is the purpose of calculating the 'Reinstatement Cost Assessment' (RCA) for a residential property, and what index is typically used?

• ATo estimate the market value of the property in its current condition; using the Halifax…
• BTo calculate the cost of rebuilding the property for insurance purposes in the event of t…
• CTo determine the rental yield for investment purposes; using the RICS Red Book yield tabl…
• DTo estimate the value of the land alone; using the Land Registry house price index

A surveyor is preparing a valuation for a UK mortgage lender. The lender's guidance notes state that the valuation must assume 'vacant possession'. What does this assumption imply?

• AThe property is currently empty of all furniture and occupants
• BThe property will be free of any tenancies or occupational rights at the point of complet…
• CThe property is legally registered under a freehold tenure
• DThe property has no outstanding mortgage or financial charges secured against it

You are valuing a semi-detached house located within 50 metres of an active high-speed railway line. How should you reflect this proximity in your valuation report?

• AIgnore it if the current occupier states they do not hear the trains
• BComment on the potential noise and vibration, and adjust the valuation based on comparabl…
• CRefuse to value the property as it is automatically unmortgageable
• DAdvise the client to purchase a structural survey to assess if the railway has cracked th…

What is the difference between 'Fair Value' and 'Market Value' as defined in RICS Red Book VPS 4?

• AFair Value is for tax purposes only, while Market Value is for mortgages
• BFair Value assumes a transaction between specific, identified parties who may have indivi…
• CThere is no difference; they are interchangeable terms
• DFair Value excludes the value of the land, while Market Value includes it

A property is sold with a sitting tenant under an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) with 10 months remaining on the fixed term. The tenant pays a market rent. How should you value this property for a standard residential owner-occupier mortgage lender?

• AValue the property as an investment using the investment method and a high yield
• BValue the property at Market Value assuming vacant possession, but deduct the cost of leg…
• CReport the tenancy, and value the property on the Special Assumption of vacant possession…
• DRefuse the valuation because ASTs are illegal under the Rent Act 1977

When valuing a house for mortgage purposes, you find that the property is of non-traditional construction (specifically, a Wimpey No-Fines concrete house). How does this affect your valuation and lending advice?

• AThe property is automatically structurally unsound and has a value of zero
• BYou must report the construction type, as some lenders exclude specific non-traditional d…
• CYou must value it as a standard brick property because the external walls are rendered
• DYou must recommend a full concrete core drilling test under Approved Document A

A client asks you to value their house for a lease extension under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993. The property has 85 years remaining on the lease. Will marriage value be payable to the freeholder as part of the premium?

• AYes, marriage value is always payable regardless of the lease length
• BNo, marriage value is only payable if the remaining lease term is under 80 years
• CYes, because the lease is under 99 years
• DNo, marriage value is only payable for commercial property leases

A residential property is valued using the Comparable Method. Comparable B is located in a slightly less desirable school catchment area but is physically identical to the subject property. Comparable B sold for £350,000. How should the location adjustment be applied to Comparable B's sale price?

• ADeduct a percentage from Comparable B's price to reflect its inferior location
• BAdd a percentage/sum to Comparable B's price to reflect the subject property's superior l…
• CMake no adjustment because school catchments are not material valuation factors
• DAdjust the subject property's asking price downwards to match Comparable B

Which RICS Red Book standard requires a valuer to confirm that they have the necessary knowledge, skills, and understanding of the local market before accepting a valuation instruction?

• APS 1 (Compliance with professional standards and member obligations)
• BPS 2 (Ethics, competency, objectivity and disclosures)
• CVPS 1 (Terms of Engagement)
• DVPS 2 (Inspections, adequacy of information and document retention)

What is the primary valuation method used to determine the market value of a tenanted residential property being purchased by a buy-to-let investor?

• AThe Residual Method
• BThe Cost Method
• CThe Investment Method (All Risks Yield)
• DThe Comparable Method (Capital Value)

A property valuation is prepared under the assumption that the property has a Category 3 Japanese Knotweed infestation within 3 metres of the dwelling. According to the RICS Guidance Note (2022), what is the typical impact on mortgage valuation?

• AThe property is given a zero value and declared unlendable under all circumstances
• BLenders will require a professional management plan and a insurance-backed guarantee, wit…
• CJapanese Knotweed has no impact on value if it is not inside the house fabric
• DThe surveyor must perform a soil extraction test before completing the report

A valuer is inspecting a flat for a mortgage valuation. The property has a Ground Rent of £500 per annum, which doubles every 10 years. What is the regulatory and valuation issue with this lease term in the UK?

• AThe lease is void under the Law of Property Act 1925
• BThe ground rent exceeds the threshold where the lease can be classified as an Assured Ten…
• CThe ground rent is illegal under the Tenant Fees Act 2019
• DThe ground rent must be paid directly to the local authority as council tax

When applying the Comparable Method, what is the 'Rule of Three' regarding comparable evidence?

• AYou must inspect at least three rooms of each comparable property
• BYou should ideally obtain details of at least three completed comparable transactions to…
• CYou must value the property using three different valuation methods
• DYou must adjust the comparable value by a maximum of 3% for location

Under RICS Red Book Global VPS 1, which of the following must be agreed in writing with the client before the valuation is delivered?

• AThe exact list of comparable properties that will be used
• BThe identity of the valuer, the basis of value, and the fee agreed
• CThe structural stability of the foundations
• DThe rebuild cost for insurance purposes

A valuer is assessing a house for a buy-to-let mortgage. The property has an EPC rating of E. The client plans to let the property immediately. What regulatory standard must the valuer highlight in the report?

• AThe Housing Act 2004 HHSRS standards
• BThe Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations, which currently require a min…
• CThe Building Regulations Part L requirements for new boilers
• DThe Green Homes Grant scheme compliance criteria

A property is sold with a Restrictive Covenant in the title deeds that prevents the property from being used for any trade or business. How should this covenant be treated by the valuer?

• AIgnore it, as covenants are legal matters for the conveyancer and do not affect market va…
• BAssume the covenant can be removed for a nominal fee under the Law of Property Act 1925
• CReport the covenant, assess its impact on the property's marketability and use, and value…
• DDeclare the property unmortgageable and decline the instruction