Stuart Falconer

Lead Building Surveyor responsible for the delivery, governance and compliance of the councils disrepair/housing condition service with direct management responsibilities for disrepair and any associated damp and mould. Duties include:

• Managing live housing disrepair cases in accordance with the Housing Disrepair Protocol, ensuring inspections, schedules and remedial works meet legal standards and timescales.
• Oversee damp and mould investigations and remediation in line with Awaab's Law compliance requirements.
• Carry out complex disrepair and damp and mould and general building inspections, diagnosing defects and specifying proportionate remedial works.
• Assist with Councillor enquiries, stage 1, and stage 2 complaints.
• Monitor claim status, statutory deadlines, solicitor fees, damages, repair costs and total spend alongside contractor performance and variations supported by RAG ratings.
• Liaise closely with Legal services on pre-action correspondence, evidence packs and claim resolution.
• Ensure regular communication between the council, and the resident through email correspondence and direct contact with the customer where appropriate.

Managed a multidisciplinary surveying service delivering damp and mould investigations, disrepair inspections and housing condition reporting across a social housing portfolio of approximately 18,000 properties. Duties included:

• Line management of Senior Surveyors, Maintenance Surveyors and Coordination/Administrative staff.
• Oversight of damp and mould, disrepair, stock condition surveys, responsive repairs and insurance related claims.
• Ensured inspections, specifications, and follow on works were technically robust, compliant and customer focused.
• Monitored service performance, variations, post inspections, disputes, recalls, permission requests and customer satisfaction.

Managed void surveyors, coordinators and contractors delivering minor and major void works.

• Reduced live voids backlog from 149n to 25 properties.
• reduced turn around times:

- Major voids from 58 to 16 days.

- Minor voids from 48 to 10 days.

• Reduced contractor reliance and increased in-house delivery.

• Led and line managed the responsive repairs and void surveying teams during the introduction of housing disrepair claims.
• Managed disrepair cases in collaboration with governance and legal teams.
• Attended court as an expert witness where required.
• Chaired contractor performance meetings, monitored recalls, disputes, post inspections, permission requests and customer satisfaction.

• Completed damp and mould, responsive repairs, void and stock condition surveys.
• Insurance claim related surveys for damage caused by subsidence, fire and escape of water.
• Produced specifications and raised works using the NHF Schedule of Rates.
• Managed my own diary, caseload and post inspections to ensure quality and customer satisfaction.

A qualified Carpenter and Joiner with extensive experience and general building knowledge across residential and commercial construction, including new builds, refurbishments, extensions and conversions. Working as direct labour, sub-contractor and business owner managing projects end to end.