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An audit of the 12 adult protection cases arising in a south London hospice during 2004 is reported, including case studies illustrating issues arising and information about the introduction of a new policy and procedure following No Secrets guidance (Home Office/Department of Health, 2000). Introducing reporting to local authority social services and adult protection co‐ordination raised various issues.

The concept of the mansion flat appears to have been developed by the Victorians. Large, often rambling, flats were arranged in a building designed to have an imposing and balanced appearance that frequently resembled a country mansion. The front of the building was usually fairly ornate with an elaborate entrance porch but the rear and internal courts had a more utilitarian aspect.

The inspection of an office building will not differ materially from those which are carried out to residential or other smaller properties. It will still be necessary to determine the condition of the building and to analyse the full extent of any defects. The main variation between the residential and the commercial survey will be in the report which is submitted.

This type of house was usually erected by developers or builders for sale when completed. They often infilled areas of bomb damage in suburban locations, or were situated on the new estates that sprang up after the last war (one hopes it was the last war). They are very rarely models of immaculate design, but usually provide a functional arrangement of 2½ bedrooms, bathroom, 2 reception rooms and a kitchen with a garage or garage space and some form of drive. The layout of the pre‐war 1930s type property is very similar but the methods of construction and the failures that one will find vary considerably.

Although it may be said that man sees the world through a window a surveyor can see much of the condition of a building in a window. From the narrow windows of the massive constructions of medieval times, the development of the structural frame with infill enabled windows to be enlarged. But it was the encouragement of the development of glass towards the end of the Middle Ages which enabled windows to throw light into the interior of the buildings and encouraged, the advancement of interior design and decoration.

In considering property for this Checkpoint article I have not listed a specific method of construction but have set out to comment on the survey of properties which are held under a Lease. One may consider that it is unreasonable to regard the inspection of such a property as being in any way materially different from the inspection of a Freehold commercial building. There is one major difference: with a Freehold dwelling you are advising your client of the liabilities and obligations that he may have to accept if he proceeds with the acquisition of the property that you are inspecting. You will have advised him on the probabilities of the need to maintain and repair certain sections of the building and ventured forth with informed advice on the cost of looking after the buildings.

For the purpose of this article I want to look at one of the house types most common in all the main cities and large towns of this country, the Victorian terraced property, usually on two floors, with a pitched roof falling from the middle to the front and rear and often with a back extension on two floors stretching out into the garden.

The timber frame is not a new form of building construction. Until the middle of the 18th century timber was the basic structural material used in this country. The method was gradually superseded by the use of brick and stone. This was caused by a decline in the availability of home grown timber and the improved social status of owning a brick built property. At the present time it is anticipated that half of the annual production of houses will be of timber frame by the end of next year.

The Victorian Town House, built in the second half of the 19th century to house the upper and middle classes with their retinue of servants, has since World War II been increasingly converted into self‐contained flats.