Director-led MRICS surveys - 15+ years of residential and commercial expertise.
Oliver Hamblin is an MRICS Chartered Surveyor with over 15 years' experience across residential surveying, valuation, commercial property and business rates advice - including twelve years at Altus Group (now Ryan), four as a Director in business rates. As director of Oliver James Chartered Surveyors, Oliver personally oversees every inspection and report, providing clear, practical advice to home buyers and commercial clients across Surrey and South West London.
Director-led MRICS surveys and commercial property advice
Oliver Hamblin is an MRICS Chartered Surveyor with over 15 years' experience across residential surveying, valuation, commercial property and business rates advice. He spent twelve years at Altus Group (now Ryan), four of them as a Director in the business rates team, advising commercial owners and occupiers on rating assessments, appeals and mitigation. As director of Oliver James Chartered Surveyors, Oliver personally oversees inspections and reports, providing clear, practical advice to home buyers and commercial clients across Surrey and South West London.
The practice is RICS-regulated and a member of the Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA). On the residential side we have particular experience with older, altered and defective properties - Victorian terraces, 1930s semis, period conversions and post-war housing. On the commercial side we advise on offices, industrial and warehousing, retail and leisure, and development schemes, from business rates to valuation and condition advice.
- 01MRICS-led
- Every inspection and report is carried out by Oliver personally - never subcontracted.
- 02RICS-regulated
- Independent practice regulated by RICS, with £500,000 professional indemnity cover underwritten by Hiscox.
- 0315+ years' experience
- Older, altered and defective properties across Surrey and South West London.
- 04Plain English
- Detailed, photographic reports - written to be read, with practical post-survey support.
Credentials & approach
MRICS Chartered Surveyor. Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, achieved via the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence - the recognised global standard for surveying practice.
RICS-regulated firm. Oliver James Chartered Surveyors is regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, holds professional indemnity insurance and complies with the RICS Rules of Conduct and Valuation - Global Standards (the Red Book).
Director-led inspections. Every inspection and report is carried out by Oliver personally - never subcontracted. You speak to the surveyor who inspected your property, before and after the report lands.
Older, altered and defective properties. Particular experience with Victorian and Edwardian terraces, 1930s semis, period conversions, listed buildings and homes with significant alterations across Surrey and South West London.
Commercial property and business rates. Twelve years with Altus Group UK Expert Services (now Ryan), including four years as Director in the business rates team, advising commercial property owners and occupiers on rating assessments, appeals and rates mitigation.
Practical post-survey support. We stay available after delivery to answer follow-up questions, talk through quotes from specialists, and help you decide what matters and what doesn't.
Business rates and commercial property advice
Alongside residential surveying, Oliver spent twelve years at Altus Group UK Expert Services (now Ryan), the last four as a Director in the business rates team, having previously held Associate Director, Senior Surveyor and Surveyor roles in London and Heathrow.
That work centred on business rates mitigation for commercial property owners and occupiers: reviewing rateable values, checking Valuation Office assessments for errors, preparing and negotiating Check, Challenge and Appeal cases, advising on empty rates and reliefs, and forecasting liabilities through the 2017, 2023 and 2026 rating lists.
Earlier in his career Oliver carried out mortgage valuations for lenders including Barclays Wealth, Bank of Cyprus and Lloyds Bank, and holds a BSc (Hons) in Property Management and Investment (Real Estate) from the University of the West of England.
The practical benefit for clients is a surveyor who reads a building commercially as well as technically - understanding how defects, alterations and use affect value, liability and running costs, not just the fabric.
What our clients say
"Very grateful to Oliver for his advice with a stressful business rates dispute involving my father. His guidance helped us achieve an excellent outcome. Highly recommended."
"Oliver made a very thorough inspection of the flat we aim to purchase and gave us a very in-depth report that pointed to issues that we didn't know. It was a pleasure to deal with him and we highly recommend him."
"My partner and I recently used Oliver for a L3 survey and he was brilliant. The level of detail in the report was excellent, and easy to understand. Oliver was really easy to communicate with, and we found the price to be very reasonable. I'd have no hesitation using Oliver again in the future, and highly recommend him to anyone looking to get a survey done."
"Oliver was quick & professional. His home buyers survey was thorough and helped me understand what I was getting into with a flat purchase. Would definitely recommend Oliver."
"Very prompt and thorough survey on a property we were considering buying. Everything in the report was explained well and clear to guide further steps needed. Would highly recommend Oliver James surveyors!"
"We went ahead with Oliver for a Level 2 Survey on a property we are purchasing, and compared to our previous surveyor experiences, Oliver was incredible! He had done a quick desktop search prior to providing our quote which was very competitively priced, and we had a few property specific questions which he went above and beyond to answer during the survey. Report was provided in a timely fashion and communication was excellent throughout. We will definitely use Oliver for any purchases going forward and recommend him to friends."
"I recently asked Oliver undertake a Level 2 Home Buyers Survey for a three storey Victorian house in South West London. The whole process was smooth, the price was very competitive, and it was a pleasure to deal with Oliver, an MRICS Chartered Surveyor with very detailed knowledge and understanding of the property type and locality. It was also great to see detailed photographs of the roof with the drone."
"Oliver was recommended to us by a friend. It turned out that the property we were looking to purchase needed a new roof and was suffering from damp issues and dry rot. He set out the probable causes and outlined the costs for remedial works. We decided not to proceed with the purchase but have enlisted his expertise for another property."
"Great service from Oliver Hamblin who completed the survey within a week from initial enquiry. The price was reasonable and the survey thorough. Very impressed."
"Oliver provided an excellent service, including a very detailed and thorough report. Would highly recommend."
"Prompt and detailed-oriented, Oliver booked a Level 2 survey the day after I contacted him and managed to complete it a day later. I'm very pleased with this service and I recommend it to anyone looking to buy"
"We have instructed Oliver to conduct a level 2 homebuyer survey for us which has been carried out very quickly and has provided us great insight on the structure of the house. We would recommend him for others who would like a quick and high-quality survey done at good value."
"Quick, friendly, thorough, professional and well priced. Came recommended through friends and would recommend on again. Thank you"
"Oliver was fantastic to deal with. He carried out a really thorough survey and explained everything clearly, picking up a few medium-level issues but reassuring me that there were no major defects. The report was detailed but easy to follow, and he gave practical advice about what to do next. Communication was great from start to finish. I would definitely recommend Oliver to anyone needing a survey - really reliable, approachable, and a pleasure to work with. Thanks again!"
"I instructed Oliver to conduct a Level 2 Homebuyers survey on a flat I had an offer accepted on and he did an exceptional job with the survey. He was able to inspect very soon after I'd instructed him and turned the report around within a matter of days. The report was very comprehensive and he was also incredibly prompt in providing answers to all my follow up questions. I would highly recommend Oliver James if you're looking to conduct a homebuyer survey."
"We had a fantastic experience with Oliver for our Level 2 Homebuyers Survey. The report was clear, comprehensive and really helped us understand the condition of the property. It gave us confidence moving forward and pointed out a few important things to consider before purchase. Highly recommend his work!"
"Had a great experience getting a Level 2 Homebuyers Survey on a period property. Oliver was extremely attentive, prompt and thorough. The report was very detailed and highlighted all of the necessary areas for improvement. Would highly recommend his services to anyone!"
"Oliver was very helpful and provided a clear, timely and thorough survey. Would definitely recommend!"
"Highly recommend. Oliver was very efficient, professional and prompt. Survey carried out and report delivered very quickly and to a high standard. Easy to interpret and advise greatly received. Would suggest to others and use again. Thank you Oliver"
"After seeing quotes from many surveyors, we decided to go with Oliver at Oliver James Chartered Surveyors, as he had a far more detailed and knowledgeable understanding of the property we were looking to purchase and had clearly done some desktop research beforehand. We were not disappointed. The Level 3 Building Survey was detailed and highlighted many issues that we would not have discovered otherwise. We were able to present the issues to the vendor to renegotiate the purchase price. It was well worth the money, and we would have no hesitation in recommending Oliver."
"I hired Oliver for a Level 2 survey, and the entire process was quick and seamless. I requested a quote on Saturday, and he responded the same day. He was able to schedule the survey for Wednesday morning, and by Thursday at 4 PM, we had the full report. The report itself was detailed, comprehensive, and far more insightful than other Level 2 reports we've received in the past. Oliver's professionalism and efficiency put our minds at ease about the property we're hoping to buy. I couldn't recommend him more highly!"
"After seeking quotes from many surveyors online, Oliver contacted me having already done some research in to the property and pointed out some potential things to look out for and what type of survey I might need. Oliver was able to book in a survey for the same week and issued the report less than a week after that. Very happy with the service. Recommended."
Discuss your property with a Chartered Surveyor.
A short, no-obligation conversation is usually enough for us to recommend the right level of report and provide a fixed-fee quote.