The Dangers of Working on Your Own

 

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This is probably a more serious article than we normally write.  We just thought it was worth recognising all the work that has been done by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.  As Surveyors we often work alone and this certainly has made us think.

The missing Estate Agent that changed everything

On 28th July 1986 Suzy Lamplugh, a 25 year old estate agent who lived in London showed a Mr Kipper around a house in Fulham and to this day has never been seen again.  ( Kipper is actually a pronunciation of the Dutch name Cuiper).  This lead to her mother Diana Lamplugh and her father Paul Lamplugh setting up the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which campaigns for better personal safety particularly for women in the workplace.  Amongst its successes has been the promotion of safety in public places and also helping to get stalking recognised as a crime.  Diana Lamplugh - July 30th 1936 to August 18th 2011- earned an OBE in 1992 for her work for the charity and worked tirelessly until 2003 for the trust when she had to stop work following a massive stroke and Alzheimer's disease and has sadly since died.

It could happen to anyone working on their own

As Surveyors we are often working alone just as estate agents often give quite junior members of the estate agency viewing work to be carried out.  Whilst Surveyors tend to have the owner or the occupier present it is always of great help to us if we can have full details of the people that are present at the house together with phone numbers etc so we can confirm who we are with the person who is in the house when we get there.

This is so important yet we find estate agents are one of the biggest culprits of withholding information

Over the many years that we have been visiting houses to carry out surveys it's very common for estates agents to refuse to give any information with regard to the occupiers as they wish to arrange the appointment.  We understand from a sales point of view how they try to keep control of the sales but from a safety point of view as a surveyor going to a property where they have never met the person before specific information such as the occupiers name and phone number we feel are essential.  We ask all estate agents to help us in this matter.

Suzy Lamplugh was never seen again

Let us remind everyone that Suzy Lamplugh disappeared and was never seen again.  There was very little information available other than a note that was made about her showing a Mr Kipper around a house in Fulham.  Following investigations from 1986 her mother and father thankfully used their energies to set up the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.  In 2000 the case was re-opened and a convicted murderer was named as a chief suspect although it has to be added due to general lack of evidence the prosecution decided not to proceed.  They found her white Ford Fiesta, they found her possession's but her body has never been found despite police reopening the case in December 2000 and doing searches and also in February 2001 and 2010.  Nothing is more important than personal safety.

We recommend you take a look at The Suzy Lamplugh Trust Website

There is some interesting information on choosing a Lone Worker System.  They offer training, either in house or the term open access which is for all.  We found courses on practical lone working strategies, home visits, staying safe, dealing with difficult situations and aggression and personal safety when travelling for work located all across the country.  A range of personal safety equipment is available, everything from charm alarms (personal alarms), personal shriek alarms to mini gas alarms, DVD's, posters and booklets.  Their mission is to raise awareness to the importance of personal safety and to provide solutions that make change in order to help people to avoid violence and aggression and live safer more confident lives.  You can make donations via the Just Giving website, the gift aid website, the much to love website as well as actually on the Suzy Lamplugh.org website.

 

Independent professional property advice

On a different note we are independent Surveyors that can give you help and advice.  We will ask you for your name and contact details when you contact our office.  We look forward to working with you.

If you need help and advice with regard to a structural survey (or building survey, as it is now commonly known; structural survey being the old term for it) or a structural problem or an engineer's report, or you need a report specifically tailoring to your requirements please do not hesitate to call us for a friendly chat on free phone 0800 298 5424.

 

We would refer you to other interest articles on our website:

 

Advice on Disputes

What's in Building Regulations?

Buying and Selling General Information

Why have one of our surveys?

 

 

Residential Properties

We specialise in residential property with building surveys and structural surveys on everything from listed and period buildings, Victorian and Edwardian properties and Georgian properties.

Commercial Properties

We also look at both freehold and leasehold commercial properties.  We have great expertise in the pub and restaurant trade and we are experienced with dentist and doctors surgeries and also office blocks big and small together with other shops.  If you are in the difficult situation of having a dilapidations claim against you, you may wish to look at our www.DilapsHelp.com . If you are in the difficult situation of being in a property dispute you may wish to look at our website www.DisputesHelp.com .

Our articles

We hope you have found this article interesting and if you have any experiences that you feel should be added to this article that would benefit others, or you feel that some of the information that we have put is wrong then please do not hesitate to contact us (we are only human).

The contents of the website are for general information only and are not intended to be relied upon for specific or general decisions.  Appropriate independent professional advice should be paid for before making such a decision.

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