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Marshalls are the independent Chartered Surveyors with offices in Oxford, Didcot, Newbury, Reading, Swindon and Witney.

Marshalls cover Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire and adjoining areas of Hampshire and Buckinghamshire.

Marshalls Chartered Surveyors are friendly, highly qualified professionals, experienced in all property types. We offer value for money, common sense surveys, written in plain English by experienced surveyors - not computers. Our surveyors pride themselves on giving exceptional service and will take time to fully discuss your proposed purchase.

80% of people buying a home do not get a professional survey - most buyers rely on a mortgage valuation, undertaken by their lender. However, this is only intended to give an indication of the value of the property and whether it is a good risk for the lender. It is not an indication of the condition of the property nor does it provide advice to the purchaser on the action they need to take to remedy any defects. Many mortgage valuations are now undertaken on a 'drive-by' or 'desk-top' basis and often the property is never physically viewed.

There are two different types of residential survey undertaken by Marshalls: The Building Survey (often called The Structural Survey), which is suitable for all property types.

There is also the less detailed HomeBuyer Report, suitable for most property, from the late Victorian era to the present day.  This type of survey is also ideal for flats and maisonettes.

In both cases, the property will be subject to a thorough and detailed survey of all areas. The survey reports are detailed, but written in plain English and richly illustrated in full colour with numerous photographs. We will telephone you with an initial verbal report outlining our survey findings. The written reports will follow within hours - we aim to send HomeBuyer reports the same day.

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September 2008 -  The average number of transactions per surveyor fell further in August as a lack of mortgage finance continued to stifle the ability of buyers to access the market.

The RICS house price balance improved slightly for the fourth consecutive month but still remains at a significantly low level. 81.0 percent more Chartered Surveyors reported a fall than a rise in house prices, a decrease from 83.1 percent in July.

The continued inability of many to secure mortgage finance is reflected in the collapse in transactions. The average number of transactions per surveyor (over the last three months) is now at 12.7, the lowest figure since the survey began with some Chartered Surveyor estate agents in a number of regions reporting less than 1 sale per week.

Demand remained weak in August. The balance of surveyors reporting new buyer enquiries fell slightly with 28 percent more Chartered Surveyors seeing a fall than a rise compared to 27 percent in July.

In June and July, surveyors reported that many sellers had dropped asking prices to more realistic levels and that predatory buyers were waiting to pounce on bargains, but the traditionally weak month of August has seen this interest stagnate.

New instructions to sell property edged closer to positive territory with 2 percent more Chartered Surveyors reporting a fall than a rise, up from 3 percent in June.

The latest repossession figures still remain well below the levels seen in the early 1990’s and the Government’s rescue package may have alleviate some of the trauma associated with this process.

Commenting, RICS spokesperson Jeremy Leaf said: "A lack of mortgage liquidity is the key issue which is keeping the housing market from showing any real sign of recovery. While money is scarce, many will continue to be denied the next step on the property ladder. The Government’s stamp duty policy will not be enough to kick-start transactions and is more likely to assist buy-to-let investors with better access to finance than the first-time buyers it was aimed at. More needs to be done to reinvigorate a market whose confidence has taken a severe knock. In the absence of much transactional activity many home owners are being forced to rent their properties while they wait for lending criteria to be loosened and demand to pick up."

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