Glossary D-G

  • Dado Rail

    A wooden moulding fixed to the wall or capping panelling and forming the top most part of a dado. Originally designed to avoid damage to the wall where people or furniture brushed against it. 
  • Damp-Proof Course

    Layer of impervious material (mineral felt, pvc etc) incorporated into a wall and designed to prevent dampness rising up the wall or lateral dampness around windows, doors etc. Various proprietary methods are available for damp-proofing existing walls including "electro-osmosis" and chemical injection. 
  • Deathwatch Beetle

    (Xestobium Rufovillosum). Extremely serious insect pest which attacks structural timbers. Usually affects old hardwoods with fungal decay already present. 
  • Deeds

    Deeds are legal proofs of ownership, held by the Lender. 
  • Deposit

    Paid to the Lender at the time contracts are exchanged, a deposit is usually 10% of the value of the property. 
  • Detached

    A property that is physically separate from the neighbouring properties. 
  • Detailing

    Flashing upstands and other roof weather sealing. 
  • Determination Date

    The determination date is the Landlord’s deadline (typically at least 30 days after the issuance of the Claim Notice) for response to the Claim Notice. 
  • Development

    A Development is a general term used to describe either modernised and renovated existing property or a newly built property. 
  • Dilapidations

    Dilapidations are any decay, damage or disrepair in a property. 
  • Director

    A Company Director is legally accountable for the running of the Right to Manage Company. They are legally obliged to comply with Company Law and with Health and Safety law. 
  • Disbursements

    Fees (including stamp duty, land registry and search) paid on the buyer’s behalf by their solicitor. 
  • Discharge

    The discharge of the mortgage is the process of paying it off. 
  • Dishing

    Downward movement to the centre of a floor or roof. 
  • Dormer window

    A window placed vertically in a sloping roof that has a tiny roof of its own. Most often seen in second floor bedrooms. 
  • Double Glazing

    A method of thermal insulation usually either: Sealed unit: Two panes of glass fixed and hermetically sealed together; Or Secondary: In effect a second "window" positioned inside the original window. 
  • Double Hung Sash Window

    A window in which the opening lights slide vertically within a cased frame, counter balanced by weights supported on sash cords which pass over pulleys in the frame. 
  • Draft Contract

    An early version of the contract, issued for discussion and negotiation only. 
  • Dry Rot

    (Serpula Lacrymans). A very serious form of fungus which attacks structural and joinery timbers, often with devastating results. Can flourish in unventilated areas. 
  • Duty to Provide Information Notice – Section 93

    A request can be sent after the issuance of the Claim Notice to the Landlord by the RTM Company for the information required to run the Block. 
  • Easement

    Right over adjoining property, e.g. for drainage, light etc. 
  • Eaves

    The overhanging edge of a roof. 
  • Efflorescence

    Powdery white salts crystallised on the surface of a wall as a result of moisture evaporation. 
  • Elemental or Specialist Investigation

    This kind of survey is carried out when the Building Survey has identified specific problems with the property (such a cracks in the walls) and recommended specialist analysis, by qualified personnel. It may also require the testing of services, which is not carried out in a Building Survey. 
  • Endoscope

    Equipment for viewing inside wall cavities etc. 
  • Endowment mortgage

    This is a form of mortgage where monthly premiums are made into an endowment policy that pays off the loan at the end of the term. At the same time, the interest is repaid monthly. 
  • Engineering Brick

    Particularly strong and dense type of brick, often used as a damp proof course in older buildings. 
  • Equity

    The difference between the value of a property and the mortgage owed. 
  • ERC (Early redemption charge)

    The Lender may charge the Borrower a fee determined in the mortgage contract, if the Borrower repays the mortgage before the end of the term. At the same time, the interest is repaid monthly. 
  • Excess

    The initial sum paid on an insurance claim. 
  • Exchange of contracts

    The occasion where signed contracts are physically exchanged and the Buyer and the Seller become legally bound to the price and terms of the purchase and sale of a property. 
  • Exclusion clauses

    Parts of reports limiting surveyors liability. 
  • Eyebrow window

    Set into roof slope under curve in tiles. 
  • Facade

    Front elevation of building. 
  • Failed Valuation Survey

    The Lender may reject a mortgage application if the surveyor’s valuation report shows that the property is worth less than the mortgage sought. 
  • Fascia

    A horizontal piece (such as a board) covering the joint between the top of a wall and the projecting eaves; also called fascia board. 
  • Fibreboard

    Cheap, lightweight board material of little strength, used in ceilings or as insulation to attics. 
  • Fillet

    Sealing of joist and corners between surfaces, generally cement mortar. 
  • Financial Obligations

    Financial Obligations identify those obligations to be paid on behalf of all the Owners(s) in a property, and typically covers maintenance, insurance and repairs. 
  • Finlock gutters

    Interlocking pre-cast concrete gutters. 
  • Fixed rate mortgage

    A fixed rate mortgage fixes the rate of interest for a given period of time. 
  • Fixtures and Fittings

    All non-structural items included in the purchase of a property. 
  • Flank

    Side elevation of building. 
  • Flashing

    Building technique designed to prevent leakage at a roof joint. Normally metal (lead, zinc, copper) but can be cement, felt or proprietary material. 
  • Flat Owner

    The Flat Owner owns the lease of the flat. 
  • Flaunching

    A cement mortar weathering on the top of a chimney stack surrounding the base of the chimney pots to throw off the rain and thus prevent it from saturating the stack. 
  • Flexible mortgage

    A mortgage that allows for agreed increases or decreases in the repayments to be made. 
  • Flight

    Straight run of stairs. 
  • Flue

    A smoke duct in a chimney, or a proprietary pipe serving a heat producing appliance such as a central heating boiler. 
  • Flue Lining

    Metal (usually stainless steel) tube within a flue - essential for high output gas appliances such as boilers. May also be manufactured from clay and built into the flue. Other proprietary flue liners are also available. 
  • Flying freehold

    In England the ownership of airspace over another Freehold. 
  • Flying shore

    Temporary support framework between buildings. 
  • Foundations

    Normally concrete, laid underground as a structural base to a wall; in older buildings these may be brick or stone. 
  • Freehold

    Where the ownership of the property by the owner has no time limit. 
  • French door

    A tall casement window that reaches to the floor and opens like a door. 
  • Frieze 

    Decorated band along the upper part of an interior wall. 
  • Frog

    An indention, usually V shaped in the bedding face of the brick to reduce its weight. "Frog down" or "Frog Up" are the generally accepted ways of describing how the bricks are laid. 
  • Gable

    Upper section of a wall, usually triangular in shape, at either end of a ridged roof. 
  • Galvanic corrosion

    Galvanised steel tanks rust in presence of lead and copper.
  • Gazumping

    When a seller agrees to sell a property to a buyer, but has not exchanged contracts, and then accepts a higher offer from a third party. 
  • Gazundering

    When a buyer lowers the offer to the seller before contracts are due to be exchanged. 
  • Ground Heave

    Swelling of clay sub-soil due to the presence of moisture: can cause an upward movement of foundations in extreme cases. 
  • Ground Rent

    The annual sum the Freeholder charges to the leaseholder. 
  • Grout

    Filling for joists or cracks, especially in tiling. 
  • Guarantor

    A Guarantor agrees to pay the borrower’s debt if the borrower defaults on the loan. 
  • Gulley

    An opening into which rain is collected before entering the drain. 
  • Gutter

    A channel along the eaves of a roof or the edge of a path for the removal of rainwater.