Glossary Q-S

  • Qualifying Flat Owner

    The Qualifying Flat Owner owns a long Lease on a property (a lease for more than 21 years). 
  • Qualifying Tenant

    The Qualifying Tenant owns a long Lease on a property (a lease for more than 21 years). 
  • Qualifying Leaseholder

    The Qualifying Leaseholder owns a long lease on a property (a lease for more than 21 years). 
  • Quoins

    The dressed stones at the corners of buildings, usually laid so their faces are alternatively large and small. Usually in contrasting colour of brick or stonework from the rest of the wall. Common in Georgian houses. 
  • Queen post

    Two off-centre uprights used in traditional roof truss system. 
  • Radon

    A radioactive gas usually associated with granite rock, subsoils. 
  • Rafter

    A sloping roof beam, usually timber, forming the carcass of a roof. 
  • Random Rubble

    Basic early method of stonewall construction with no attempt at bonding or coarsing. 
  • Redemption

    Redemption describes the point where the mortgage has been repayment in full. 
  • Reinstatement Cost Assessment For Insurance

    A survey that estimates the cost of re-construction of a building damaged under an insured risk. 
  • Re-mortgage

    Re-mortgaging occurs when a property is used to finance a second mortgage if the property has risen in value since the initial mortgage was agreed. Otherwise, this describes the transfer of an existing mortgage to the new lender. 
  • Rendering

    Vertical covering of a wall either plaster (internally) or cement (externally), sometimes with pebbledash, stucco or Tyrolean textured finish. 
  • Repayment mortgage

    Distinct from an interest-only mortgage, this is a mortgage requiring monthly payments that cover both interest and principal so that the amount mortgage gradually reduces until redemption. 
  • Repossession

    The lender’s resumption of the ownership of a property once the Borrower is deemed unable to pay the outstanding mortgage. 
  • Reserve Fund

    Funds collected from Flat Owners over time to finance anticipated Major Works to the property. 
  • Retaining wall

    Supports ground to the rear of the wall, may provide support to structures, prevents landslip. 
  • Retention

    That part of a mortgage loan that is withheld until specific works or designated repairs have been satisfactorily completed on the property. 
  • Reveals

    The side faces of a window or door opening. 
  • Ridge

    Horizontal top to a pitched roof, usually covered with ridge tiles. 
  • Ridge Tile

    A specially shaped tile for covering and making weather right the ridge of a roof. These tiles may have a rounded or angular cross-section. 
  • Right to Manage

    The right of Owners to take over from the |Landlord (or from that Landlord’s appointed manager) the management of their units in a property by means of a Right to Manage Company (see RTM Company).
  • Riser

    The vertical part of a step or stair.
  • Rising Damp

    Moisture soaking up a wall from below ground, by capillary action which can cause rot in timbers, plaster decay, decoration failure etc.
  • Rolled steel joist

    RSJ used as a lintel to structural openings.
  • Roof Spread

    Outward bowing of a wall caused by the thrust of a badly restrained roof framework (see "collar").
  • Rotation of foundation, floor or lintel

    Tilting or overturning movement around axis.
  • Rough cast

    Cement render application to give rough uneven finish.
  • RSJ

    Frequently used abbreviation for a rolled steel joist.
  • RTM Company

    Not to be confused with a Limited Company, an RTM Company (Right to Manage Company) is separately registered at Companies House as a company that it limited by guarantee (rather than by share ownership). This type of company is usually designed to take over the management of a Block of units within a property.
  • Sash window

    A window formed with sashes or sliding frames running in vertical grooves.
  • Schedule of Dilapidations

    A survey that identifies any repairs required on tenanted properties. This is set against a Landlord’s or Tenant’s obligations to repair a property as identified in the lease.
  • Screed

    Final, smooth finish of a solid floor; usually cement, concrete or asphalt.
  • Scrim

    Hessian type material used to seal joints in plasterboard.
  • Search

    The enquiry of information about the property held by the Land Registry or by the Local authority.
  • Self-Contained

    A Building or Block that is either detached or otherwise capable of being redeveloped as if it were.
  • Semi-detached

    A property physically joined to one other property.
  • Septic Tank

    Drain installation whereby sewage decomposes through the action of bacteria, which can be slowed down or stopped altogether by the use of chemicals such as bleach, biological washing powders etc.
  • Service charge

    Please refer to ‘Maintenance charge’.
  • Settlement

    All properties settle to some extent, and it can show as cracking and/or distortion in walls. Very often minor settlement is not of great significance to the building as a whole.
  • Sewer

    A large, underground pipe or drain used for conveying waste water and sewage. The Local Authority is usually responsible for the sewers, which collect the effluent from various drains, the drains being the responsibility of the landowners.
  • Shakes

    Naturally occurring cracks in timber; in building timbers, shakes can appear quite dramatic, but strength is not always impaired.
  • Shingles

    Small rectangular slabs of wood used on roofs instead of tiles, slates etc.
  • Shiplap

    Weatherboarding of tongued and grooved planking.
  • Sill

    The lower horizontal part of a window frame. Materials may vary, generally timber or stone, can be tiled.
  • Skylight

    A window set into a roof or ceiling to provide extra lighting.
  • Sleeper walls

    See honeycomb walls.
  • Snagging

    Minor building works to be finished off after practical completion.
  • Snap headers

    Cut bricks to outer skin of cavity wall or rounded bays.
  • Soakaway

    A pit, filled with broken stones etc below ground to take drainage from rainwater pipes or land drains allowing it to disperse.
  • Soaker

    Piece of flexible metal fitted to interlock with slates or tiles and make a water right joint between a wall and a roof or at a hip or valley. Stepped flashings are used over the soakers at a joint against a wall.
  • Soffit

    The underside of an arch, beam, staircase, eaves or other feature of a building.
  • Soil Pipe/Soil Stack

    A vertical pipe conveys sewage to the drains. Its upper end is usually vented above the eaves.
  • Soldier arch

    Bricks laid vertically on end above window or door opening.
  • Sole agent

    The one estate agent authorised to handle either a sale or let.
  • Solicitor

    The legal professional handling all legal documentation involved in buying or selling a property.
  • Solid Fuel

    Heating fuel, normally wood, coal or one of a variety of proprietary fuels.
  • Spalling

    Breaking of surface of tiles or bricks, often associated with frost.
  • Spandrel

    Space above and to the sides of an arch; also the space below a staircase.
  • Stamp duty

    Stamp duties are a tax of between 1% and 4% of the property value if that property has a value greater than £60,000. It should be noted that Stamp Duty is only paid by the Buyers.
  • Stanchion

    Vertical support beam, generally steel today.
  • Stock Condition Survey

    A Stock Condition Survey assesses the condition of an organization's current building stock prior to the use of that stock in maintenance programmes.
  • Stopcock

    A valve on a gas or water supply pipe which is used to cut off the supply.
  • Stretcher

    Brick laid sideways.
  • Strings

    Sloping framework supporting ends of treads to staircase.
  • Structural Survey

    Please refer to 'Building Survey'.
  • Strut

    A roof timber, generally sloping between rafter and binder/ceiling joist.
  • Stucco

    A sturdy type of plaster, used on exterior walls, often spread in a decorative pattern.
  • Stud Partition

    Lightweight, sometimes non-loadbearing wall construction comprising a framework of timber faced with plaster, plasterboard and other finish.
  • Studio Flat

    A studio flat has one bathroom/shower room and an open-plan living area that incorporates kitchen and bedroom facilities.
  • Subframe

    Outer part of a window fixed directly to the wall.
  • Subject to contract

    'Subject to contract' is a term to show that no legally binding agreement has yet been made.
  • Subsidence

    Ground movement, generally downward, possibly a result of mining activities or failure of the sub-soil.
  • Sub-Soil

    Soil lying immediately below the top-soil.
  • Sulphate Attack

    Chemical reaction, activated by water, between tricalcium aliminate and soluble sulphates which can cause deterioration in brick walls and concrete floors.
  • Surveyor

    A professionally qualified individual to carry out the survey.