Some are suspicious of surveyors, believing that they can hide behind get-out clauses and disclaimers if they fail to detect problems.

BBC: No house survey is false economy, says Rics

It is clear to us that independent fiduciaries often fail to detect corrupt industry practices and may even be parties to such wrongdoing.

FORBES: Secrets of the DOL and PBGC: What Happens When Pensions are Taken Over by the Government? (July 5, 2005)

Partly, their exercise appears to be a clever attempt to deal with an issue that continues to dog the accounting profession, especially the biggest practitioners: limiting the potential liability for frauds and misstatements which they fail to detect.

ECONOMIST: Auditing firms: Opening the books | The