When you’re choosing your surveyor, it’s worth checking to make sure they are a certified RICS member. But what is RICS and why does it matter?
RICS stands for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. They are the leading international professional body who promote and enforce standards and qualifications for the land, real estate, construction and infrastructure sectors.
If a surveyor has a RICS qualification you can be confident that they have a guaranteed level of expertise and will carry out their work to the highest ethical standards. A RICS member will be held to account by their professional body and expected to adhere to a strict code of conduct.
How do surveyors become RICS certified?
In order to become RICS certified a surveyor must complete a RICS qualification. There are two main types of qualification which are each completed via a series of assessments:
- Associate: leading to AssocRICs accreditation
- Chartered: leading to MRICS accreditation
Both have stringent entry requirements including significant professional experience.
Once their qualification is complete, RICS members must also continue their professional development with ongoing training. This ensures your RICS surveyor approaches every job equipped with the latest knowledge and skills to complement their professional attitude.
Do surveyors have to be RICS?
In theory, anyone could work as a surveyor which is why it’s essential to check credentials before you make your choice. Check for the MRICS or AssocRICs designations or simply ask if they’re RICS registered.
Why is it important to use a RICS surveyor?
RICS surveyors all follow a strict code of conduct and carry out their surveys following highly professional guidelines.
When you buy a house, you are investing in the unknown which can be daunting and sometimes dangerous! A RICS surveyor alleviates the element of doubt with a thorough, trustworthy report. They will use their professional skills to check for a range of pitfalls, giving you the confidence to make informed decisions.
Away from house purchases, the skills of RICS surveyors can be used to settle party wall disputes and other property legal issues. The experience and expertise implied by a RICS qualification carries significant weight when it really counts.
Are non-RICS surveyors safe to use?
Deciding to use a non-RICS surveyor is risky. Without the RICS benchmark to give you confidence in their skills and professionalism, you really have no idea how accurate and reliable a report will be.
Ultimately, the decision lies with you but the jobs carried out by surveyors are usually extremely important with sometimes life-changing repercussions. Is it worth the risk of choosing someone with dubious/no professional qualifications who will not be held to account?
The real question to ask is: if they were serious about their work and good at what they do, why are they not RICS qualified?
Get in touch
If you’re in need of a RICS surveyor or have any questions, please get in touch. At Trinity Rose we carry out all our work to the strictest professional standards and will be happy to discuss how we can help.