With so much choice when choosing to instruct a surveyor two of the most important questions you should ask are:
1. Are you a chartered member of the RICS?
2. Is your company regulated by the RICS?
If the answer to both of these are yes you can be assured to receive work of a higher standard. The RICS ensure that companies act in a certain manner. These are highlighted below and are taken from the RICS website where they can be reviewed in greater detail:
Professional behavior
A Firm shall at all times act with integrity and avoid conflicts of interest and avoid any actions or situations that are inconsistent with its professional obligations.
Competence
A Firm shall carry out its professional work with due skill, care and diligence and with proper regard for the technical standards expected of it.
Service
Firm shall carry out its professional work with expedition and with proper regard for standards of service and customer care expected of it.
Training and Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
A Firm shall have in place the necessary procedures to ensure that all its staff are properly trained and competent to do their work.
Complaints handling
A Firm shall operate a complaints handling procedure and maintain a complaints log. The complaints handling procedure must include an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism that is approved by the Regulatory Board.
Clients’ money
A Firm shall preserve the security of clients’ money entrusted to its care in the course of its practice or business.
Indemnity
A firm shall ensure that all previous and current professional work is covered by adequate and appropriate indemnity cover which meets standards approved by the Regulatory Board.
Advertising
A Firm shall promote its professional services only in a truthful and responsible manner.
Solvency
Firm shall ensure that its finances are managed appropriately.
Arrangements to cover the incapacity or death of a sole practitioner
A Firm which has a sole principal (i.e. a sole practitioner or a sole director in a corporate practice) shall have in place appropriate arrangements in the event of that sole principal’s death or incapacity or other extended absences.
Use of designations
A Firm registered for regulation must display on its business literature, in accordance with the Regulatory Board’s published policy on designations, a designation to denote that it is regulated by RICS.
Information to RICS
A Firm shall submit in a timely manner such information about its activities, and in such form, as the Regulatory Board may reasonably require.
Co-operation
A Firm shall co-operate fully with RICS staff and any person appointed.
If you would like more information on the subject or would like to discuss your own project please do not hesitate to contact us for all Building Surveying services. We are based in Rochdale but cover the North West and the rest of the UK.