Document downloads - Rating disputes
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Surveyors acting as advocates
Published February 2017
Effective from 1 June 2017
The professional statement sets out the core duties expected of the surveyor-advocate. It applies where you agree (whether in writing or orally) to act as a surveyor-advocate before any tribunal in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
The guidance note offers guidance on fundamental aspects of advocacy practice. It outlines general duties and roles and offers best practice advice on, among other things, case preparation and preliminaries, evidence and documents, and hearings.
A client guide (a stand-alone electronic version of the professional statement) is also available. -
Rating appeals (ARCHIVED)
This document has been archived and is available on isurv for information purposes only.
This guidance note provides an outline of the rating appeal system in England and Wales, describing the various processes involved in making a proposal to alter a rating list. It also offers best practice advice to surveyors who may be required to appear before Valuation Tribunals (VT) either on behalf of a ratepayer client or as, or on behalf of, a valuation officer (VO) when dealing with an appeal arising from a proposal to alter a rating list.
This guidance note should be applied in conjunction with the joint RICS/IRRV/RSA Rating consultancy code of practice, 4th edition, March 2017, which has been adopted as a mandatory professional statement of RICS. -
Rating consultancy code of practice
Published April 2024
Effective from 1 June 2024
The code of practice has been jointly adopted by RICS, the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) and the Rating Surveyors’ Association (RSA).
With the aim of improving consumer protection and maintaining professional standards, the code sets out the standards of practice that rating consultants must adopt in all cases where they are either seeking instructions, or are approached by a new or existing client, to provide advice in relation to non-domestic rating matters.
The 5th edition includes some small revisions to the appendices and other minor areas from the previous edition published in 2017. These improve accountability around the use of declarations contained in the appendices, to support consumer protection.
The code has mandatory application in relation to rating consultancy work undertaken by members of RICS, IRRV or RSA. -
Surveyors acting as expert witnesses
Published April 2014
Effective from 2 July 2014
Reissued February 2023
Surveyors acting as expert witnesses, 4th edition, applies to surveyors when providing expert evidence, whether oral or written, before a range of courts and tribunals in the UK,
The practice statement sets out the mandatory duties of a surveyor in providing evidence, while the guidance note provides further information on good practice, including: the need for clear instructions and terms of engagement; fees; guidance on what to do in situations of conflict of interest; an outline of the written report format; clarification of the differences between the roles of expert witness and advocate; and the immunity of the expert witness.
A stand-alone electronic version of this practice statement (without the guidance note) is also available for potential use with clients in connection with the particular requirement of PS 3.3.
This document was amended in February 2023 to remove wording from PS10 and GN19 which could be read as prohibiting expert witnesses from taking instructions from solicitors who are engaged on a conditional fee, even if the expert is instructed on an unconditional fee basis. This was not the intention of RICS and has therefore been amended for clarity. -
RICS Valuation – Global Standards 2017 (ARCHIVED)
This document has been archived and is available on isurv for information purposes only.
The RICS Valuation – Global Standards 2017 took effect from 1 July 2017, the same date as the IVS 2017.
The accompanying Basis for Conclusions explains the rationale behind the more significant changes made in the final version of the Red Book 2017. Specifically, it addresses the main refinements made in consequence of the responses received to the public consultation. It has been produced purely to assist the reader and does not form part of the standards.
Following the publication of the new edition of IVS, an updated Red Book takes effect from 31 January 2020 in line with the IVS. -
The Contractor's Basis of valuation for rating purposes
Published August 2017
Effective from August 2017
This guidance note is intended to be applicable for Contractor’s Basis rating valuations effective from 1 April 2017 and thereafter. The purpose of this guidance note is to aid the understanding of the Contractor’s Basis for the general rating practitioner while providing a common framework of the basis for the more experienced practitioner.
It covers:
- scope and application
- the approach to valuation
- stages of the valuation approach
- material change of circumstances. -
RICS Valuation – Global Standards
Published 30 November 2021
Effective from 31 January 2022
The new edition of Red Book Global Standards (RICS Valuation – Global Standards) takes effect on 31 January 2022, the same date as the new edition of the International Valuation Standards (IVS).
The accompanying Basis for conclusions explains the rationale behind the more significant changes made in the new edition of Red Book Global Standards. Specifically, it addresses the main refinements made in consequence of the responses received to the public consultation. It has been produced purely to assist the reader and does not form part of the standards.
The main reason for issuing the update to Red Book Global Standards is to take account of the changes to the IVS, which Red Book Global Standards adopts and applies.