Document downloads - Residential property surveys
Available downloads
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Residential building survey site notes
Making an accurate and legible record of the inspection, to be maintained on file for at least 15 years, is essential. Queries can be raised several months or years after the job has been carried out and it gives an unprofessional impression if site notes are unavailable. Indeed, mounting a defence to a negligence claim often relies upon a complete set of site notes, or records made of contract discussions. Such notes therefore form a retrospective record of conduct and behaviour, and are prima facie evidence of the surveyor's competence.
This is a form that can be used to record these site notes during the inspection. -
Residential defects diagnosis checklist
A period of reflection should follow an inspection. The surveyor will gather his or her thoughts, review the findings applying his or her own technical knowledge of defect diagnosis and, if necessary, seek guidance from other specialist sources. A statutory review is also carried out at this time to establish legislative conformity and highlight any shortcomings.
This is a pre-inspection checklist for a defect diagnosis. -
Asbestos
Published May 2021
Effective from 1 August 2021
Reissued October 2022
The widespread use of asbestos has implications for property professionals working in all sectors and can impact on all stages of a building’s life cycle.
This professional standard contains a comprehensive overview of the legislation and industry guidance that govern the complex subject of asbestos. It provides guidance on the dangers asbestos poses to health and businesses, and sets out best practice advice to assist property professionals in complying with the regulations and implementing an effective management plan to ensure that they do not put themselves or others at risk.
The standard is not intended to advise members specially in the undertaking of asbestos surveys. Guidance on such surveys is set out in the HSE publication HSG264 Asbestos: The survey guide.
This document was reissued in October 2022 as a professional standard. It had previously been published in May 2021 as a guidance note. The regulatory requirements remain the same and no material changes have been made to the document. -
Surveys of residential property (ARCHIVED)
This document has been archived and is available on isurv for information purposes only.
This guidance note provides a clear, flexible framework for practitioners to develop their own services the public can trust, consistent with the quality standards expected from RICS members.
In May 2016, this guidance was updated and reissued by RICS. Changes made with immediate effect relate to:
- Liability caps: it is generally wise to include some form of limitation of liability in the contract letter, providing a cap on the amount of compensation the surveyor (or their employer) may be found liable for. This is now provided for in section 5 and Appendix A.
- Cancellation rights: members should take legal advice to ensure the Contract letter is compliant with legislation relating to a 'cooling off' period in accordance with the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. This is also now provided for in section 5 and Appendix A.
- Unexpired leasehold term: the assumption at 5.1.8 has been brought into line with RICS Valuation – Professional Standards UK appendix 10 with the unexpired lease term assumption adjusted from 70 years to 85 years
- The sample scope of engagement at Appendix A is not mandatory, but may help practitioners develop documentation that supports clearer client understanding. -
Contamination, the environment and sustainability: Implications for chartered surveyors and their clients (ARCHIVE)
This document has been archived and is available on isurv for information purposes only.
The challenges presented by contaminated land and environmental issues, such as the flood risk caused by climate change, and the need to live in a more sustainable way mean that the demand for best advice has never been more important. Surveyors are uniquely placed to provide this advice to clients in all property sectors.
This guidance note aims to support and guide the professional activities both of those who are already highly proficient in this area and also those who are less experienced.
This publication was reviewed and a new standard was published in 2018: 'Environmental risk and global real estate'. -
Party wall legislation and procedure
Published July 2019
Effective from 1 October 2019
Reissued May 2023
This standard provides guidance for RICS members who accept instructions for which the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 (the Act) may be relevant. It also describes the circumstances in which the Act will apply, as well as the procedures to be followed where it does.
The new 7th edition, which is effective from 1 December 2019, contains an in-depth and important section on professional conduct. While a party wall surveyor is minimally required to act only in accordance with their statutory obligations, an RICS member is expected to meet RICS expectations of professional and ethical behaviour commensurate with their membership, alongside their duty to conform to the Act.
The appendices contain various draft letters and draft notices and a revised and updated suggested draft award. -
Practice management guidelines (ARCHIVED)
This document has been archived and is available on isurv for information purposes only.
The Practice management guidelines, 3rd edition was aimed at small to medium practices and intended to assist in the day-to-day running of the business. -
RICS HomeBuyer Service
RICS HomeBuyer Report 2011 practice note Scotland was published in December 2011 and is still in effect.
Previous editions have been archived and are available on isurv for information purposes only. -
Surveying safely
Published November 2018
Effective from February 2019
Reissued July 2023
Appropriate management of health and safety is a requirement for all RICS-regulated firms and RICS members, including property-related businesses. The requirement for such management has been put in place in many countries across the globe and across industry sectors and governmental organisations in order to protect individuals from harm.
This professional standard sets out basic, good practice principles for the management of health and safety for RICS-regulated firms and RICS members. It sets out principles for those engaged in the built environment as property professionals and includes health and safety responsibilities:
• at a corporate level (whether the RICS-regulated firm is large or small) and
• at the level of the individual RICS member.
It covers property-related businesses and identifies the moral, ethical and practical issues that confront RICS-regulated firms and RICS members everywhere, in all the work that they undertake.
This document came into effect on 1 February 2019.
This document was reissued in July 2023 as a professional standard. It had previously been published in November 2018 as a guidance note. The regulatory requirements remain the same and no material changes have been made to the document. -
RICS Condition Report practice note (ARCHIVED)
This document has been archived and is available on isurv for information purposes only.
A new addition to the RICS Home Surveys family, the RICS Condition Report offers a concise overview of the condition of a property, complementing a mortgage valuation. -
Japanese knotweed and residential property
Published January 2022
Effective from March 2022
Reissued October 2022
This professional standard is an update to an RICS information paper published in 2012, responding to a House of Commons Science and Technology Committee published report – Japanese knotweed and the built environment – and a Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) investigation into Japanese Knotweed that questioned the current approach to assessing the risk, and by extension, impact on value, of Japanese knotweed on the built environment.
The purpose of this updated document is to address both the findings and provide guidance based on market-informed industry best practice and the most recent research about a more holistic assessment of Japanese knotweed to ensure RICS members provide the best advice to users of valuation and condition reports.
This document contains a decision tree based on risk level to help valuers determine the appropriate management approach needed for Japanese knotweed. The new process still delivers a straightforward and objective categorisation of Japanese knotweed infestations because this provides the clarity that is essential for lenders, and which will continue to ensure confidence and trust among wider stakeholders.
This document was reissued in October 2022 as a professional standard. It had previously been published in February 2022 as a guidance note. The regulatory requirements remain the same and no material changes have been made to the document. -
RICS Building Survey practice note (ARCHIVED)
This document has been archived and is available on isurv for information purposes only.
The RICS Building Survey is the premium product in the RICS Home Survey range. Clients who want a clear, impartial and detailed assessment of any type of property will choose it, and their expectations will be higher than that for the RICS HomeBuyer and Condition Reports. -
Flooding: issues of concern to RICS surveyors and valuers (Residential property) (ARCHIVED)
This document has been archived and is available on isurv for information purposes only.
This information paper describes the nature of the current flood risk problem, the consequences of that risk and how a residential practitioner may take these into consideration when providing residential survey and valuation services. -
Home survey standard
Published November 2019
Effective from 1 March 2021
Reissued April 2024
As part of our commitment to promoting and enforcing the highest standards in the residential sector, the RICS Home survey standard will become the best practice benchmark – enabling adoptees to demonstrate consistency, deliver the highest quality of service, meet evolving consumer needs and also contribute to delivering trust in the home survey market across the UK. It brings together the views of RICS professionals, cross-industry stakeholders and consumers.
In April 2019, RICS launched an industry and consumer consultation following an extensive review of existing guidance, which identified the need for a professional standard with a set of mandatory requirements for RICS members and regulated firms.
The resulting RICS Home survey standard is a fit-for-purpose standard for RICS members and regulated firms and delivers to current market needs. It is designed to significantly increase consistency, transparency and competency across all residential surveying in the UK and will be the single standard for condition-based home surveys. The concise mandatory requirements establish ‘benchmarks’ around which firms can design and deliver services that not only meet their clients’ needs but that the public can recognise and trust.
The purpose of this professional standard is to:
• establish a clear framework that sets minimum expectations – this is to protect and maintain consistent and high-quality standards in residential property survey services that RICS members and regulated firms provide
• provide mandatory requirements for RICS members and regulated firms in the UK who deliver any level of residential property survey
• replace and harmonise previous RICS publications relating to residential surveys.
In addition to the document, RICS will be developing supporting tools and materials over the coming months for members and firms delivering condition-based survey services to clients. -
Valuation of properties in multi-storey, multi-occupancy residential buildings with cladding
Published March 2021
Effective from 5 April 2021
Reissued August 2024
This document is intended to help valuers undertaking valuations for secured lending purposes on domestic residential blocks of flats in the UK only, but may also be useful when undertaking valuations of such properties for other purposes. -
Valuation approach for properties in multi-storey, multi-occupancy residential buildings with cladding
Published 15 December 2023
Effective from 1 January 2024
This document is intended to help valuers undertaking valuations for secured lending purposes on domestic residential flats, within residential blocks of 5 or more storeys or 11 metres or more tall. In accordance with the remediation schemes and qualifying lease protections, applicable to England only and those remediation schemes applicable to Wales only as set out by the respective governments. This approach will be updated to reflect remediation arrangements and schemes in Scotland and Northern Ireland once published. -
Residential retrofit standard
Published 19 March 2024
Effective from 31 October 2024
RICS’ first residential retrofit standard has been created in response to growing demand for retrofit services. It ensures that consumers carrying out retrofit upgrades to a residential property receive advice from skilled, regulated professionals, and protects the public interest by upholding high standards in a growing market.
This UK professional standard sets out a series of concise mandatory and recommended requirements and is effective from 31 October 2024, establishing benchmarks that guide RICS members in delivering residential retrofit services tailored to their clients' evolving needs.
The implementation of this standard represents an opportunity for RICS residential property surveyors to both upskill and embrace sustainable working practices in response to the growing demand. According to UK government statistics, residential retrofits need to increase to a rate of 500,000 per year by 2025, and one million per year by 2030 to meet the decarbonisation target. Hence, there is a market need for a standard that facilitates reliability and consistency and provides a foundation for professional indemnity.