Whether you’re buying a property, looking for a valuation, renovating or doing repairs, it’s critical to reduce the risk of something going wrong which is why choosing an RICS accredited surveyor is so important.
This is because sadly, not all surveyors are born equal. In the UK anyone can call themselves a surveyor. It’s only an RICS chartered surveyor that can genuinely give you the security and peace of mind your project needs.
When you choose an accredited RICS chartered surveyor you get the unbiased expertise of a certified professional and the guarantee that the RICS strict codes of practice regulate them.
Knowing that you’re protected by professional indemnity insurance will reduce the anxiety around your valuation
In brief, they are the governing organisation of chartered surveyors.
“The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is a professional body promoting and enforcing the highest international standards in the valuation, management and development of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure.”
RICS: Upholding Professional Standards
RICS train, regulate, promote and facilitate the continuous professional development of all chartered surveyors.
In fact, their mission has a wide scope and is truly international in setting high measures for the industry to follow.
As you can see:
“RICS delivers confidence through respected global standards, adopted and enforced by over 134,000 qualified and trainee professionals across the built and natural environment.”
Anyone, with a relevant RICS qualification, proves they have a high degree of specialised professional knowledge.
But that’s not all, and just as important, being a member of RICS shows a commitment to a strong standard of ethical practice.
Why choose an RICS accredited surveyor? Well, it’s because they are part of one of the most respected bodies in the industry.
Being RICS certified is the industry standard, and achieving this prestigious qualification is difficult.
There are 3 routes to certification:
Because their training is exceptional.
Even if you fit the criteria to join any of the three routes to become RICS qualified, the academic standards are significant.
Clients want the confidence of knowing they’re working with a professional chartered surveyor. To ensure quality, the qualification is intentionally tough because gaining these critical skills needs rigorous practice at the highest level.
This commitment to excellence sets an RICS chartered surveyor apart from other professional surveyors with non-chartered status.
First, as an RICS accredited chartered surveyor they will need to show their membership status.
They’ll be an MRICS, AssocRICS, or FRICS. It should be on their business card and on the website.
Second, you can check directly with RICS to see if their on the members roll.
RICS Find a Member
RICS Find a Surveyor Firm
From house building and buying to renovations, repairs and planning consent, RICS chartered surveyors offer a wide range of services.
In particular, they specialise in many types of property valuation and surveys, including:
Drawing from a deep well of expertise, they are indispensable in giving you an unbiased, professional appraisal.
Also, with the backing of the Institute, you know you’ll get the security that they are expertly trained with significant hands-on experience.
Why choose an RICS accredited surveyor? Because they offer all of this and more.
In one word, yes, it’s absolutely worth it.
Not only do they follow the quality standards of the RICS, but professional indemnity insurance covers them to protect you against any errors in the work they do or even worse any negligence they are responsible for.
People often ask,
“Are they a waste of money?”
“Surely I can just use a normal surveyor and not an RICS chartered surveyor?”
In answer to this, an RICS survey is an essential investment.
Everyday, people use unaccredited surveyors who simply don’t have the skills of an RICS surveyor. In a lot of cases, using their services can be a waste of money as they can’t pick up the important aspects of the job and evaluation.
This puts you and your home in jeopardy as it increases the risk of not spotting something significant.
Why choose an RICS accredited surveyor?
Because only an RICS surveyor has the expertise needed to give your survey a thorough evaluation. So choosing an RICS accredited surveyor is important.
Caveat emptor… let the buyer beware.
If you don’t get a thorough survey, you really are walking in the dark.
From potentially not spotting issues such as damp, subsidence or even biohazards, or structural issues, the bottom line is you will be financially liable if you go ahead.
Also, your insurance might be void and may not cover what you need.
The pros far outweigh the cons.
Why choose an RICS accredited surveyor? Because they can help prevent this and so much more.
Ideally for peace of mind and to reduce the risk of anything disastrous happening it is good practice to always get an RICS survey and valuation. Lenders tend to just get a simple survey to check they’ll get the forced sale value back of the property.
Why choose an RICS accredited surveyor?
Because they will give you further information on the property that a normal lending valuation won’t. This is essential for avoiding big expenses later on for renovations and repairs.
There are several ways that include;
All of Camsure’s chartered surveyors are RICS qualified and pride themselves on their local knowledge. So choosing an RICS accredited surveyor is so much easier. You can find a surveyor near you easily by visiting Areas We Cover.
There are 4 main types of survey and at Camsure Home Surveys we offer all of them.
They include:
This RICS Homebuyer Survey Report is an independent report, conducted by an RICS Accredited and Regulated Surveyor who will complete a detailed visual inspection of the property.
From this, you’ll be able to see the property’s condition and any areas of concern prior to purchase.
You’ll know exactly what you’re getting before you buy.
Buying a property is a big decision. You’ll want to know you’re getting the best deal. Also that the property is structurally sound and that it fits your needs.
To support you in making the right decision, It’s vital to have someone make sense of all the information and find out what’s really going on with your property.
This is where the Home Buyer Survey Report With Valuation will really help.
Having a team of RICS Accredited and Regulated Surveyors and Registered Valuers will make sure you don’t get stung.
It’s ideal for anyone who wants confirmation that they are paying the market value for the property and also require a rebuild cost for the insurance.
Formerly known as a Full Structural Survey, this is the most comprehensive home survey you can buy.
It’s ideal for older properties, those in poor condition or for planned major works.
The report includes a more in-depth analysis of the property's condition, comprehensive advice and an insurance rebuild valuation.
This is a written market valuation of your property for situations like Help To Buy, Shared Ownership and for appraisals concerning inheritance tax.
You can add valuations and rebuild costs to a Building Survey by request, for an additional fee.
If you’d like a more detailed explanation of the different surveys, check out this article "Everything you ever wanted to know about Homebuyer Survey Reports"
No two surveys are the same, so it depends on the job.
If you’d like a free quote or just a chat about the best way forward please get in touch.
It’s a good question.
With over 35 years of experience, we are proud to say that “We are experts in all aspects of construction from the middle ages to the present day.”
This makes our services rather special, particularly around:
Don’t take our word for it. In fact, we won the Southern Home Surveyors of the Year 2019 and we’re rated “excellent” by Trustpilot. So, if you are looking for more information about your project and fancy a chat, please get in touch.
RICS - www.rics.org
"We recently had a Level 2 Home Buyer Survey conducted. At the Camsure office, we dealt with Amber who was incredibly helpful and prompt with replies to emails. Mat conducted our survey and was thorough and send over the findings within 48 hours. I had a swift and enjoyable experience with the team."
Jamie Body - Jun 15, 2021
"Excellent service. The Homebuyer report was extremely thorough and quickly delivered. I was also impressed that they were happy to discuss the findings even 3 months after the survey taking place to address our concerns. I highly recommend their services. "
Anna Ku May 27, 2021
Homebuyer Reports, Help to Buy Valuations & Building Surveys
Camsure Home Surveys covers the counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Norfolk and Suffolk.
Our RICS accredited surveyor operates in Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich, Felixstowe, Harwich, Chelmsford, Colchester, Stansted, Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead, Watford, Hatfield, Bishop Stortford, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Huntington and Peterborough.
Camsure Home Surveys cover many counties and cities including Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Kent, Surrey, Oxfordshire, East and West Sussex.
Our RICS accredited surveyor operates in Oxford, Aylesbury, High Wickham, Portsmouth, Winchester, Reading, Maidenhead, Brighton, Dartford, Canterbury, Folkstone and Dover.
Camsure Home Surveys cover most of Devon and Cornwall including Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Dorset.
Our RICS accredited surveyor operates in Bristol, Swindon, Bath, Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth, Plymouth, Barnstable and Newquay.
Camsure Home Surveys cover Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and most of Lincolnshire.
Our RICS accredited surveyor operates in Lincoln, Boston, Nottingham, Leicester, Rugby, Northampton, Derby, Stoke on Trent, Shrewsbury, Hereford, Worcester and Stratford upon Avon.
Camsure Home Surveys cover Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and County Durham.
Our RICS accredited surveyor operates in Sunderland, Berwick upon Tweed, Newcastle upon Tyne and the Cathedral City of Durham. Towns include Tyneside, Gateshead, Stockton on Tees, Darlington, Redcar and Cleveland.
Camsure Home Surveys cover Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside and the Isle of Man.
Our RICS accredited surveyor operates in Manchester, Crewe, Liverpool, Chester, Preston, Blackpool, Lancaster and Carlisle.