If you are looking for a home Survey you have probably already learnt that there are three levels of survey, but did you also know there are three levels of RICS membership as well?
A member of RICS can be:
• AssocRICS which stands for Associate Member of RICS
• MRICS which stands for Member of RICS
• FRICS which stands for Fellow of RICS
Although there are three grades of membership and three levels of survey these two facts are completely unconnected. A member of any grade carry can carry out any level of survey as long as they are competent to do the job, and it is the competence that matters.
The first grade was introduced in the 1990’s, the other two have been around since the beginning. Just to make things a little confusing, AssocRICS members are not designated Chartered, you have to be MRICS or FRICS to be a Chartered Surveyor. However, you don’t have to be a Chartered Surveyor to carry out Home Surveys.
To complicate matters further, a MRICS surveyor might only have 2 years’ experience and an AssocRICS 20 years experience, or it might be the other way round. An AssocRICS member might have a lot of experience with older and complicated buildings, whilst an MRICS might have specialised in mainly valuations and modern properties, or it might be the other way round. FRICS status is not granted on technical competence, instead it recognises contribution to the profession. All three grades work to the same ethical and professional standards.
RICS membership and competence is a complicated topic and something which RICS are currently reviewing but from the point of view of a home buyer what matters is whether the surveyor you have picked is competent to carry out a survey on the property you are buying
The best way to find out if a surveyor is right for you is to speak to the surveyor who will actually be carrying out the survey. Ask if they have experience with that type of property you are buying? Find out how long they have been working in the profession? Do they just do Home Surveys or do they also carry out other areas of work? Can they answer any questions you may have about the property? What support do they offer after your receive the survey report?
To find out if I am the right surveyor for you and your new home then get in touch.