Chartered surveyor
‘Surveyor’ is a very broad term that covers a wide range of disciplines and activities such as; land surveys, property surveys, construction/engineering surveys, quantity surveying and so on.
‘Chartered surveyor’ is the legally protected title that is given to surveyors who have passed an assessment of professional competence. The representative body is the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and only fully-qualified members are allowed to use the designated title of ‘chartered surveyor’. This is denoted by ‘MRICS’ following their name.
Members of the RICS must keep up-to-date with current practice, and comply with a code of professional and ethical standards which requires them to:
- Act with integrity.
- Always provide a high standard of service.
- Act in a way that promotes trust in the profession.
- Treat others with respect.
- Take responsibility.
Chartered surveyors are also subject to an RICS Complaints Handling Procedure which is available on request to any client. In addition, services provided by chartered surveyors should be backed by professional indemnity insurance (PII) lasting up to six years from the date of any professional work being undertaken.
Chartered surveyors may work in a range of different property and building fields, often providing clients with specialist advice on property-related issues. These services commonly include; providing property valuations, assessing buildings for defects, assessing damage or dilapidations for insurers, mortgage valuations, quantity surveying, land surveying, estate management, environmental advice, and so on. However, individual chartered surveyors rarely have expertise in all of these different areas, which is why partnerships or other organisations are formed to be able to provide a wider range of services.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Building People.
- Chartered institute.
- Commercial manager.
- Continuing professional development.
- Cost consultant.
- EWS1 forms not required for buildings without cladding.
- Measurement.
- Professional indemnity insurance.
- Professional practice.
- Quantity surveyor.
- Quantity surveyor’s fees.
- Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
- Surveyor.
- What is a Chartered Practice?
Featured articles and news
The 5 elements of seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke.
Shading for housing, a design guide
A look back at embedding a new culture of shading.
The Architectural Technology Awards
The AT Awards 2025 are open for entries!
ECA Blueprint for Electrification
The 'mosaic of interconnected challenges' and how to deliver the UK’s Transition to Clean Power.
Grenfell Tower Principal Contractor Award notice
Tower repair and maintenance contractor announced as demolition contractor.
Passivhaus social homes benefit from heat pump service
Sixteen new homes designed and built to achieve Passivhaus constructed in Dumfries & Galloway.
CABE Publishes Results of 2025 Building Control Survey
Concern over lack of understanding of how roles have changed since the introduction of the BSA 2022.
British Architectural Sculpture 1851-1951
A rich heritage of decorative and figurative sculpture. Book review.
A programme to tackle the lack of diversity.
Independent Building Control review panel
Five members of the newly established, Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommended, panel appointed.
Welsh Recharging Electrical Skills Charter progresses
ECA progressing on the ‘asks’ of the Recharging Electrical Skills Charter at the Senedd in Wales.
A brief history from 1890s to 2020s.
CIOB and CORBON combine forces
To elevate professional standards in Nigeria’s construction industry.
Amendment to the GB Energy Bill welcomed by ECA
Move prevents nationally-owned energy company from investing in solar panels produced by modern slavery.
Gregor Harvie argues that AI is state-sanctioned theft of IP.
Experimental AI housing target help for councils
Experimental AI could help councils meet housing targets by digitising records.
BSRIA Occupant Wellbeing survey BOW
Occupant satisfaction and wellbeing tool inc. physical environment, indoor facilities, functionality and accessibility.