THE TRUST GUIDE / CHECKING CREDENTIALS
The letters matter.
Here’s how to check them.
Anyone can put “surveyor” on a website. This guide covers what RICS membership actually guarantees, and the five checks worth making before you book anyone — including us.
How SurveyChoice verifies its network →THE ANSWER / READ THIS FIRST
Don't look for a brand. Look for a named, checkable professional.
“Surveyor” is not a protected title — the verification lives in the letters. RICS membership means assessed competence, binding rules of conduct, insurance requirements and a redress route. All of it attaches to a person, which is why the first question is never “which company?” but “who, exactly, is inspecting my house?”
01 / BEFORE YOU BOOK ANYONE
The five checks.
- 01A named individual — not “one of our team” — identified before you pay
- 02Their RICS grade and number, checkable on the public register at rics.org
- 03Professional indemnity insurance in place — a genuine firm answers this instantly
- 04The report delivered to the RICS Home Survey Standard, at a stated level
- 05A conversation with the surveyor after the report — included, not extra
02 / THE LETTERS, DECODED
AssocRICS. MRICS.
FRICS.
Three membership grades, reflecting different routes in and career stages: associate, chartered member, fellow. All three are verified members bound by the same rules of conduct, the same standards and the same CPD obligations. What decides the quality of your survey is the individual’s competence with your property type — a surveyor who reads pre-1919 stone terraces daily will out-survey a grander set of letters that doesn’t.
03 / WHERE TO ACTUALLY LOOK
Three routes
to a real one.
The RICS “Find a Surveyor” directory lists member firms by area. Personal recommendations work when the recommender actually used the survey — not when an estate agent suggests someone convenient to the sale. And matching services work when they verify rather than resell: the test is whether you see the named professional and their credentials before you hand over your contact details.
04 / HOW SURVEYCHOICE DOES IT
Verified membership first. Your name last.
A region only switches on when an accountable surveyor with verified RICS membership is in the registry. The match — name, grade, practice — appears beside your fixed price before you pay or share a phone number. Then the person who inspects is the person who writes the report and takes your call. See your match and price →
STRAIGHT ANSWERS
Before you ask.
01Why does RICS membership matter for a surveyor?+
Because it is verifiable. RICS membership means assessed competence, mandatory professional standards and CPD, professional indemnity requirements, and a complaints and redress route if something goes wrong. 'Surveyor' alone is not a protected title — the letters are what you can actually check.
02What is the difference between AssocRICS, MRICS and FRICS?+
They are membership grades reflecting different routes and career stages: AssocRICS (associate), MRICS (chartered member) and FRICS (fellow). All are verified members bound by the same rules of conduct and standards. What matters for your survey is the individual's competence for the property type and the level being delivered.
03How do I check a surveyor is really RICS registered?+
Ask for their full name and membership number, then check them on the public register at rics.org. A genuine member will expect the question. If a firm advertises RICS credentials it cannot evidence, walk away.
04Should the person who inspects my house be named before I book?+
Yes — that is the single most useful thing to insist on. A brand cannot carry professional responsibility; a named professional can. You want to know who is turning up, what their credentials are, and that the same person writes the report and takes your call afterwards.
05Does SurveyChoice verify its surveyors?+
Yes — a region only goes live once an accountable surveyor with verified RICS membership is in the registry, and the matched professional's name and credentials are shown beside your quote before you pay or share contact details.