THE TRUST GUIDE / CHECKING CREDENTIALS
Find a RICS surveyor.
Then verify the match.
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 practice.
“Surveyor” is not a protected title — the verification lives in the RICS record. RICS regulation means binding rules of conduct, insurance requirements and a redress route, and RICS membership means assessed competence. All of it can be checked, which is why the first question is never “which website?” but “which practice, exactly, is accountable for my survey?”
01 / BEFORE YOU BOOK ANYONE
The five checks.
- 01A named, accountable practice identified before the instruction is completed
- 02Current RICS membership, 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 practice that inspected after the report — included, not extra
02 / THE MINIMUM, THEN THE MATCH
Membership first.
Relevant experience next.
Verified RICS membership is the entry check, not the whole decision. What determines the usefulness of your survey is the individual’s experience with the age, construction, condition and alteration history of your property. A professional who reads pre-1919 stone terraces every week brings different pattern recognition from one whose practice is mostly modern flats. The right match combines membership, scope and relevant building knowledge.
03 / WHERE TO ACTUALLY LOOK
Three routes
to a real one.
Use the official RICS Find a Member register to verify an individual’s current membership. The separate RICS Find a Surveyor directory lists regulated firms by area and service. Personal recommendations work when the recommender actually used the survey — not when an estate agent suggests someone convenient to the sale. Matching services work when they verify rather than resell: the quote should confirm the regulation check and disclose the practice and its credentials before the instruction is completed.
04 / HOW SURVEYCHOICE DOES IT
Checked practice first. Your name last.
A region only switches on when an accountable, RICS-regulated practice with in-date professional indemnity insurance is on the network. The anonymous result confirms the check; the practice and its checked credentials are disclosed when you proceed and before the instruction is completed. The practice’s RICS surveyor inspects, and the practice that inspected 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 matters beyond RICS membership?+
Relevant experience. Ask whether the surveyor regularly inspects your property type, construction and age, and whether they deliver the survey level you need. Membership is the minimum check; suitable competence is what makes the match useful.
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 practice be named before I instruct it?+
Yes. Before the instruction is completed you should know the practice delivering it, its checked credentials, the agreed scope and who will answer questions after the report.
05Does SurveyChoice check its practices?+
Yes. A region only goes live once an eligible RICS-regulated practice is on the network. SurveyChoice checks every practice’s RICS regulation, insurance and terms. The anonymous quote confirms the check; the practice is named when you choose to proceed and before the instruction is completed.