Welcome to the RICS New Zealand

There are approximately 277 qualified Chartered Surveyors in New Zealand, 21 trainees, and 510 student members.   The majority of our practising members specialise in Quantity Surveying, Building Surveying and General Practice.  

The broad aims of RICS New Zealand are:

• to promote RICS to National and Local Government, and to the wider public
• to grow RICS membership in New Zealand
• to administer APC assessments locally
• to offer a range of member services including CPD & social events.

The property profession in New Zealand operates as a series of distinct sectors, also noted are the equivalent RICS ‘faculty’:

• Building Surveyors (Building Surveying Faculty)
• Construction & Quantity Surveyors (Construction & QS Faculty)
• Real Estate Agents (Commercial Property, Management Consultancy & Residential Faculties)
• Surveyors (Land) (Geomatics, Environment, Minerals & Waste Mgmt, Rural Faculties)
• Valuers (Valuation Faculty)

Contact a Chartered Surveyor

If you need to contact a Chartered Surveyor professional working, please contact the RICS Administrator Jo Maunder on e: jmaunder@rics.org.au or t: +64 9 811 8083 who will be able to put you in contact with the appropriate RICS professional.

RICS Degrees in New Zealand

There is currently one RICS accredited degree programme offered in New Zealand – the Bachelor of Property degree offered by the University of Auckland. It is possible that degrees, covering a variety of subjects, offered by other universities throughout New Zealand will also be accredited in the near future.

Moving to New Zealand?

If you are moving (or considering moving) to New Zealand and would like some help or advice, please do not hesitate to contact one of our RICS Administrator – Jo Maunder. Contact details for Committee officers can be found at Local Chapters or contact Jo maunder on e: jmaunder@rics.org.au or t: +64 9 811 8083.

Building Surveyors

There is currently no formally recognised qualification for building surveyors in New Zealand, and practitioners range from builders undertaking basic condition reports on buildings through to Chartered Building Surveyors who cover all aspects of property and construction from surveying of existing buildings and providing expert witness representation, to designing minor alterations/repairs schemes and supervising multi-million dollar projects.

Chartered Building Surveyors are regularly involved in due diligence surveys, pre-purchase reports, measured surveys, fabric maintenance plans and sinking funds, identification and analysis of building defects including repair proposals, preparing and negotiating dilapidation/reinstatement claims, expert witness and project management duties.

Building surveying extends across all real estate markets, from residential to commercial, industrial, retail, leisure, health care, education, and agricultural.

Construction & Quantity Surveyors

Quantity Surveyors in New Zealand are involved at all stages of construction, development and operation. Their services typically include estimating and cost planning, tender documentation (schedules of quantities), post contract administration and expert non-traditional services.

Firms and individuals are employed by a wide variety of industry participants including government, private developers, architects, contractors, banks and businesses.

Although the profession is unregulated in New Zealand, a working knowledge of the Construction Contracts Act, building codes and local forms of contract is desirable.

Local qualifications include the National Diploma in Quantity Surveying (technician level) and 3 - 4 year construction degrees with QS or construction economics majors. Many are members of the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NZIQS) and those with suitable qualifications become Registered Quantity Surveyors of that Institute.

 Whilst there is currently no formal reciprocity agreement between RICS and NZIQS, approved RICS qualifications combined with local experience may be used in applications for NZIQS membership. Depending on qualifications and experience, quantity surveyors may act as project managers, value management facilitators and in a variety of other expert roles.

Real Estate Agents

Real Estate Agents tend to specialise in either commercial or residential property and it is unusual in New Zealand for an agent to deal in both fields.

To practice in real estate, the agent must complete a salesperson's course approved by the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand or obtain a recognised degree in property, and also hold a current salesperson's Certificate of Approval from the Real Estate Agent’s Licensing Board. The salesperson's course (which is Part One of the National Certificate in Real Estate) can be completed by correspondence, block courses or day classes.

On completion of the course, agents have three years within which to start work in the real estate industry and to apply to the Real Estate Agent’s Licensing Board for a salesperson’s Certificate of Approval.

A salesperson's Certificate of Approval certificate cannot be issued without it being attached to a real estate agent’s licence, and an individual agent’s practising certificate is therefore held by the firm’s licensee and not by the agent.

Only when the certificate is issued can an agent undertake a role in sales or property management. Further qualifications are required to work as either a branch manager or licensee.

Qualified branch managers can work for a licensed real estate agent and manage salespeople working from a single office. Qualified licensees can establish their own real estate business.

Surveyors (Land)

Surveyors in New Zealand are the only professionals qualified to take accurate land measurements, and to fix precise positions in relation to land.

Surveyors act on a range of instructions including the siting of new buildings or boundaries, subdividing developing land, advising on boundary disputes, dealing with the registration of land leases; handling rights of way and easements, mapping and so on.

Registered Professional Surveyors must have completed a four year Bachelor of Surveying degree or equivalent, have attained a minimum of three years on the job experience, have passed the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors’ Professional Entrance Examinations, and have an advanced level of competency in two specific areas of surveying.

Registered Professional Surveyors must apply to have their RPSurv status renewed each year. There is currently a reciprocity agreement between RICS and the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors.

Valuers  

Property Valuers are required to be registered by the Valuers Registration Board before being able to undertake valuation work.

It is possible to apply for Registration only after obtaining a relevant degree and a further 3 three year on the job training period, although qualified Chartered Surveyors can usually apply for Registration after one year of work experience in New Zealand.

The Registration process is quite similar to the APC (the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence). Upon gaining Registration, practitioners may call themselves “Registered Valuers”.

Valuers (both registered and unregistered) may belong to the Property Institute of New Zealand, although membership is not essential in order to practice. There is currently a reciprocity agreement in place between RICS and the Property Institute of New Zealand.