Complaints

RICS Regulation is responsible for ensuring that RICS Members and Firms meet the requirements of RICS’ Rules of Conduct. These Rules define the professional, ethical and business standards which are expected of RICS Members and Firms.

These Rules also require RICS regulated firms to have a Complaints Handling Procedure (CHP) to deal with complaints about the firm. If you are not happy with the surveying services you have received from an RICS Member or Firm, this information is designed to assist you if you wish to make a complaint.

Complaining to a Regulated Firm

If you are not happy about the service you have received from a Firm that is Regulated by RICS and believe that you may be entitled to financial compensation, you should ask the Firm for details of its 'Complaints Handling Procedure'. 

Every regulated Firm must have such a procedure in place and the Firm should have told you about it in its terms and conditions of engagement. If you have not received details of it, ask the firm for its Complaints Handling Procedure in writing. Keep a copy of the request letter, along with proof that you have sent it (such as keeping the e-mail delivery receipt or sending the letter by recorded delivery).

The firm's CHP will have two stages

• Complaints will be considered by a senior member of the firm or a designated complaints handler
• If the complaint cannot be resolved, it will be referred to an independent redress scheme such as an ombudsman. There are a number of redress schemes and the firm's CHP must give details of the redress scheme to which it refers complaints so that you know where to take your complaint. 

Read more about How to complain about RICS Members and Firms.

Complaining to RICS

If you have a complaint to make, you should always contact the Member or Firm concerned first and deal with your complaint through their Complaints Handling Procedure.

RICS Regulation is the regulatory arm of RICS and is responsible for ensuring that RICS Members and regulated Firms behave in a professional manner and adhere to our rules and regulations. Where Members or regulated Firms fall short of the standards expected of them, RICS Regulation can take appropriate action to ensure the risk of further transgression is minimised.

It is important, however, to recognise what RICS Regulation can and cannot investigate.

Matters RICS can investigate

RICS Regulation only has powers to deal with RICS Members and regulated Firms’ breaches of RICS Bye-Laws, Rules, Regulations, Practice Statements and other compulsory requirements that apply. Therefore we will only be able to investigate certain matters, for example

• Failure to use a complaints handling procedure;
• Conflicts of interest;
• Misuse of clients’ money;
• Failure to answer correspondence; or
• A conviction of a criminal offence.

In some cases, the service provided by an RICS Member or regulated Firm is subject to legal provisions and/or regulated by other bodies, for instance when our Members act as Expert Witnesses or are appointed as Party Wall Surveyors. If that is the case, then your complaint will not be considered until the underlying dispute has been resolved.

Matters RICS cannot investigate

Whilst part of RICS’ role is to offer consumer protection (such as client money protection, rules covering independent complaints procedures with linked redress and professional indemnity insurance) we cannot award compensation or force our Members or regulated Firms to do anything – or refrain from doing anything – even if that means they are in breach of RICS Rules or Regulations.

It is important that you realise we do not resolve the complaint itself – that remains a matter between you and the Member or Regulated Firm concerned. We can only investigate matters that relate to breaches of our Rules or Regulations.

RICS cannot

• Deal with concerns or complaints about anyone who is not a Member of RICS;
• Pay compensation or instruct a Member or Firm to do so (this is for a redress scheme to decide and you will be referred to the Firm’s complaints handling procedure);
• Determine whether a Member or Firm has acted negligently (this is for the courts to decide); or
• Interfere with or become involved in court action against a Member or Firm.

The How to complain about RICS Members and Firms guide gives you further information about the types of complaints we are able to investigate and matters we are unable to become involved with.

To make a complaint to RICS, please download and complete the complaints form document and e-mail to regulation@rics.org. 

Further information on how we deal with your complaint is available by reading What happens to your complaint.

Non UK complaints
Find out about complaining in Asia (helpsheets available in both English and Cantonese) and complaining in Europe.