Proposed Home survey regulatory scheme

We are continuing to explore a potential home survey regulatory scheme to strengthen trust in residential surveying and give consumers greater confidence in the quality of RICS home surveys.

Background

Prior to developing the Home survey standard 2nd edition, RICS surveyed members about creating a home survey regulatory scheme, similar to the Valuer Registration Scheme. With 46% of respondents supporting the idea, the Standards and Regulation Board (SRB) directed us to consult further on the proposal.

The proposed scheme (if implemented) would require RICS members conducting home surveys in the UK to meet specific regulatory requirements, with dedicated RICS resources ensuring compliance and providing feedback. Members would be subject to additional reporting and audit requirements, giving the public greater assurance of consistently high standards and increasing consumer confidence in RICS surveys.

A public consultation ran from 19 August to 14 October 2025, alongside the consultation on the Home survey standard 2nd edition. Although these ran simultaneously, they were separate consultations, insights on the regulatory scheme did not impact the standard, and vice versa.

A variety of responses was received both for and against the proposal. SRB has been reviewing this evidence alongside other developing workstreams.

Progress update

SRB has been considering the available evidence, including consumer research, discussions with government, and existing data and analysis.

Consumer research

We have commissioned additional independent consumer research focusing on expectations and experiences of home surveys, see here. We are currently reviewing this alongside our existing data and analysis, including all consultation responses received.

Working with government

Government is currently considering wider reforms to improve the home buying and selling process, which could impact the benefits and requirements of any potential scheme.

Current proposals for the home buying and selling reform include a possible requirement for an upfront property information pack at the point of marketing a property, with one option including a property condition assessment. Whether this requirement will be introduced, the detail of how it would operate, who could produce the information, and what it would include, is still under consideration.

We are actively working with government to help shape thinking on upfront property information and how this could work in practice. How this will impact the need for, and design of, a potential regulatory scheme will be worked through as part of this process.

We are committed to helping ensure any future system supports high-quality, consistent, and trusted professional input.

You can follow key activities that are happening with regards to home buying and selling reform and how RICS is responding here.

Scheme development

We have begun exploring how a potential scheme could be designed to meet the intended outcomes. This includes considering proportionate compliance and assurance approaches, how technology could reduce regulatory burden while supporting consistent standards and risk-based oversight, and how requirements could be shaped to strengthen consumer confidence.

As work on the home survey standard continues, we have also been looking closely at the potential impacts of this on survey quality and consumer confidence and how this might impact the need for, or design of, a scheme.

Alongside a regulatory scheme, we are exploring possible alternatives, including enhanced guidance or a professional credential.

Next steps

Following this work, SRB has agreed to continue further analysis with an adjusted timeline, to align with our engagement with government and the finalisation of the Home survey standard.

Next steps include:

• Developing a clearer cost-benefit analysis, including a better understanding of potential costs to members and consumers, and whether the benefits justify the regulatory burden.
• Monitoring and engaging with proposed government reforms, particularly whether any future system will require condition reports to be produced and whether this would be by appropriately qualified or regulated professionals.
• Awaiting the finalisation of the updated Home survey standard, to consider how this could affect outcomes in the market and how any potential scheme would align with the updated professional requirements.
   

We will continue to develop our analysis, with a further update to follow as more clarity emerges.