How we support consumers

RICS-regulated firm complaint handling procedures

RICS members and RICS-regulated firms provide high-quality professional services to clients worldwide. It is unusual for things to go wrong, but where they do, RICS expects its regulated firms and members to deal with complaints fairly.

If you are a client of an RICS-regulated firm and you are not happy with the work done or the service you’ve received, you should raise your complaint directly with the firm using their complaints handling procedure. All RICS-regulated firms are required to have a procedure explaining how they will handle any complaints made to them by clients. This should tell you who to complain to and how long the firm will normally take to respond. Using the complaints handling procedure gives the firm the chance to provide more information to you and, if something has gone wrong, offer to put it right or apologise for mistakes.

If you are still unhappy after the firm has responded to your complaint, or if the firm does not respond properly, the complaints handling procedure has to include an independent alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider, who can review your complaint and may be able to order the firm to apologise or pay compensation – we call this redress.

What is alternative dispute resolution (ADR)?

ADR is a way to resolve disputes between clients and firms after an internal complaints procedure has been exhausted. It is less costly and time-consuming than having to go to court. ADR is used to resolve complaints in lots of different sectors including financial services, energy and telecoms. You can read more about ADR on the Which? website.

ADR can be used to resolve disputes between an RICS member/regulated firm and their commercial clients (known as ‘business-to-business’), or between a RICS member/ regulated firm and a consumer (‘business-to-consumer’).

If you are a consumer (someone who is not acting in the course of a business) the ADR mechanism will be free of charge for you to use. Because ADR is intended as a faster route to resolve disputes it considers only written evidence and does not call witnesses. Because of this, there is usually a cap on the value of disputes it can consider.

Very high-value cases or allegations of negligence may still need to be considered by a court.

Which ADR providers can regulated firms use?

The SRB approves ADR providers that RICS-regulated firms globally can choose between. The firm’s complaint handling procedure will specify which ADR provider they use. You should contact the ADR provider directly to ask them to review your complaint. If the firm does not provide you with information about its ADR provider please let us know by raising a concern.

In the UK there are three main approved consumer ADR providers, who all provide information about how to complain and what to expect from their process on their websites:

These providers are independent of RICS so they can focus solely on resolving disputes without any conflict or confusion with our role as a regulator. For RICS-regulated firms that work as residential property agents, we approve providers who are also approved by the UK government under the relevant legislation.

If you are a business client, or a client using a firm based outside the UK, please see the list of approved business to business and global ADR providers available on our website.

When to complain to RICS

RICS is a professional regulator; we protect the public through setting and upholding standards for qualification and professional conduct, requiring RICS-regulated firms to have professional indemnity insurance for their work, and undertaking assurance activities with regulated firms holding client money. We also provide a Client Money Protection Scheme

RICS also investigates complaints about regulated members for non-compliance with RICS’ rules standards. We also consider whether concerns raised with us require disciplinary action to protect the public. Where they do, we can impose sanctions including fines, conditions on practice, or expulsion.

However, in common with other professional regulators, we are not able to award redress to clients, which is why we require firms to have an ADR provider: this will be a more appropriate route for many client complaints.

Find details about how to raise a concern with RICS. If you raise a concern that we think you should raise with the firm directly or with an ADR provider, we will advise you to do that.

If a firm is no longer RICS-regulated

In some limited circumstances, consumers may still be able to access independent ADR where their complaint relates to services provided by a firm that was regulated by RICS at the time the work was carried out but has since ceased to be regulated by RICS.

This arrangement is subject to eligibility criteria, including time limits, and only applies in specific circumstances.

Consumers should normally raise their complaint with the firm first where this is possible, using its complaints handling procedure. Where the complaint remains unresolved after eight weeks, or the firm has not engaged at all, you may be able to apply for ADR under this arrangement.

For more information, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, and information about other potential routes where a firm is no longer regulated, please see our dedicated page on complaints about firms that are no longer RICS-regulated.

Other routes that may be available

In some cases, depending on the circumstances of your complaint, other routes may also be available.

These may include:

pursuing a claim through the courts, particularly for higher value or complex disputes
pursuing a claim, where appropriate, against a firm’s professional indemnity insurer, where insurance cover may respond to the claim (for example where the firm has ceased to exist)
seeking independent legal advice to help understand the options that may be available.

These routes are separate from the RICS complaints and ADR process and may involve legal procedures and requirements which will cost money. Availability will depend on the individual circumstances of the case.

RICS does not provide legal advice or determine the outcome of claims.