Professional guidance
Our standards and guidance cover all areas of surveying practice and embody best practice. They fall into the following categories: professional statements, practice statements, codes of practice, guidance notes and information papers.
RICS standards and professional guidance are available free of charge to all and you can download PDF versions of the publications below. Check the side-bar options to refine the listed items by topic or professional group, or search for specific guidance using the search box above. Some RICS professional guidance publications can be bought from the RICS Shop.
Members should note that when an allegation of professional negligence is made against a surveyor, the court is likely to take into account the contents of any relevant professional guidance published by RICS in deciding whether or not the surveyor has acted with reasonable competence.
Outdated guidance is archived, however you can still obtain a reference copy by contacting our library.
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Residential property
Code of practice 27 May 2016
This Code, now in its third edition, has been approved by the Secretary of State and is effective from 1 June 2016. It applies only to residential leasehold properties in England but practitioners operating in other parts of the UK are encouraged to follow the best practice guidelines contained in the Code.
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Valuation
Code of practice 02 May 2009
Published with cross-industry agreement and acceptance, this document provides a defined valuation process for all social housing matters, including right to buy and right to acquire valuations.
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Commercial property
Guidance note 27 Mar 2015
This guidance note covers commercial multi-let property where there is a service charge. It deals with the handover of financial and supplier information between owners and/ or managers.
Superseding the previous information paper of the same name (published in 2011), this guidance note is aimed at property owners and managers and their legal advisers. Its intention is to set out a series of procedures which will apply during any handover period in order to improve the quality of service to the industry’s customers.
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Dispute resolution
Guidance note 07 Jul 2016
The purpose of this guidance note is to provide residential surveyors and valuers with information to assist in handling complaints and direct them towards more detailed guidance from RICS.
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Property management
Information paper 12 Aug 2009
This paper addresses new developments where service charge apportionment strategy can be constructed simultaneously with the lease documentation.
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Valuation
Information paper 26 Nov 2012
Deals with the application of GN 2 to the valuation of fuel stations, including fuel stations allied to convenience stores (c-stores) or part of more complex properties.
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Valuation
Information paper 17 Jul 2012
Considers the approach for the capital and rental valuation of hotels, commenting on the different valuation methodologies and the practical approach to the assembly and interpretation of relevant information for this purpose.
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Valuation
Information paper 14 May 1997
Through worked examples, this paper assists valuers in understanding valuation methods relating to commercial investment property.
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Property management
Information paper 14 Feb 2009
This paper outlines the principal issues surrounding duty of care deeds.
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Facilities management
Information paper 01 Dec 2011
Support for chartered facilities management practitioners by providing an outline to help generate, analyse, use and report on management information for organisational success.
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Property management
Information paper 02 Feb 2009
Written to assist property managers in actively managing risk, this paper explores the principles of liability under English law and how such principles relate to property management contracts.
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Residential property
Practice statement 04 Jan 2010
These practice notes give you all the practical guidance you need to deliver the HomeBuyer Report in Scotland.
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Residential property
Practice statement 02 Dec 2011
The RICS Condition Report should be used for a conventional house, flat or bungalow built from common building materials and in reasonable condition.
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Dispute resolution
Practice statement 07 Aug 2015
This 1st edition of Surveyors acting as expert witnesses in Scotland applies to surveyors when providing expert evidence, whether oral or written, before a range of courts and tribunals in Scotland.
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Valuation
Professional statement 23 Aug 2016
This RICS national association valuation standard covers the application of the Red Book in Portugal. It is provided in both English and Portuguese.
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Contracts
Guidance note 24 Apr 2012
Examines the general principles of retention, including areas such as law; reasons for introduction within a contract; levels of retention, and how amounts are deducted, certified or released.
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Valuation
Guidance note 20 May 2015
This guidance note covers the valuation of intellectual property (IP), a subset of intangible assets. Its purpose is to expand on the IVS 2013 and the Red Book in order to clarify the legal, functional and economic characteristics of IP valuers should consider and report on in an IP valuation.
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Valuation
Guidance note 04 Nov 2013
This guidance note draws valuers' attention to the need for particular care when undertaking valuation work on which various EU directives and regulations may impact.
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Rural
Guidance note 08 Dec 2016
This guidance note draws professionals’ attention to specific issues that arise in farm stocktaking valuations, for inclusion in financial statements that are prepared in accordance with UK GAAP.
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Residential property
Guidance note 28 Jan 2016
This guidance note sets out practical guidance around the health and safety management of most types and configurations of residential properties.
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Valuation
Guidance note 19 Aug 2015
The purpose of this guidance note is to assist the valuer in the provision of leasehold reform valuation advice whether they are acting for the freeholder (landlord), intermediate landlord or tenant.
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Property management
Guidance note 21 Jan 2013
This guidance note is of interest to surveyors dealing with tenant applications to make alterations at office and industrial properties in England and Wales.
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Property management
Guidance note 26 Sep 2012
This guidance addresses the issue of managing mixed use buildings and estates, i.e. those with a mix of commercial and residential units; most specifically, long leasehold residential flats.
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Dispute resolution
Guidance note 24 Nov 2014
This guidance note is intended for surveyors advising clients in relation to a dispute and gives guidance on when mediation should be considered, how it works, the benefits of mediating over litigating, and the consequences if parties do not mediate.
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Valuation
Guidance note 12 Apr 2017
This guidance note provides an outline of the rating appeal system in England and Wales, describing the various processes involved in making a proposal to alter a rating list.