Home survey standard

Steve Lees MRICS

Senior Specialist in Residential Surveying, RICS

Steve is a Chartered Surveyor. His previous roles ranged from being a residential surveyor, for a small partnership, through to being Head of Technical Surveying for one of the largest residential surveyors in the UK. Steve has also contributed to several RICS publications before joining the organisation in March of 2024. He is also an ambassador for an independent charity – LionHeart who support RICS professionals and their families.

Gary Epps MRICS

Chartered Surveyor (retired)

A Chartered GP Surveyor (now retired) having specialised in the residential survey and valuation sector working for major Corporate S&V firms, but more recently as part of an innovative Property Risk Team at the Nationwide Building Society where, as Head Valuer, key responsibilities included risk assessment, valuer guidance, lending Policy, quality and management of Valuers. Working on 'both sides of the fence' as both a supplier and receiver of Professional services proved invaluable in recognising the potential of RICS Members and consumer demands, and this experience will help shape the review of the HSS ensuring it continues to remain fit for purpose in an ever-evolving marketplace.

Alexandra Anderson

Partner, RPC

Alexandra is an insurance lawyer with deep expertise in the construction and surveyor sectors. She acts for a wide range of clients, and specialises in claims against surveyors, particularly those relating to surveying, valuations, and property management. Alexandra co-edits Hogarth’s Insurance for the Construction Industry and has been involved in writing various RICS guidance notes for surveyors. She is a Deputy District Judge and a member of the Technology and Construction Solicitors Association.

Joe Arnold MRICS

Managing Director, Arnold and Baldwin

Managing Director of Arnold & Baldwin, Joe is responsible for all commercial and residential valuations within the firm, which in one single year undertook over 6,500 valuations for its clients, for a multitude of purposes. Specialising in London and the Home Counties, Joe is representing Residential Property in the Valuation PGP, having already helped create Risk, Liability and Insurance, 1st edition, Valuation of buy-to-let and HMO properties | RICS and Home survey standard. In 2020 Joe won Surveyor of the year at The Specialist Lending Awards, and the 2021 British Mortgage Awards, a first for any SME business owner. He also won Best SME in South London. As a member of the former Survey & Valuation Professional Group, Joe is here to continue to shape the future of the residential industry.

Louise Avery MRICS

Founder and Managing Director, Avery & Co Chartered Surveyors

Avery & Co Chartered Surveyors specialise in the survey and valuation of residential property throughout the Northwest of England and North Wales. Louise qualified in 1990 and started her residential surveying career as an in-house valuer for Lloyds Banking Group before setting up Avery & Co in 2004. Louise has recently contributed to RICS working groups including the Valuation approach for properties in multi-storey, multi-occupancy residential buildings with cladding, and has also drafted sections for the review of RICS Valuation Global Standards UK Supplement VPGA 12. Louise is a Domestic Energy Assessor and in 2023 presented at an RICS Webinar on energy matters relating to the RICS Home Survey Standard. In her spare time, Louise is a former Special Inspector with Merseyside Police, and is currently secretary of Merseyside & Cheshire Blood Bikes, who transport blood, tissue and breast milk on behalf of the NHS.

John Baguley FRICS

Principal - Mortgage Policy, UK Finance

Zoe de Boehmler FRICS

Technical Director, Gateway Surveyors

Zoe qualified as a Charted Building Surveyor in 2001 and started her career as a commercial Building Surveyor based in Central London. She then moved into the residential sector undertaking surveys and valuations and is a Fellow of the RICS. Zoe joined Gateway Surveyors as Technical Director in 2022, having previously held the role of Area Director at Connells for over 7 years. Zoe is a member of the Property Risk Panel for the Building Societies Association and contributes to RICS Working Groups.

Kate Charrington FRICS

Director, Projekt 3

Kate Charrington is the director of Projekt 3. She supports residential surveyors to deliver improved home survey and valuation reports through enhanced and up-to-date content. Kate is a qualified retrofit coordinator and Climate Reality Leader. She is focused on driving sustainability and improved standards within residential surveying and is a regular contributor to panels and discussions. Kate has twice been shortlisted for RICS Young Surveyor of the Year and has recently been on the Expert Working Group for the RICS Retrofit Standard. She is keen to drive forward the role of the residential surveyor, particularly at a time when we are seeing increased energy costs and the continuous impact of climate change on the homes we live in.

Sam England

Core Logic UK

Professor Richard Fitton MRICS

Professor Building Performance, Salford University

Richard holds a PhD in Building Physics and is also a chartered building surveyor. He leads a task group for the development of international standards around energy performance. Richard is the Chairman of the upcoming British Standard for Retrofit Assessment. He is also active the International Energy Agency studying the use of smart meter data to provide energy efficiency data for dwellings. He holds a place on the SAP Scientific Integrity Group at the Building Research Establishment (BRE) which oversees the domestic energy model used in the UK. Richard is also the technical lead for the new Energy House 2 project, a building physics test lab.

Scott Jack AssocRICS

Regional Development Director, Walker Fraser Steele Chartered Surveyors

Scott is the Regional Development Director of Walker Fraser Steele, which is the trading name of e.surv Chartered Surveyors in Scotland, specialising in residential survey and valuation. Having spent 10 years in estate agency, Scott studied at the College of Estate Management and took a graduate surveyor position with Walker Fraser Steele in 2014. Shortlisted for the RICS Young Surveyor of the Year Award in 2016, Scott moved into management in 2018 continuing a keen interest in the Scottish Home Report product, training the next generation of surveyors and innovating the production of site notes through the use of new technology. Scott is also a member of the RICS Scotland Residential Forum.

Tim Kenny AssocRICS

Tim Kenny Surveying Ltd

Tim first started his property career as a Home Inspector as part of the ill-fated HIPs and then, following a spell in block management, set up Tim Kenny Surveying Ltd in 2014. As well as specialising in Level 2 and 3 Home Surveys, he is also an industry trainer and an Associate Tutor at UCEM. Outside of surveying, Tim is also a Yoga teacher and gives regular Stress Relief and Breathwork webinars for LionHeart.

Rob Mead FRICS

Technical Director, Connells Survey and Valuation

Rob has 40 years of residential valuation and survey experience, having worked in various sized private practices, in social housing, for lenders and in the corporate sector. Rob keeps his knowledge fresh and relevant by still undertaking residential inspections. Serving as a member of various RICS working groups, Rob has contributed to published papers and key decision making. With a keen focus on the quality of residential survey and valuation, Rob creates and delivers training and mentors newly qualified Residential Surveyors. Rob has a broad residential knowledge and is the Connells’ SME in a number of areas including cladding and HMOs.

Morwenna Slade MRICS

Director, Climate Change, Ingleton Wood