Have Your Say On The Home Survey Standard
If you are working towards your APC, AssocRICS or RICS qualification, the RICS Home Survey Standard (HSS) consultation is directly relevant to you. Even if you are not yet writing home surveys yourself, this standard shapes how residential surveyors inspect and report, and it affects everyone buying or selling a home.
Taking part in the consultation is a brilliant way to:
- Understand how standards are created and why they matter
- Gain insight into the professional debates shaping your future career
- Record two hours of informal CPD (and show on your CPD log that you’re engaged, curious, and committed to the profession)
- Add your own unique perspective to the conversation
Two Consultations Running Side by Side
When you register on the consultation platform, you’ll see there are actually two consultations open at the same time:
The Home Survey Standard (HSS)
- This outlines the procedures for conducting and reporting surveys.
- It covers areas such as inspections, reporting, terminology, and even who is authorised to carry out accompanied inspections.
- Your feedback here will help shape the technical and professional rules you’ll one day be working under.
The Proposed Regulatory Scheme
- This is about how firms delivering home surveys are overseen and held accountable.
- It asks whether there should be a specific regulatory framework for home surveyors to improve consumer protection and consistency.
- Your views here matter too, because regulation affects the trust consumers place in the profession - and the standards you’ll be expected to uphold.
Both consultations are connected: the standard sets the professional expectations, while the regulatory scheme sets out how those expectations might be monitored and enforced.
How to Take Part
Once registered on the consultation platform, you can contribute in two ways:
- Answer the consultation questions – These guide you through the main areas of the standard and the regulatory proposals.
- Add comments in each section – This is your chance to share personal reflections, experiences, and ideas.
Tips for Responding
You don’t need to be an expert or have years of experience to contribute. Your perspective is valuable because you are:
- Learning how surveyors inspect and report in practice
- Observing how your tutors, mentors, or colleagues approach surveys
- Listening to consumer experiences, especially from family, friends, or your own reading
A Resource to Help You Reflect
When thinking about consumer experiences, you might find it useful to consider the kinds of questions buyers and sellers often ask. My free guide, 8 Essential Questions to Ask Every Client Before a Home Survey, is a practical tool to help you strengthen conversations with clients and build trust.
When responding, you could reflect on:
- What do you notice when you observe surveyors at work?
- How do reports look and feel from a consumer’s perspective?
- What do you think helps buyers understand property risks - and what creates confusion?
- How would you like to see standards support you in the future when you’re qualified?
- How do you feel about the sections that refer to accompanied inspections by non-qualified people - what safeguards or expectations should be in place?
Recording CPD
Once you’ve submitted your response:
- Note down two hours of informal CPD in your log
- Record it under “Professional Standards” or “Professional Practice”
- Add a short reflection, e.g. “Engaged with the RICS Home Survey Standard and regulatory consultation, reflected on consumer needs and professional practice. Gained insight into how standards are created and how regulation may affect the profession.”
This looks excellent when you later submit your CPD record - it shows curiosity, initiative, and interest in the future of the profession.
Why It Matters
The Home Survey Standard and proposed regulatory scheme will set the tone for the profession you are about to join.
Together, they will influence:
- How you inspect – what you are expected to look for, and how to structure your time on site
- How you report – what you must include, and how consumers will understand your advice
- Who can inspect – including references to accompanied inspections, which raises questions about supervision, training, and accountability
- How firms are regulated – shaping consumer trust and expectations of professionalism
- How consumers experience surveying – what buyers and sellers will come to expect from you and your peers
By responding, you can make sure the standard and regulatory scheme reflects not just the views of experienced surveyors, but also the reality of those who are learning and developing. You have a unique perspective - bridging both the professional and consumer side - and that insight matters.
This is your chance to help shape the standards and regulatory environment that will define your future working life.
A Personal Note
These thoughts come from my experience of over 20 years in surveying and supporting both consumers and surveyors. They’re simply my perspective - shared to open up discussion and encourage more voices to feed into the consultation. If you have a view, please take a moment to respond - your input really does make a difference. This is the link to the consultation.
Enjoyed this article?
- You might also like: Reservation Agreements - What Surveyors Need to Know
- Find it useful? Please share it with friends or colleagues who might benefit.
- Want to support my work? Leave me a quick Google Review or Buy Me a Coffee ☕. Every little helps as a small business.
