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How to Choose a Surveyor When Buying Your Property in Spain

How to Choose a Surveyor When Buying Your Property in Spain

The majority of would-be buyers of Spanish property are aware of both the many services offered by a Surveyor, and of the importance of having a survey undertaken on any potential purchase.

But what actually constitutes "A Surveyor", how is the profession regulated, and why is it important to ensure that any Surveyor appointed is an accredit member of a professional body anyway ?

With this in mind, Tumbit asked Campbell D. Ferguson, FRICS, of Survey Spain SL to tell us a little more about such matters :

"When employing a Surveyor, a firm ‘Regulated by RICS' - Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors - is reassuring as you then know that as well as providing the service you need, it is also regulated by an internationally renowned and respected professional body. In a world where people, governments, banks and organisations demand greater transparency and certainty of professional standards and values, attaining RICS ‘regulated’ status is the recognised mark of property professionalism.

The majority of RICS accredited surveyors have all trained in the UK to meet RICS entry standards that ensure all applicants and all new entrants into the profession meet high levels of technical ability. Thereafter, RICS members have to demonstrate that they have experience and maintain the highest standards of the profession. Similarly, Survey Spain has carefully selected the RICS members of their Network to ensure that they have experience, not just in the UK, but of many years working in Spain.

A professional body has to go beyond the initial training to ensure that people who enter the profession don’t let their standards drop and so all members have to comply with the requirements of Continuing Professional Development training, through formal and informal courses and support from more experienced surveyors to meet legislative or regulatory requirements. That’s an added benefit of working in a Network rather than an isolated ‘one man band’ or simple partnership.

RICS regulation provides assurance to clients, markets and the general public that members and firms operate to the standards set out in RICS Rules of Conduct and that there are sanctions

By ensuring that the Surveyor you choose to appoint is RICS accredited, you can rely on the following :

* Confidence that you are assisted by the highest professional authority in property and that you can always expect to be dealt with professionally.

* Complete transparency in terms of business and fees charged for any work undertaken.

* Peace of mind that you have recourse to a prescribed Complaints Handling Procedure, including appeal to independent arbitration.

* Trust in the professional knowledge and skill of your RICS chartered surveyors, to advise with a ‘professional conscience’, and answer the questions you didn’t know to ask!

Thanks to Campbell D. Ferguson, FRICS, of Survey Spain SL - RICS accredited network of Chartered Surveyors throughout Spain.