黑洞社区

 

Last month 黑洞社区 told how a dispute between four RICS directors and the management board had turned into a full-blown crisis. With the 153-year-old institution still searching for solutions, we asked its members to point the way forward. The response has been huge, with many echoing concerns already voiced by high profile industry figures about RICS bosses chairing a review into the organisation鈥檚 future purpose. Some have even called for the leadership to stand down. 

> Also read: Members demand sweeping changes

Simon Prichard, RICS chair of its UK and Ireland world regional board, has said that the furore among members over the last few months was a 鈥済ood sign鈥�.

He said: 鈥淭here is a lot of noise and emotion currently surrounding events at the RICS and certainly some strong opinions about the new Defining our Future review.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 actually a good sign because it says to me that it matters to members and that being the case, we have an opportunity now to engage and shape the future of the profession.

鈥淩ICS boards like the one I chair, and RICS Governing Council, are made up of experienced surveying professionals with a real stake in the future strategic direction of our Institution.

鈥滻t saddens me to hear members say they might consider not renewing their membership, or are writing off this exercise when it鈥檚 only just been launched because if you want to affect change for the future you have to take a seat at table and get engaged.鈥�

Here are the latest thoughts from RICS members, followed by a response from the institution to some of the concerns.

RICS members views

RICS should get rid of all directors, upper management including the executive team. There are far too many directors at RICS. They make themselves directors of anything but they do clerk work. They are not directors in the true sense of the word. They are not innovative, they are not thought leaders.

鈥� Alexandra De Beer

As a fellow of the institution, I am saddened that the organisation now provides little relevance to my surveying activity.

When I qualified in 1985, the institution was regarded in high esteem and its members were proud to be called surveyors. I have spent all but the last eight years of my professional life as a commercial building surveyor with two large practices. The RICS鈥檚 global expansion is totally irrelevant to me and the costs of the aggrandisement of the organisation is excessive in the extreme for SMEs and sole practitioners.

I get absolutely no benefit from my 拢658 annual membership. I have to pay large additional sums for CPD through the institution, which surely should be the primary raison d鈥櫭猼re of the RICS, and I never, ever, get asked if I am a member of the institution by my clients when they first contact me. The CPD that the RICS provides is often of such poor standard that I would expect graduates to gain little benefit from. But, hey, it earns lots of money for the RICS.

In my area, there are very few youngsters interested in the residential survey market. When I attend CPD events, few attendees have hair, let alone hair that has yet to turn grey!  The profession, particularly in the residential sector, is dying a death and soon there will be a real dearth of surveyors for house buyers to turn to. They will be at the mercy of the large 鈥減ile 鈥檈m high, sell 鈥檈m cheap鈥� companies that offer little real service to their clients. I take pride in the after survey service I provide to my clients at no additional fee and the personal relationship I build with them.

What needs to change:

• Greatly reduced fees to reflect the benefits.
• Free CPD and of a good standard, and provided both locally and online.
• A good website designed to inform the members.
• A revised local branch structure that allows members a say in their local areas, and which encourages new and younger members.
• Concentration on the UK. Only a handful of the larger companies are concerned about international instructions.  
• Promotion of the profession to youngsters at school age.

Sadly, I am now only a member because I assume obtaining insurance would be trickier if I were not 鈥� the only tangible benefit of membership I can perceive. Otherwise I would relinquish my membership immediately.

鈥� David Allen, director, Alpina property consultancy

Congratulations on a fabulous piece in last month鈥檚 黑洞社区. You are quite rightly showing the RICS what engaged members have been trying to do for a long time without any success. The power you hold as the press is the base we RICS members need.

There is a fundamental issue and that is transparency. We, as members, are held to a set of ethical standards; these standards do not appear to be the same for the management of the institution.

I think the bigger story is why are RICS putting out this 鈥渨e want to listen鈥� line and then doing everything but? Where is the transparency and ethical considerations we have to uphold in the actions of the RICS to these reasonable requests?

鈥� Adrienne Yarwood   

I am not yet a member but am on a path to be. I am not from a background of surveyors and would be a first-generation member so am doing this journey basically on my own.

It was interesting reading a few members鈥� viewpoints in regard to the RICS 鈥渇arming out training to universities鈥� and the lowering of standards. I would second this as I feel my university course didn鈥檛 really enhance my knowledge.

Exams, back to basics and free CPD for those training would be a much better use of the RICS and bringing up standards. I feel completely unprepared for my APC and my workplace feels like somewhere that doesn鈥檛 really know how to train you up or expects you to have knowledge not taught on university courses.

鈥� Anonymous

Recent audit allegations of financial mismanagement and the unprecedented dismissal from the management board of four non-executive directors, chartered members who had regulatory and inspection roles, confirmed the fears of a caring and engaged membership.

The dilemma facing membership now is to identify by what means can the ultimate power of governance in RICS be taken back from those of the executive who have systematically subsumed that same power. Young graduates embarking upon the designated route to chartered membership are encouraged by caring, dedicated and engaged members to develop high standards of professionalism, altruism, probity, honesty, transparency, respect for others and good faith; to what extent are these principles demonstrated by the executive?

鈥� Stephen Moore