RICS knowledgebase
RICS resources for UK surveyors
The Home Survey Standard and everything around it - scopes and sample reports for each survey level, pre-site checklists, and the property lookups every inspection leans on.
Every link points to the current official RICS or GOV.UK source - re-verified July 2026.
The Home Survey Standard
Since 1 March 2021, the single mandatory benchmark for condition-based home surveys by RICS members and regulated firms in the UK - it sets minimum expectations for how survey services are designed, delivered and reported at every level.
The survey levels
Which level fits the property, what the inspection covers, and what the finished report looks like.
Level 1
A concise condition overview for conventional, newer homes in reasonable order.
Level 2
The most common choice - condition plus advice for standard properties in reasonable condition.
Level 2 with valuation
The Level 2 survey with a market valuation and reinstatement cost on top.
Level 3
The full structural survey - older, altered, unusual or visibly defective buildings.
Advising a client on which to commission? “Helping you choose the right survey” is the RICS consumer guide (PDF · 85 KB).
Before you’re on site
The three RICS pre-inspection checklists - worth a pass before every job.
Property lookups
The environmental and statutory checks that feed a survey - radon, flooding, energy performance, listing, and who the planning authority is.
- Radon
Is the property in a radon-affected area?
- Flood risk
Long-term flood risk for an area in England, by postcode.
- Energy performance
Find a property's current EPC and recommendations.
- Listed status
Check whether a building is listed. Pre-1700 buildings in original condition are almost always listed; the local planning authority holds the definitive answer.
Historic England Historic Environment Scotland Historic Wales British Listed Buildings
- Local authority
Which council area is the property in?
Working to the standard, on site
Imfuna is a RICS Tech Partner, and Imfuna Surveyor templates align to the RICS Home Survey Standard - dictate on site, capture unlimited photos, and deliver a defensible report the same day.