The RICS Condition Report Service - Practice Note

Reflecting changes in the home buying and selling process, and feedback from consumers and members, RICS has developed the RICS Condition Report (CR) 2010. This practice note will give you all the practical guidance you need to deliver this new residential report.

The CR is a client-facing product designed to extend fee-earning opportunities for surveyors. This edition of the practice note applies to England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. In Scotland, the single survey applies.

Central to the report are colour coded condition ratings. These rankings are an established feature in property condition surveys. It is vital that members are confident with the principles of applying condition ratings to a property, including how to accommodate ‘serious and/or urgent defects’, ‘further investigation’ and ‘normal maintenance’. Members must also be able to identify ‘risks’ and report them in an appropriate manner. This practice note will explain these principles, along with your professional obligations and practice requirements under the scheme.

A copy of the CR format is included with the practice note, along with the supporting documents for the scheme: ‘Description of the RICS Condition Report Service’ (including ‘standard terms of engagement’), ‘RICS Home Surveys Information Sheet’ and ‘What to do now’.