RICS vs FPWS: Choosing the Right Faculty or Institution
Neither is legally required. RICS is a broad chartered surveying body. The Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors is a specialist body focused on party wall work. Choose on the individual's experience, and check membership on each body's own website.
What each body is
RICS, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, covers surveyors across many fields including building surveying and valuation. A member may or may not specialise in party wall work.
The Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors (FPWS) is a body focused on party wall practice. Other bodies include the Pyramus & Thisbe Society, CABE, CIOB and the Institute of Party Wall Surveyors.
What neither one does
No body guarantees quality. No legal licence is needed to act as a party wall surveyor, so someone with no membership at all can be appointed. Membership is one useful piece of evidence, not proof of good work.
RICS
- Broad chartered surveying body covering many disciplines
- Members may or may not specialise in party wall work
- Has published guidance and standards on its own site
- Check status through the RICS member directory
- Ask the individual about party wall caseload
FPWS
- Specialist body focused on party wall practice
- Membership is aimed at those doing party wall work
- Check status through the Faculty's own site
- Does not guarantee the quality of any member
- Ask about experience with your type of project
How to check
Use the body's own website or member directory to confirm the surveyor's name, status and location. If the surveyor cannot be found, ask them to explain. Rules about complaints and regulation differ by body, so read them on each site.
What matters more than the badge
Ask how many party wall cases they handle a year, whether they have dealt with your type of work, and who covers them if they are unavailable. A specialist with a lesser-known badge can outperform a generalist with a famous one, and the reverse is also true.
A practical way to decide
Shortlist two or three surveyors, whichever body they belong to. Check each on the relevant website. Then compare written quotes, ask about recent party wall work like yours and pick the person you can communicate with easily. That decision will matter far more to your project than the letters after a name. If the neighbour proposes a surveyor from a different body, treat them on the same footing and check them in the same way.
Side by side
The panel below sets out general differences. Confirm the details with each body, as rules and membership levels change.
Frequently asked questions
Is RICS better than the Faculty?
Neither is automatically better. Judge the individual's experience and terms.
Can one surveyor belong to both?
Yes, membership of more than one body is possible.
Do I have to use a member of any body?
No. Anyone can be appointed, which is why checking matters.
Where do I check membership?
On the body's own website, not through the surveyor's brochure.
Related guides
- How to Verify a Party Wall Surveyor's Credentials (RICS vs Faculty vs Pyramus & Thisbe)
- Chartered Building Surveyor vs Specialist Party Wall Surveyor: Which Do You Need?
- How to Choose a Party Wall Surveyor
- What is a Party Wall Surveyor?
Last updated: . This page is general information about the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 (England and Wales). It is not legal advice. Every property and dispute is different, so take advice from a party wall surveyor or a solicitor before you act.