RICS Issues Auditing Guidance

22nd July 2008

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has launched a guidance note to provide advice to surveyors carrying out procedural compliance audits for Registered Social Landlords (RSLs).

The Guidance was drafted by a working party including Mark Newberry, partner at Robinson Low Francis (RLF) and a specialist in social housing. It follows the decision by the Housing Corporation to allow any suitably experienced RICS qualified surveyor to provide independent auditor services to RSLs receiving a Social Housing Grant. Previously this function was restricted to accountants.

Mark said: “Allowing surveyors to conduct the audit should have a really positive impact on Housing Associations – RICS members working in this sector have a better understanding and empathy with the RSLs as they have an in depth knowledge of the drivers and key issues faced by these clients; we expect the auditing process to be much improved as a result. 

“The guidance note we’ve put together will help ensure that everyone carrying out the audit will be working to the same standards, giving the Housing Corporation confidence that the RICS is delivering a consistent audit service and ensuring industry-wide best practice.”

Ends

Media Contact:
Kate Jones
Mandate
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3128 8130
Email:      kate.jones@yourmandate.com

Notes to Editors:

Robinson Low Francis (RLF) is a UK firm of construction and property consultants, with over 100 years of experience in the industry.  The company provides services to public and private sector clients and is currently involved in projects with a total value well in excess of £1billion.

RLF has 170 staff spread across seven offices around the UK - Birmingham, Brighton, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Manchester and Stevenage and was recently voted one of the UK’s top professional services firms in the “MPF100 Best Professional Firms to Work For” survey.

Key areas of work are quantity surveying, project management, engineering services, building surveying, management consulting, health and safety services and more recently specialist sustainability advice to meet the major environmental changes in the industry.

RLF works across the commercial, education, government & defence, healthcare, industrial, office, residential, retail and sport & leisure sectors, to provide clients with innovative solutions to their construction and property needs. Clients include Royal Mail, John Lewis, Grosvenor, Pfizer and Barclays. For more information visit www.rlf.co.uk