The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is running a Certified Property Measurer course aimed at training agents and others in the industry to measure consistently in line with international standards.
Earlier this year a Proptech firm Spec claimed agents were currently undervaluing properties because of what it called “outdated and inaccurate property measurement techniques used to create floorplans.”
And in a record Measurement Matters guide, RICS noted that residential property is measured inconsistently in the UK and there can be up to 58 per cent variance depending on the measurement standard adopted and the measured areas included.
Now the course, being run by RICS with a number of companies involved in measurement, is being launched after two years of preparation.
It will encompass online training followed by an exam and a requirement to commit to a number of hours of continuing professional development.
Those who pass will receive a RICS-certified logo and be listed as certified property measurers on their website.
"Residential property has been measured inconsistently in the UK for far too long. The RICS Professional Statement on Property Measurement, and their measurers, will ensure anyone who purchases or rents a home, is doing so based on accurate information about the property” says Alexander Aronsohn, RICS director of technical standards.
“The professional statement and our Measurement Matters guide are particularly important for buyers and renters looking for a home in urban areas where space is already limited, and at a premium. Following one set of measurement guidelines will have a hugely positive impact on the market place.”
Key figures supporting the drive to uniform and more accurate measurements include TV property expert Phil Spencer who has told RICS: “It’s important that every room in a property is measured accurately so that buyers and renters pay a fair price.”
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