RICS launches pilot Consumer Working Group

RICS has confirmed the formation of a pilot Consumer Working Group; an advisory panel which will act in the interests of consumers to help shape RICS standards, regulations and approaches.

The group will focus on guiding RICS and its members to provide the best possible outcomes for consumers, from regulating new services to bringing consumer concerns to light. It will exist to support RICS in protecting consumers as well as championing their needs and expectations. The group will initially operate on a pilot basis and will advise SRB on how best to secure consumer input on a permanent basis.

The group has been formed of individuals with extensive independent consumer advocate experience, and those from major consumer organisations. Its members have been chosen for their capacity to represent the broad interests, aspirations and concerns of UK consumers of surveying services, and it will have a particular focus on less-frequently heard voices in the built environment, including younger people, people with disabilities, renters and people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Its formation represents one of the final remaining recommendations from the Bichard review, which advised that consideration should be given to establishing a Consumer Panel which would report to the Standards and Regulation Board (SRB) on consumer issues and the extent to which regulation is effective in the public interest.

While the SRB will retain oversight and sign off, the Consumer Working Group will take a ‘critical friend’ approach, advising on the impact of RICS standards on consumers, from their conception to completion. This will include the quality and usefulness of consumer-facing RICS content; consumers’ expectations on how emerging, higher-risk areas of practice should be regulated; how consumers view RICS regulatory requirements on members and firms; whether consumer protection is well understood or needs to adapt; and the knowledge, skills and behaviours consumers would expect to see from surveying professionals to help to set standards for the future profession.

The group will enhance RICS’ current engagement with consumers, providing opportunity for the organisation to gain regular insight and advice beyond information gathered through consultation. It comprises five members:

• Mike O’Connor CBE boasts former roles as CEO at StepChange Debt Charity – the UK’s largest debt advice body debt, Consumer Focus, the Olympic Lottery Distributor and the Millennium Commission. He has also worked at a senior level in Government with posts in the Department of Health, HM Treasury and Cabinet Office. Mike has significant experience in advocating for consumers across a number of different regulators, and access to a strong network of consumer intelligence.
• Joanne Pain has over 30 years’ experience in complaint handling. Her career began in the financial sector with Lloyds and subsequently the Financial Ombudsman. Most recently she has held positions at The Property Ombudsman dealing with lettings, sales, and residential leasehold management complaints, and is currently the Ombudsman Administration Manager overseeing quality, compliance, and project work.
• Francis McGee sits on the Financial Services Consumer Panel and is the consumer advocate for RICS’ newly established Professional Standards Steering Group (PSSG). As well as providing consumer insight to the PSSG and this consumer panel, Francis’ dual role across both bodies will be helpful in formulating how the PSSG and Consumer Working Group should work together in the future. Francis was previously the consumer representative on Open Banking, established by the UK Competition and Markets Authority.
• Dr David Holden is the Chair of the Customer and Community Group of Affinity Water. Former member of the Ofcom Consumer Communications Panel and the Consumer Engagement Group of Electricity North West.
• Ben Meredith is Consumer Director at Trustmark, the only Government Endorsed Quality Scheme for work carried out in or around the home.

Nigel Clarke, Chair of RICS Standards and Regulations Board, said: “RICS works in the public interest, and so it is a great pleasure to announce the formation of our pilot Consumer Working Group. While we have always taken care to understand and react to the changing needs of consumers, this new group brings invaluable expertise and we will welcome its advice and insight. RICS will always react swiftly and effectively to issues in surveying that impact the public, to champion the needs of marginalised groups, and to ensure that RICS’ members not only provide a best-in-class service but are known by consumers to do so.”

Launching in April 2024, the pilot will operate for 12 to 18 months before being subject to a review.