The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published its first global professional standard for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in surveying practice, effective from 9 March 2026. The standard sets out mandatory requirements and best practice expectations for RICS members and regulated firms worldwide, covering governance and risk management, professional judgment and oversight, transparency and client communication and ethical development of AI. It applies to AI use across valuation, construction, infrastructure and land services. Key provisions include: (1) firms must implement clear policies on data use, AI system governance and risk documentation; (2) surveyors are required to assess AI output reliability while maintaining accountability; (3) clients must receive written notification detailing when and how AI will be used in service delivery, with opt-out and redress options; and (4) firms developing their own AI systems must carry out mandatory assessments covering data quality, stakeholder involvement, sustainability impact and legal compliance.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published the fourth edition of its global professional standard on environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainability in commercial property valuation. The updated standard, which takes effect from 30 April 2026, sets out how ESG factors should be reflected in valuation advice and responds to regulatory, market and professional developments since the previous edition. Updates include: (1) new jurisdiction‑specific sections for the UK, EU and Australia; (2) clearer clarification of the distinction between valuation and strategic ESG advice, noting that strategic ESG advice is typically a separate additional service; (3) greater emphasis on proportionality and professional judgement to ensure consistency across different asset types and market conditions; (4) practical guidance on the treatment of ESG‑related capital and operational expenditure within valuations; (5) and a consolidated global list of typical ESG‑related key performance indicators.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published the fourth edition of its Service Charge Residential Management Code, effective 7 April 2026. The updated code sets out a framework for residential property management in England where occupiers pay variable service charges. It introduces new sections and guidance reflecting developments in professional practice, as well as legislative changes arising from the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. The code applies to landlords, managing agents, self-managed blocks, residents’ management companies and right to manage companies.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published a new global standard titled 'Property Agency and Management Principles', covering residential and commercial auctioneering, property agency and management, and mixed-use real estate. This standard is a mandatory requirement for RICS members and RICS-regulated firms, supporting a new framework for property agencies and management. It focuses on requirements for openness and transparency for businesses supplying services to clients and aims to protect consumers. The standard becomes effective from 1 January 2025.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published an insight paper titled ‘Flooding and its implications for property professionals’, providing members of the profession with a detailed overview of the growing challenges and responsibilities surrounding flood risk management across the UK. The paper examines the increasing responsibilities of surveyors across all disciplines in helping clients, communities and policymakers respond to the rising risks and impacts of flooding. RICS emphasises the need for surveyors to integrate flood awareness and resilience thinking into all areas of practice, including valuation, planning, land management, as well as construction and property management.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has released its Q1 2025 UK Construction Monitor, revealing that construction workloads remain largely stable, with signs pointing to modest growth in the year ahead, particularly driven by infrastructure projects.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published a progress update on its review of the Home Survey Standard for residential property surveys in the UK. After an eight-week consultation period from 19 August–14 October 2025, RICS received over 1,000 comments. Feedback indicated that the draft standard requires clearer and more concise requirements. The standard will now progress through additional review stages, including an editorial review, a professional panel review and regulatory approval before it is finalised. RICS will provide a further progress update by the end of March 2026.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published its response to Hong Kong's 2025 Policy Address, setting out recommendations across three strategic government initiatives. RICS proposes establishing a Long-Term Development Financing Scheme led by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to provide preferential loans tied to GDP growth or project performance for the Northern Metropolis development. The organisation recommends broadening Public-Private Partnership models beyond traditional Build-Operate-Transfer arrangements to include joint ventures and availability-based frameworks, supported by a dedicated PPP and Finance Advisory Panel. For education and talent development, RICS suggests tax concessions or yield support to incentivise private investment in student accommodation and proposes including AI/BIM specialists and sustainable building certifiers in talent schemes. The response also recommends streamlining approvals through centralised digital platforms, urban renewal policies with zoning flexibility for underutilised industrial land, and centralised procurement for modular construction components. The recommendations aim to address challenges from elevated interest rates and global trade volatility affecting Hong Kong's built environment sector.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published its response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published a response to government's National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) consultation in December 2025, addressing 225 questions on planning reform. The response was developed through collaboration among multiple RICS professional groups. RICS supports the government's plan to accelerate housing delivery and reform the planning system but emphasises several key concerns. RICS has cautioned against an over-reliance on broad viability assessments arguing instead for site-specific testing to ensure development viability amid rising policy and build costs and fragile market conditions. It strongly advocates for the digital transformation of the planning system, underlining the pivotal role of high-quality geospatial data in expediting planning processes and producing effective plans.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has responded to the government’s proposed reforms to ground rents. RICS approves of the general protection of leaseholders from increasing ground rents. However, RICS points out that the reforms proposed by the Department of Levelling-up, Housing and Communities’ (DLUHC) pose risks for investors and freeholders and the consequences flowing from that.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published the second edition of its compulsory purchase order (CPO) standard, titled ‘Surveyors advising in respect of compulsory purchase and statutory compensation’, which updates the first edition published in 2017. The CPO standard is effective from 23 December 2024. The RICS has also launched its new infrastructure policy paper, ‘The Future of UK Major Infrastructure Projects’, which provides several policy solutions to support the development of building projects, overcome skills shortages in the sector, and reform the planning system.