RICS Modus, Global edition - October 2015

OCTOBER 2015

rics.org/modus @RICSnews

®

#RICSmodus

The rise of the secret property sale / 20

HIDE AND SEEK

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HEALTH KICKInvestigating the great NHS property sell-off / 16

PRESS THE BUTTONDigital construction needs digital leaders / 28

PRICE ON YOUR HEADHow do you put a true value on an idea? / 34

MODUS_Oct15_P01_Cover_v4.indd 1 14/09/2015 15:41

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www.nissan-offers.co.uk/business

OC TOBER 2015_MODUS 03

16 PROPERTY AND THE NHS How the service’s real estate assets could help make up its £30bn funding shortfall

20 COVER STORYThe secret world of off-market property sales

24 THE WHOLE WORLD IN YOUR HANDRobin McLaren FRICS is democratising land rights through your mobile phone

28 TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVELMeet the first RICS-certified BIM Managers

34 WEALTH OF IDEASPutting a value on intellectual property

38 SHIFTING SANDSIs Dubai’s residential market settling down?

40 BEYOND THE VELODROMEDerby’s newest sporting facility is much more than just a cycle track

06 DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONIs corporate social responsibility an unnecessary distraction for small businesses? We hear two points of view

07-15 NEWS IN BRIEFEssential industry news, advice and information for RICS members

08 THINKING: KATH FONTANA FRICSIs it now time to fully embrace facilities management as an integral part of the built environment profession?

13 PRESIDENT’S COLUMNMartin J Brühl FRICS on the changing nature of risk and RICS’ role in educating and regulating those who manage it

“In less developed countries mobile phones help citizens directly participate in everything from recording property boundaries to

secure payment of fees using mobile banking”ROBIN MCLAREN FRICS, KNOW EDGE

LAND RIGHTS, P24

Views expressed in Modus are those of the named author and are not necessarily those of RICS or the publisher. The contents of this magazine are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without the prior permission of the publisher. All information correct at time of going to press. All rights reserved. The publisher cannot accept liability for errors or omissions. RICS does not accept responsibility for loss, injury or damage or costs that result from, or are connected in any way to, the use of products or services advertised. All editions of Modus are printed on paper sourced from sustainable, properly managed forests. This magazine can be recycled for use in newspapers and packaging. Please dispose of it at your local collection point. The polywrap is made from biodegradable material and can be recycled.

MODUS OCTOBER 2015 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Contents

42-43 CAREERSMastering the panel interview; and Turner & Townsend’s Patricia Moore MRICS

44 BUSINESSAre your systems at risk from hackers?

45 LEGAL 101What is required of companies under the UK’s new Modern Slavery Act?

47 BRAIN GAINFire safety in blocks of flats

62 MIND MAPCushman & Wakefield’s Juan Carlos Ulloa FRICS on the Mexican investment market

PLUS49 Events50 Benefits51 Obituaries + Conduct52 Recruitment

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0 4 RICS.ORG/MODUS

20 - 21 October 2015 | ExCeL, London, UK

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FOR SUNDAY Editor Oliver Parsons / Art Director Christie Ferdinando / Contributing Editor Brendon Hooper / Production Editor Andy Plowman / Senior Designer Isabella Fernandes / Creative Director Matt Beaven / Account Director Karen Jenner / Advertisement Sales Director Emma Kennedy / Advertisement Manager Karren Cook / Sales Manager Angus Sharpe / Sales Executive Nick Webb / Production Manager Michael Wood / Managing Director Toby Smeeton / Repro F1 Colour / Printers Wyndeham Group / Cover Illustration Tom Haugomat / Published by Sunday, 207 Union Street, London SE1 0LN wearesunday.com / For RICS James Murphy and Kate Symons, RICS, Parliament Square, London SW1P 3AD

@KWellsJohnston @RICSnews modus in Marrakech, UN physical water scarcity zone #RICSmodus #waterscarcecities

@EthelGRubio @ricsnews @ricsamericas #Congrats on the 50th issue! Very relevant to address water scarcity.

@Oxford_Urban Congratulations on 50th issue of #RICSmodus magazine!

@AshleyPerryUK Fantastic to see @ULIEurope Build to Rent guide mentioned in the latest #RICSModus. #PRS

@WattsScotland Loving the wine focused ‘Ripe for Growth’ articles in this month’s #RICSmodus magazine. Apt reading for a Friday afternoon.

@constable_katie @RICSnews #RICSmodus I absolutely loved the secret surveyor feature about women surveyors in Septembers edition. Well said!

@robayre_UKLE I’m looking forward to reading the latest issue of #RICSmodus which arrived with me yesterday.

@ashleyigloo Great to see @MartinJBruehl discussing sustainable investment in #RICSmodus this month with reference to the Royal Charter. #Progress

Join the

debateREACTIONS AND RESPONSES

FROM PREVIOUS ISSUESDo you have a comment about this issue of Modus? Email [email protected],

or tweet us using #RICSmodus

TENDERING RESIGNATIONSir, I read with interest the comments of Jim Martin and Jamie Barratt (Intelligence, p6, September) and I endorse the latter’s comments that public sector procurement is overly bureaucratic and not cost-effective for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). I have no doubt that the taxpayer loses out as a direct result, as the pool of potential bidders is drastically reduced.

Unfortunately, the mindset in the public sector is the real issue, in that, first and foremost, it is procedure rather than outcomes that are paramount. This is completely contrary to how the private sector goes about its business, but until the government incentivises the public sector to go for the “value for money” bid, then nothing will change.

If the government was really serious about opening up opportunities, they would examine what private sector clients do and proceed accordingly. They would break contracts down into smaller lot sizes and take for granted that professionally qualified firms comply with the law of the land and all the relevant policies that go with it. We are all insured and can be struck off by RICS if we fail in our professional duties.

I am all in favour of weighting bids but they should be biased towards cost and away from policy or experience. Professional indemnity cover should relate to the size of the job. Relevant experience should include that with private sector clients as well as public bodies.

We do bid for public sector work, but more in hope than expectation!John Fifield FRICS, chairman, Fifield Glyn, Cheshire

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DOWN IN THE GAZUMPSSir, your recent article regarding Gazeal (Intelligence, p9, September) states that “more than one-third of house sales fail to complete because of gazumping”.

As one of London’s largest estate agency groups, we find that gazumping is rare. Incidences occur to varying degrees depending on the market but, as a percentage of all of our sales, they are in the low single digits. Hence we would submit that this claim is misleading. You don’t give a source, so we can only assume it comes from Gazeal.

The article also claims that “one in three house sales fail to exchange” – presumably you therefore believe that they all do so because of gazumping?

Gazumping is an emotive term, used wrongly by many buyers to describe offers that weren’t accepted by sellers. Abortive transactions occur in some 15%-20% of our sales depending on the market, but fall to single-digit numbers when customers use a specialist conveyancing solicitor. This fact indicates where most problems in the process lie.

I would suggest that the article is a case of “lies, damn lies and statistics” and that the publication deserves better standards of journalism. Jeff Doble FRICS, chief executive, Thamesview, Teddington

Thanks for your letter, and we’re sorry that the image caption to this story erroneously joined the dots between gazumping and the stated figure of one-third of sales falling through. As stated in the main copy of the piece, it should instead have said that gazumping is a contributing factor to failed sales.


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showcase2nd annual

WHAT CAN DRONES OFFER SURVEYORS AND THEIR CLIENTS? • Reduced health and safety risk• Minimal disruption• High quality images• Reduced survey time• Environmentally friendly• Access all areas

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND? • Understand the rules and regulations covering who can �y and where from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) • Discuss insurance issues with a number of providers including Besso, Coverdrone and Drone-Insurance• Find out what equipment offers the right capabilities for you from key suppliers including Aerialtronics, Vulcan UAV, Height-Tech GmbH and QuestUAV• Join the seminar sessions to hear from current users and how UAVs are having a positive impact on their business.

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06 RICS.ORG/MODUS

FRANCIS KEENAN MANAGING DIRECTOR OF BUILDING ENVELOPE COMPANY THE FK GROUP, ALTRINCHAM, UK

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR) IS SOMETHING A BUSINESS CAN THINK about from day one. I must admit I approached the subject as a cynic and we

were led into working more sustainably by the insistence of a client. We began by reducing waste on site and quickly saw the commercial benefit of doing so. This was followed by looking at our supply chains and how the company operated. Very quickly it affected not only the way we were doing business, but also how the company behaved as a whole.

Today, the company is very active in the community, working with schools to offer work experience and finding young staff through local colleges. However, we also support causes that provide little obvious commercial or PR benefit, such as sponsoring the training of local football referees. These days, I believe we do things not because they make sense commercially, but because they are the right thing to do.

We’ve also raised money for charity as a company. When we signed up for a charity run, we allowed staff time out of work for training. The positive impact was great and it meant the whole company felt they had done something together.

I think small businesses can engage in CSR by looking for easy wins. For instance, we worked with a supplier to reduce waste from packaging. They agreed to provide a solution in return for the guarantee of a year’s business. It saved us thousands and didn’t cost us a penny, while also being good for them and the environment. This is why I believe it can work for all businesses from the outset.

STEVE GILBERT FOUNDER, STEVE GILBERT BUILDING SERVICES, PETERBOROUGH, UK

I THINK BUSINESSES SHOULD FOCUS ON DELIVERING A FIRST-class service and ensuring that customers are happy with

that service. I’ve been in business for 30 years and have built my reputation and list of commendations by endeavouring to maintain a good standard of workmanship. My company now has 15 full-time staff, plus a good number of regular subcontractors and I have reached that level by focusing my efforts on what’s important. If small businesses spend too much time looking at their social responsibility, it takes their focus from what really matters.

I think it is fine to support your local football team – or other causes in your community – if you have the means to do so, and I have done this. But businesses really need to do this from a position of profitability and to achieve that you must prioritise what is important to your business.

In the construction industry I’ve seen many cases where you meet a potential client with an impressive public image, but when you get up close, things are very different. Some companies like to project themselves in a very positive light, but you then find they are extremely tardy when it comes to making payments or delivering their service. We’ve had requests for 90- or 120-day payment terms, which puts unfair pressure on a small business’s cashflow.

I would advise small businesses to focus on what’s important: working hard, being profitable and paying their staff and suppliers. This creates a win-win situation for all concerned as they are themselves in a better position to run their own lives and look after their families.

Corporate social responsibility: altruism or false step? What’s your view? Join the discussion on LinkedIn at rics.org/linkedin, or tweet using #RICSmodus

Small businesses don’t have time for corporate social responsibility. Discuss.

DIFFERENCE OF OPINION

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Intelligence News / Reviews / Opinions / Reactions

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www.rics.org/linkedin


ASSET RICHThe number of property millionaires in Britain has more than doubled over the past three years

Source: Zoopla

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Nominate members for the New Year’s Honours list

Every year RICS is asked, along with other professional bodies, to nominate eminent members for the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. Nominations are now being welcomed from those who have made a positive contribution to their profession, particularly through charitable work.

The Cabinet Office is particularly keen to hear from younger people and those from regions outside London.

The British Empire Medal (BEM) has also been reintroduced for candidates working at a very local level. Although BEMs will not be awarded at the Palace, they will be presented locally by Lord-Lieutenants, and recipients will be invited to a Royal Garden Party the following year.

For more information about how to nominate someone, visit rics.org/honourslist2015.

Sign up to RICS’ Inclusive Employer Quality Mark

RICS is inviting member firms to sign up to its Inclusive Employer Quality Mark scheme, which was launched over the summer.

The scheme encourages all firms, large and small, to look carefully at their employment practices and have inclusiveness and diversity at the heart of what they do. By signing up, companies commit to six principles that cover leadership and vision, recruitment, staff development, retention, engagement and continuous improvement.

Signatories to the scheme will be able to use the tag line “signatory to the RICS Inclusive Employer Quality Mark”. Find out more at rics.org/diversity.

QUAY INDICATORS

Dublin’s Docklands

has been the centre of much

TMT-related construction

activity in recent years

THE DATA

Intelligence

NEWS IN BRIEF

rics.org/modus

CONSTRUCTION COSTS OF HIGH-RISE PRIME OFFICE SPACE ($/M2)

UK€902

Sydney Dublin Munich Doha Singa-pore

Sao Paulo

Dubai BangaloreHongKong

LondonNewYork

Switzerland€822

Spain€622

Netherlands€625

Germany€600

France€598

Sweden€500

Malta€461

Romania€333

Slovakia€239

2014

484k

39.1% 39%31.9% 28.5% 29.5%

34.8% 34.7%29%

13.2%24.8%

2015

524k

2013

324k

2012

246k

2011

220k

2010

226k

£1MillionProperties

26%22%

18%13% 12%

-5% -7% -7%-11%

-22%

$4,8

40

$4,5

60

$3,9

00

$3,3

50

$3,2

40

$2,9

60

$2,9

50

$2,1

90

$2,1

10

$2,0

80

$780

100

80

60

40

20

12/07 06/08 09/08 12/08 06/09 12/09 06/10 12/10 06/11 12/11 06/12 12/12 06/13 12/13 06/14 12/14 06/15

Apartment sales

Apartment rentals

Villa salesVilla rentals

Dublin’s push to become a global technology, media and telecoms (TMT) hub is providing a huge shot in the arm to the Irish construction industry, says Turner & Townsend’s (T&T) international construction market survey (data, below).

The report predicts that demand for data centres and new premises for technology and pharmaceutical companies will continue to rise in the city, but warns of increasing pressure on the supply chain as it struggles to meet growing demand. This strain has resulted in average construction costs rising by 5% in the 12 months to July 2015, giving Dublin the seventh highest

inflation rate in the 35 global markets surveyed in the report. Overall construction costs will continue to rise at the same rate over the next 12 months as some areas struggle with skills shortages.

The report also found that construction now contributes 7.5% of Ireland’s gross national product. Although this is still well below the long-run average of 12%, it suggests the growth is sustainable, driven largely by the private sector, where both residential and commercial sector builders are reporting a rise in demand.

Mark Kelly MRICS, managing director of Healy Kelly Turner & Townsend in Dublin, commented: “After several lean years, Ireland’s construction industry is finally showing strong signs of recovery. The return to form has been steady rather than stellar, and there has been no repeat of the unsustainable rates of growth seen in the run-up to 2007. The sector is creating jobs as firms ramp up their capacity – and head count – to meet demand.”

TECH FIRMS PUSH UP DUBLIN COSTS AS DEMAND OUTSTRIPS SUPPLY

CONSTRUCTION®

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

£1m-plus properties

UK€902


Sao Paulo


LondonNewYork

Switzerland€822

Spain€622

Netherlands€625

Germany€600

France€598

Sweden€500

Malta€461

Romania€333

Slovakia€239

2014

484k

39.1% 39%31.9% 28.5% 29.5%

34.8% 34.7%29%

13.2%24.8%

2015

524k

2013

324k

2012

246k

2011

220k

2010

226k


26%22%

18%13% 12%

-5% -7% -7%-11%

-22%

$4,8

40

$4,5

60

$3,9

00

$3,3

50

$3,2

40

$2,9

60

$2,9

50

$2,1

90

$2,1

10

$2,0

80

$780

100

80

60

40

20

12/07 06/08 09/08 12/08 06/09 12/09 06/10 12/10 06/11 12/11 06/12 12/12 06/13 12/13 06/14 12/14 06/15

Apartment sales

Apartment rentals


Source: Turner & Townsend

Singapore SãoPaulo

Dubai BangaloreNew York

London Sydney HongKong

Dublin Munich Doha

MODUS_Oct15_P06-15_Intel_v4.indd 7 15/09/2015 11:26

www.rics.org/modus

www.rics.org/honourslist2015

www.rics.org/diversity

08 RICS.ORG/MODUS

There is a particular moment at a dinner party that I dread. It is the moment when a guest turns to me

and asks “so what do you do for a living?” My first response is to answer “I’m a chartered surveyor”. Sometimes this is met with “how interesting … and how do you know [insert name of host]?” and the conversation moves on. Often, though, they will want to ask a bit more, or have some industry awareness. Nine times out of 10, they tend to think I’m a quantity surveyor, followed by the next guess of a building surveyor. At this point I try to head things off with a bland comment – “I do property stuff” – but sometimes, when pushed, I tell them I’m a facilities manager.

Now, this behaviour is not driven by any sense of embarrassment about being a facilities manager – on the contrary, I’m incredibly proud of the great work my profession delivers. It’s just that people never seem to know what a facilities manager is, and it’s all a bit complicated to explain exactly what my day job entails when you’re simply engaging in small talk. And it’s not just me. The whole profession seems to be in a bit of turmoil about who we are and what we do.

Most people would agree that facilities management (FM) is a young profession that started in the early 1980s and has been evolving ever since. It’s a big and growing global marketplace – in the UK alone, it’s on a par with construction, being valued at around £100bn a year, or 7% of GDP.

But there is a lot of internal fragmentation in industry leadership, and there are many organisations that purport to represent our interests. There’s also an increasing

divergence about what our areas of focus should be, and one of the main points of debate concerns whether FM is about managing people, or buildings. Add into the mix that construction companies are now carrying out more facilities management – a convergence model that provides services over a building’s whole life-cycle from conception to decommissioning. And traditional commercial real estate firms are also moving into the space, acquiring companies so they can deliver these services to their tenants themselves.

Externally, FM is facing more challenges than ever before. Massive developments are afoot in property technology such as sensors, BIM and big data. Significant shifts in workplace generational demographics are made more complex by

changes in the fundamental concept of the workplace. We then have the steadily increasing pressure for better social accountability over issues such as the living wage and community engagement. Not to forget our ongoing challenges in sustainability and energy management. And in the UK, we have to deal with the ever increasing backlog of maintenance in existing building stock that has been intensified in this era of public sector austerity. Finally, we need to recognise that we will have to deal with increased risks of what used to be once-in-a-generation events – both natural and manmade.

FM is on the front line of many of these issues. We need new skills for these new challenges. But we also need to move out of our traditional silo and evolve from a separate industry to an integrated discipline within the built environment.

Where then is support likely to come from? For me, the RICS Futures strategy asks all the right questions, and provides some of the answers for FM, acknowledging our discipline as a priority for the future. I am very hopeful that this new focus will enable us to truly develop a profession fit to meet all these future challenges. And maybe even one day, at a dinner party in the future, I will be able to say: “I’m a chartered facilities management surveyor,” and the response will be “wow, that’s a great job”. Which, of course, it is.

FIND OUT MORE about RICS Futures at rics.org/futures. Kath Fontana is Chair of RICS’ Facilities Management Professional Group: rics.org/facilitiesmanagement

“FM needs to move out of its traditional silo and evolve from a separate industry to an integrated

discipline within the built environment”

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Essential guidance for UK residential property surveyors

The National Trading Standards Estate Agency Team of Powys County Council – the UK’s regulator under the Estate Agents Act 1979 – has released new guidance for estate agents involved in property sales, which supersedes guidance previously issued by the now defunct Office of Fair Trading.

There has been no change to either the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs) or the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008 (BPRs). However, the guidance was due a refresh in the light of case law and clearly has been written in an attempt to make it helpful for agents.

Importantly, the regulations apply to all consumer and business marketing activity across all sectors, be it estate agents, mobile phone retailers or yacht brokers. All surveying firms, but letting agents in particular, are advised to read the publication.

Download the guidance from rics.org/estateagentadvice.

Home Surveys video explains services for customers

How do you explain the range of RICS Home Surveys available to your customers? The latest video in a series produced by RICS does just that, and urges customers to seek advice from their surveyor and ask which survey best suits their requirements.

This tool has been produced to help RICS members explain the suite of Home Surveys and the video can be embedded in your own web page.

Visit rics.org/homebuyers.

WE LIKE

ONE THING I KNOW

What’s that? An ambitious concept to use recycled plastic for a new type of road surface. Dutch construction firm VolkerWessels believes roads could be cheaper and quicker to construct using lightweight plastic instead of asphalt – and require less maintenance – thanks to the material’s greater resistance to corrosion, weather and extreme changes in temperature. And, as asphalt is responsible for around 2% of all road transport emissions, plastic roads could be a more environmentally friendly option, too.How would it work? Prefabricated off site, the sections of road would be formed with space for cables and utility pipes below the surface. At this stage, the roads could also be integrated with anything from traffic sensors, to measuring equipment or connections for street lamps. The idea is to fabricate the roads from plastic waste that is usually incinerated – and one big source could be the estimated 8bn kg floating around in our oceans. Won’t they be too slippery? “The next stage is to build it and test it in a laboratory to make sure it’s safe in wet conditions – for example, we could also apply sand or crushed stone to the surface,” says Rolf Mars, director of VolkerWessels’ roads subdivision, KWS Infra. The company hopes to build the first fully recycled thoroughfare within three years, and the city of Rotterdam has signalled an interest in running a trial.volkerwessels.com

PlasticRoad

“We have to ensure any new towers respect London’s history”

Paul Chilton FRICS, partner – head of City of London office, CluttonsLondon is about to get a whole lot taller – at present, there are 260 new towers proposed, approved or under

construction. As one of the world’s leading financial cities, London needs the space to be able to accommodate businesses. But there are also four UNESCO sites in the capital, so we have a responsibility to ensure the towers respect its history.

Developers must take this opportunity

to incorporate the most innovative and appropriate designs, and the newest technologies, while maximising the benefits to Londoners through new public spaces. By doing this, they will ensure the capital is the most creative and vibrant place it can be.

KERB APPEALPrefabricated

sections would contain voids to

carry services such as cables

and drainage

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NEWS IN BRIEF

rics.org/modus

UK€902


Sao Paulo


LondonNewYork

Switzerland€822

Spain€622

Netherlands€625

Germany€600

France€598

Sweden€500

Malta€461

Romania€333

Slovakia€239

2014

484k

39.1% 39%31.9% 28.5% 29.5%

34.8% 34.7%29%

13.2%24.8%

2015

524k

2013

324k

2012

246k

2011

220k

2010

226k


26%22%

18%13% 12%

-5% -7% -7%-11%

-22%

$4,8

40

$4,5

60

$3,9

00

$3,3

50

$3,2

40

$2,9

60

$2,9

50

$2,1

90

$2,1

10

$2,0

80

$780

100

80

60

40

20

12/07 06/08 09/08 12/08 06/09 12/09 06/10 12/10 06/11 12/11 06/12 12/12 06/13 12/13 06/14 12/14 06/15

Apartment sales

Apartment rentals


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HOME DISCOMFORTSPrivate tenants in the UK are paying the highest monthly rents in Europe and spending a greater proportion of their wages on it

Source: National Housing Federation

®

UK¤902

Switzerland¤822

Spain¤622

Netherlands¤625

Germany¤600

France¤598

Sweden¤500

Malta¤461

Romania¤333

Slovakia¤239


www.rics.org/modus

www.rics.org/estateagentadvice

www.volkerwessels.com

www.rics.org/homebuyers

10 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Last year, at the age of 47, I breathed a secret sigh of relief. After two decades of

struggling to manage full-time work as a chartered surveyor and being a mother, my youngest son headed off on a gap year and I was finally free. Free, I thought, to concentrate on my career, to finally take advantage of my 30 years’ experience in construction and property and look for new and exciting opportunities.

What I actually found was that I was considered “past it”. For the first time in my life I’ve applied for job after job after job without success. Last week, a quantity surveyor exactly half my age was taken on for a job we’d both applied for. Now that’s either poor recruitment filtering or there’s something else going on. Since then I’ve been trying to work out whether I should just go and work in Tesco instead.

I’m not sure what the problem is. I think I have a fairly young outlook on life, I keep myself up

to date with new technologies and developments, I’m open to new ideas, I don’t even look my age – so people tell me.

Do employers look at someone in their late 40s and wonder if they’ll get a return on their investment? The generation before mine tended to retire early – my dad retired at 50 on a full civil service pension – but, for people my age, the reality is that we’ll need and, in most cases, want to work into our late 60s and perhaps longer.

My conversations with other “ageing” surveyors suggest that this is not a gender issue but I do think there’s a connection with diversity. As an industry with huge skills shortages we have to let go of our stereotypical images of what an ideal quantity surveyor or valuer looks like and accept that good people come in all shapes, sizes, colours, genders and ages.

ARE YOU INTERESTED in writing a future Secret Surveyor column? Email [email protected]

New Board appointments in EMEA and US

Thijs Stoffer has been appointed as independent Chair of RICS’ EMEA Regulatory Board.

CEO of the International Consortium of Real Estate Associations since 2008, Stoffer has years of industry experience and runs his own international consultancy firm.

Formed in 2013, the EMEA World Regional Advice Panel (EMEA WRRAP) played a crucial role in supporting the Global Regulatory Board in the setting up of the strategic framework for policies affecting RICS members and firms in the region.

It is led independently by a non-member and under Stoffer, the Board will deliver RICS’ regional EMEA regulatory policy.

Stoffer commented: “I’m very pleased to have a front row seat to the industry’s standard setting processes and the public policy interests in the EMEA region.

“I look forward to further contributing to the mission of protecting clients and consumers without increasing the regulatory burden on property businesses.”

In the Americas, RICS has also appointed Paul Beland as the independent Chair to its new regulatory board.

Beland is a vice-president at Institutional Shareholder Services, advising institutional clients on corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions and contentious situations. He has years of experience in equity research, with a focus in valuation.

Beland said: “Having spent most of my career on Wall Street and, more recently, advising investors on corporate governance, this experience should bring a critical edge as RICS continues to grow in the region. I look forward to continuing to work with RICS’ regulatory team to help ensure that RICS members and firms in the Americas can benefit from assistance in navigating local regulatory frameworks.”

SECRET SURVEYOR“Do employers look at someone in their late 40s and wonder if they’ll get a return on their investment?”

RUSH TO BOOK INTO SPANISH HOTELSHotel investment in Spain is at its highest level for nearly seven years, and is on course to surpass the €1.6bn (£1.1bn) recorded at the previous peak in 2006, says CBRE.

Investment in Spanish hotels last

year was at its highest since the crash of 2008 – up 63.4% on 2013 and totalling €1.09bn (£797m).

CBRE found this investor appetite continued in 2015. Transaction volumes for the first quarter were up 283% on the same period in 2014, stemming partly from a rise in investment from the Middle East, Asia and the US.

“Traditional hotel markets such as London and Paris have notoriously high barriers to entry and a scarcity of investable stock, particularly in

the luxury segment,” said Joe Stather, EMEA hotels intelligence manager at CBRE.

“[By contrast] the key Spanish cities are currently proving much more liquid. Direct flights to Spain from the emirates, China and Singapore heighten the country’s appeal further and those investing in real estate are eligible to obtain residency by investment.

“Demand is such that there is evidence of residential and office assets being converted into five-star accommodation.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

rics.org/modus

INVESTMENT

CHECKING INChinese group

Chongqing Kangde paid

€50m in May for Hotel Barceló

Santiago in Tenerife

®

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www.rics.org/modus


PAINTING THE TOWN RED, YELLOW, GREEN...Can a lick of paint really turn around the fortunes of a neighbourhood? The question was put to the test in July when artists Germen Crew applied this extraordinary paint job to the working class barrio of Las Palmitas in Mexico. The area has in the past been seen as dangerous after dark, but a new sense of pride in the neighbourhood has reportedly led to inhabitants taking a more active role in its security, and is leading to an upturn in the area’s fortunes.

MULTI-COLOURED WHITEWASH of urban poverty, or art for all? Tweet to let us know your thoughts, using #RICSmodus

Intelligence

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12 RICS.ORG/MODUS

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mailto:[email protected]


Pensions: everyone needs one, and we all want ours to perform well. And since pension holders are also voters, governments want confidence that pension funds will deliver what they promise, legally and responsibly.

Given the increasing propensity for investors to allege fiduciary breach, the US Department of Labor (DOL) recently set out proposals for a standard of fiduciary duty for anyone giving retirement investment advice. The DOL cited a growing problem of conflicted advice – estimated to cost US investors $17bn a year – and called for a set of rules that put clients’ best interests first.

As head of global transactions for a fund manager, I am acutely aware of my duty to invest other people’s money responsibly. This is never easy. In a world of historically low interest rates engineered by central banks, greater demand for pension funds in the emerging economies, and a trend towards more fund investment in real estate as an alternative asset class, the pressures to cut corners are great.

My clients traditionally prefer safe investments in core cities within their home country. But a global market requires us to look beyond these markets and spread investments across geographical regions and diverse assets. The associated risks can never be quantified with complete accuracy and are only ever an expression of probability – like a weather forecast, a high expectation of sunshine can still result in a soaking.

Our profession has to be serious about the fiduciary duties required of risk managers. RICS has a role to educate and regulate, so that those in practice understand the changing nature of risk – demographics and increasing longevity; actions by external stakeholders and lawmakers; and systemic risks that may increase as investments become more diverse – and so that they implement best practice in governance. And beware: the next “black swan” event may be just around the corner.

The past is littered with examples of poor risk management – from the 1970s UK banking crisis, through the asset price bubble in 1980s Japan, to the 2008 credit crisis in Europe and North America. Similar mistakes can be made less likely through professional risk management based on technical and professional standards, ethical behaviour and effective regulation. Follow Martin on Twitter @MartinJBruehl

LEARN FROM THE PAST

An approach to managing risk

that upholds the professional

standards of the institution will help avoid past mistakes

Rogue landlords and letting agents in England who fail to comply with local authority orders face higher fines and a potential blacklisting from the property industry, under new measures outlined by the UK government.

The proposals come amid growing concern over the state of the private-rented sector. Although the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) notes that 84% of private renters are satisfied with their accommodation, a small number of rogue landlords are causing “acute and complex problems”. For example, on a recent inspection of 40,000 privately rented properties, around 3,000 were found to be of such poor condition that enforcement action or prosecution were required.

In a potential transformation of the private rental market, proposals in the DCLG paper – entitled Tackling rogue landlords and improving the private rental sector – include: a blacklist of rogue landlords and letting agents; minimum fines for repeat offences and rent repayment orders; new powers for local authorities to seize private rentals; a “fit and proper person” test for landlords; and new civil penalties and fines against landlords for overcrowding, damp, disrepair and vermin infestations.

The proposals for new civil penalties, which are rare at present, could have the biggest impact on landlords, as they would be issued without recourse to the courts and applied easily and widely. Civil penalties could be issued against landlords and letting agents who permit overcrowding and allow properties to fall into disrepair, as well as for poor sanitation, electrical faults, damp and vermin infestation, with fines as high as £5,000.

Furthermore, DCLG suggests a wider definition of the law around rent repayment orders could be applied, which could force landlords who fail to comply with local authority orders to repay all the rent they have received.

DOWNLOAD the consultation paper at bit.ly/UKgov_roguelandlords

UK PLANS CLEAN-UP OF PRIVATE-RENTED SECTOR

RESIDENTIAL

MARTIN J BRÜHL FRICS RICS PRESIDENT

UK€902


Sao Paulo


LondonNewYork

Switzerland€822

Spain€622

Netherlands€625

Germany€600

France€598

Sweden€500

Malta€461

Romania€333

Slovakia€239

2014

484k

39.1% 39%31.9% 28.5% 29.5%

34.8% 34.7%29%

13.2%24.8%

2015

524k

2013

324k

2012

246k

2011

220k

2010

226k


26%22%

18%13% 12%

-5% -7% -7%-11%

-22%

$4,8

40

$4,5

60

$3,9

00

$3,3

50

$3,2

40

$2,9

60

$2,9

50

$2,1

90

$2,1

10

$2,0

80

$780

100

80

60

40

20

12/07 06/08 09/08 12/08 06/09 12/09 06/10 12/10 06/11 12/11 06/12 12/12 06/13 12/13 06/14 12/14 06/15

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“We must understand the changing nature of risk”

Intelligence

HOT OR NOT DESKSFive largest increases and decreases in prime office occupancy costs between Q1 2014 and Q1 2015

Source: CBRE

Dublin,Ireland

Downtown Seattle,

US

Panama City,

Panama

Belfast, UK

Helsinki,Finland

Calgary,Canada

West Kowloon,

HongKong

Monterrey,Mexico

BuenosAires,

Argentina

Moscow,Russia


www.bit.ly/UKgov_roguelandlords

14 RICS.ORG/MODUS

In today’s global market place, organisations are looking for new ways to transform their business, seize new opportunities and support long-term growth. Our unique course is dedicated to helping forward–thinking leaders combine the industry-specific technical knowledge, skills and insight necessary to achieve this.

As the leading professional body in the built environment, RICS is ideally positioned to provide this unique solution. The course has been developed in conjunction with global industry experts who bring a wealth of industry knowledge and best practice expertise.

Transform your world, your organisation and yourself.

Transform your worldExecutive Education: The International Certificate in Leadership for Real Estate Development

Places are limited. Applications close 30 October 2015. e [email protected] t 024 7686 8584 w rics.org/executiveeducation


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NEWS IN BRIEF

rics.org/modus

Could your abstract charm COBRA 2016 organisers?

The call for abstracts for COBRA 2016, RICS’ annual construction, building and real estate research conference, is now open.

Next September’s event is being held in Toronto, Canada, and will include presentations that explore the best of building, construction and real estate research worldwide, debate and discussion between researchers, and information about new study areas.

The organisers are particularly keen to receive abstracts on the themes of construction, legal research, real estate and land. Abstracts should provide details of an issue that is being addressed and the work under way to tackle it.

Papers presented for consideration at COBRA should be based on work that will be completed, or largely completed, by the time of the event, rather than being presentations of research concepts or work in an early stage of development.

Abstracts of no more than 300 words should be sent to [email protected] by Friday 16 October. For more information, and to download the abstract form, go to rics.org/cobra2016.

Hong Kong regulator endorses RICS qualification

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission has included the use of the RICS qualification as a key feature of its Code on Real Estate Investment Trusts.

To perform valuations, a practitioner must either be a member of the local Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) or an RICS member. The fact that RICS is aligned to the International Valuation Standards (IVS) through the RICS Valuation Standards – the Red Book – means members are qualified to work across markets.

Australia’s construction industry is in a period of significant change following reductions in engineering construction spending, according to a report published by Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) for the Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF).

The July report notes that engineering construction spending is projected to total A$100bn (£45.88bn) for 2014-15 – a decline of 18% on 2013-14. And with the country’s mining boom tailing off, activity in the engineering sector will continue to decline over the next few years, with spending reduced to A$86bn (£39.41bn) by 2017-18.

Apart from road building, which will continue to experience growth, the reduced investment will mean a cut in spending on supporting activities, such as construction of bridges, railways and harbours, and energy infrastructure. However, the reductions are being partially offset by a rise in housebuilding activity, which is projected to increase by 5% in 2014-15, and 9% for 2015-16.

The ACIF warns that this could have significant knock-on effects on the level of construction industry employment in the country. For example, jobs are shifting from large, capital-intensive mining projects towards smaller, more labour-intensive residential building activities. The shift is also geographical – jobs are moving out of the states in which mining construction activity is concentrated towards the more populous east coast of Australia, where there is more residential construction work. The net effect is an increase of 19,000 jobs this year, despite the reduction in total construction spending.

In the medium term, construction employment numbers will decline slightly to just below 1 million jobs, as total spending continues to fall while labour productivity increases.

DOWNLOAD the full report at bit.ly/RLB_AusJuly

DRIVEN DOWNThe Hunter

Expressway in New South

Wales opened last year and cost A$1.7bn

(£778m). Road building is likely

to be the only survivor of

spending cuts in large projects

Intelligence

END OF AN ERA FOR BIG AUSTRALIAN CONSTRUCTION SPENDS

INFRASTRUCTURE

Ideal reading for those responsible for the procurement or management of construction projects, this book provides a straightforward, independent and authoritative assessment and analysis of the 2015 Construction Design and Management

(CDM) Regulations, and explores the roles of each party involved in a construction project in light of the latest updates to the regulations.

The book will help duty holders avoid the potential pitfalls, and associated penalties, of non-compliance. For example, it contains

a useful checklist to ensure quick and easy assimilation of any legal responsibilities, as well as step-by-step practical advice on each clause and notes on how they are likely to affect professional and business interests. ICE Publishing, £65

WHAT ARE YOU READING? Tweet to let us know, using #RICSmodus

CDM REGULATIONS 2015 EXPLAINED RAYMOND JOYCE

In today’s global market place, organisations are looking for new ways to transform their business, seize new opportunities and support long-term growth. Our unique course is dedicated to helping forward–thinking leaders combine the industry-specific technical knowledge, skills and insight necessary to achieve this.

As the leading professional body in the built environment, RICS is ideally positioned to provide this unique solution. The course has been developed in conjunction with global industry experts who bring a wealth of industry knowledge and best practice expertise.

Transform your world, your organisation and yourself.

Transform your worldExecutive Education: The International Certificate in Leadership for Real Estate Development

Places are limited. Applications close 30 October 2015. e [email protected] t 024 7686 8584 w rics.org/executiveeducation

PAGETURNER

®


www.rics.org/modus

www.rics.org/cobra2016

www.bit.ly/RLB_AusJuly

Asset management

THE NHS NEEDS TO

FIND £30BN OVER THE

NEXT FIVE YEARS.

HOW MUCH OF IT COULD COME FROM

SITES LIKE THESE?

Words Stuart Watson

MAJOR SURGERYColchester’s Severalls Hospital closed in 1997, most of the site is undeveloped (top); Wakefield’s Clayton Hospital is in desperate need of redevelopment

MODUS_Oct15_P16-19_NHS_v5.indd 16 15/09/2015 11:57


Asset management

Hundreds of development sites in England could come on to the market over the next five years as part of a massive sell-off of National

Health Service property. NHS England has identified the potential to make savings of £7.5bn through the disposal of surplus land and property as the organisation seeks to fill the growing hole in its finances.

Much of that land is likely to be sold to the private sector for housing development. On the face of it, a plan that could help to address the crises in both housing and health funding seems an obvious win-win. Moreover, the sales programme is likely to provide opportunities for the UK property industry and the surveying profession in particular. The identification and disposal of such a huge land bank will also pose an enormous challenge for those involved.

The sell-off takes place against the backdrop of a looming cash crisis for healthcare in England. NHS funding is likely to remain flat in real terms over the coming decade, while an ageing population means that the demand for care will grow faster than ever. To tackle an annual funding shortfall that could grow to £30bn by 2021, NHS chief executive Simon Stevens has challenged health service managers to make £22bn of efficiency savings to top up the £8bn in health spending pledged by chancellor George Osborne in his July budget.

To make such economies, the NHS will have to radically overhaul its method of working and that will require capital investment. In October 2013, health service regulator Monitor produced the £7.5bn figure as part of its Closing the Gap report. It calculated that if the £31.2bn in assets held in total by all acute NHS trusts – those that run hospitals – were utilised to the level seen in the best-performing trusts, then £6.4bn of assets could be freed, releasing £1.1bn in annual running costs. That saving could then be recycled to help the NHS develop more efficient ways of working.

Sector leaders accept the need to use property more effectively. Rob Webster, chief executive of healthcare managers’ organisation the NHS Confederation, says: “The NHS has a clear challenge in the next »


18 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Asset management

Most NHS trusts are focused on day- to-day management and don’t have a great perspective on strategic issues

SIMON PHILLIPS Bilfinger GVA

five years of changing how care is delivered, and part of this will involve having the right services in the right buildings and in the right settings. There is value in looking at how to get the most out of NHS estates. This will release property not being used and help develop an estate best suited for the needs of patients in the 21st century.”

Meanwhile, the government has stepped up pressure on public bodies to release land for housing development. In the last parliament, the Conservatives claimed they released sites to enable the construction of 103,000 homes, and over the next five years the party has targeted a further 150,000. Many NHS properties are located in residential areas and are consequently well suited for redevelopment into housing.

Since its inception in 1948, the NHS has accumulated a vast estate. It controls land totalling 17m acres (6.9m ha) with an estimated 305.7m ft2 (28.4m m2) of buildings. Ownership is divided among more than 200 acute hospital trusts, mental health trusts and community providers. Meanwhile, NHS Property Services manages around 10% of the estate formerly controlled by the abolished primary care trusts. The Department of Health has identified more than 350 NHS sites it deems surplus to requirements that could be released for development. They range in size from small plots of land to large hospital sites of 30 acres (12 ha) or more.

The initial challenge facing many trusts is to get a clear view of exactly what property they own and what its

future potential might be. “We have done quite a bit of work with NHS trusts in terms of helping them identify their estate needs,” says Simon Phillips, a director in Bilfinger GVA’s Birmingham office. “Most NHS trusts don’t really know the extent of the floor space they occupy. A lot of the officers in their estates departments are people who have worked in NHS facilities management and are very focused on the day-to day- management of property. They don’t have a great perspective on more strategic issues.”

In June, NHS Property Services and sister healthcare property manager Community Health Partnerships were asked by the Department of Health to step into the role of strategic estates advisers across the health service. The role is too large for two modestly sized public bodies to carry out alone, however, and all of the big surveying firms advise NHS trusts on their estates strategies.

Iain Lock MRICS, head of healthcare at Bilfinger GVA, explains: “There are three

spokes to that wheel: keeping what they need to keep, deciding what they want to dispose of and looking at what they are going to do with the money that they raise from that, in terms of improving their existing estate, buying new sites and relocating.”

Nonetheless, barriers exist to declaring sites surplus to requirements. While NHS trusts with foundation trust status have an incentive to dispose of property because they get to keep the receipts from property sales, non-foundation trusts are not entitled to retain land sale proceeds of more than £5m from a disposal. Nor do providers who lease buildings owned by NHS Property Services benefit directly from sales.

Trusts may also want to hang on to land for future use: “There is so much uncertainty over NHS operational requirements that writing an estate strategy is very difficult. They don’t know what their needs are going to be in 12 months, let alone in five or 10 years’ time,” says John Keyes MRICS, head of DTZ’s public sector group in Manchester.

major site could be £1m. The partner could then sell the site off to the private sector,” he suggests. “We are working on transactions at the moment with local authorities where the site remains in their ownership and our remuneration would be the payback of the money we have invested and a margin based on the sale proceeds.”

He suggests that property investors could also provide capital up front so that a replacement facility can be established before the receipt has been received from the sale of an old one. That would enable “double running”, whereby patients are migrated gradually to a new building. Many health providers favour this strategy because it reassures patients that there will be no diminution of care.

Questions remain, though, over how much land is likely to come to the market within the NHS’s five-year

horizon, and how attractive that land will be to housebuilders. Large, valuable sites in areas such as Greater London fit the model well, but not all land will be released in areas in the grip of a housing boom. Keyes warns: “There is a danger that the London market is driving policy, when actually in much of the country surplus sites are not necessarily high value, or located where people want to live and housebuilders want to build. The NHS has a lot of very poor-quality property.”

Some trusts may also feel that their aims are better served by strategies other than selling to housebuilders. There is increasing impetus to free up hospital beds by integrating health and social care, a process in which property can play a role. Lock says: “We are advising an NHS trust on a piece of land that could be used for what they are calling a patient hotel – a step-down facility for when the elderly come out of hospital and before they go home.”

Mulholland suggests that there will be a part to play for planners, surveyors and project managers in redesigning hospital sites to make them fit to deliver new models of care. “There are examples of property uses that sit very comfortably alongside a hospital site. The obvious ones are elderly care and dementia care provided by the private sector. Surplus buildings on hospital sites can be adapted so you have complimentary uses, taking pressure off NHS services,” he says.

The strain on NHS funding is certain to increase over the coming years. Land disposals will not be a miracle cure for the service’s financial ills, but in the long term, more efficient use of its property resources might help to bolster its constitution. n

After a site is declared surplus, NHS trusts, like other public sector bodies, are duty bound to get best value for the land. John Mulholland FRICS, a director at JLL in Bristol, says: “NHS managers are becoming increasingly focused on making sure that when they do bring sites to market they are ‘oven ready’, in some cases to the point of getting planning consent to maximise value. They outsource a lot of work to firms like us so they can be sure they have explored the market and know the price they can get.”

One such company with a track record in public sector outsourcing is Telereal Trillium. Its director of corporate real estate, Paul Disley-Tindell MRICS, believes that the private sector can play a role in facilitating NHS land disposals: “Trusts could come to the market for a partner to finance the fees needed to get planning consent, which on a


HEALTHCARE HOMESThe redevelopment of High Royds Hospital in Menston, Leeds (top), began in 2011; 270 homes plus offices and community facilities are being built on the St Bernard’s Hospital site in Ealing, west London


20 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Private sales

FOR

ONLYTHEIREYES

Bad news for property snoopers: the world’s most desirable homes are disappearing from estate agents’ windows, adverts and websites. They do not have For Sale signs, let

alone glossy brochures or online walkthroughs, and you certainly will not find them at auction.

Around the world, an increasing proportion of deals are taking place off market, in private or as “whisper” sales. Instead of publicly marketing a property, agents in this most exclusive of sectors use their contacts to discreetly match buyers and sellers. Only a handful of people know that a deal is taking place, and the rest of the market will only hear about it after the event, if at all.

The primary reason for an off-market sale is privacy – wealthy or high-profile people do not want to throw their homes open to public scrutiny or make it known they are considering a purchase. This is especially the case for the rich, overseas buyers crowding into London’s most exclusive enclaves, who typically use buying agents to shield them through a purchase, and prize secrecy above all. But the off- market trend is trickling down to less-wealthy buyers seeking a competitive advantage in the world’s hottest property markets, and spreading beyond residential to commercial and farmland deals as investors diversify their portfolios.

Robert Pugh MRICS, principal of executive search firm Piedmont, splits his time between Dubai and London, matching Emirati buyers to investment properties in the UK. For homes of more than £10m, off-market deals are becoming the norm, he says. “It’s about absolute, total trust, discretion and confidentiality. People in the Arab world are very private in their investment strategies and it’s all about trying to acquire something without the other families knowing.” The challenge is balancing the desire for exclusivity with the universal thirst for market knowledge: “As soon as you start talking to people, a property has a limited time to be off market.” In addition to luxury London homes, Pugh’s clients have also asked for his help to buy commercial property, forestry and woodland.

Justin Marking FRICS, Savills head of UK residential, estimates that up to 25% of sales handled by the London-based country team now take place off market, as well as 5%-10% of sales in prime central London. He believes the trend is partly down to a proliferation in buying agents, who can secure access to properties before they officially go on sale. Starting off market is also an increasingly popular way to test the market: “Some try to sell privately and if that works, fine. If not, they put it on the open market. Or they might have a period of private marketing in advance of the open campaign.” »

MODUS_Oct15_P20-23_Private property_v1.indd 20 15/09/2015 12:03


Xxxxxxxxx

FOR

ONLYTHEIREYES

The world’s most exclusive properties change hands without ever reaching

the market. As Katie Puckett discovers, to find out about them, you need the skills of a secret agent Illustration Tom Haugomat

FOR

ONLYTHEIREYES

MODUS_Oct15_P20-23_Private property_v1.indd 21 15/09/2015 12:03

22 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Private sales

In a less buoyant market, Marking would expect the number of off-market deals to drop. “Private marketing becomes less

attractive because buyers dislike bidding in a vacuum. When markets are softer, they like the confidence of competition. It proves value.”

Marking says that off-market sales are more likely for country homes above £3m, and prime central London properties of at least £10m – the more expensive a property, the fewer potential buyers there will be and the more sense an off- market approach makes. “The counter argument is that advertising always brings out an unknown buyer. Many are architecturally led, and they may not even know they’re looking until they see something they absolutely fall in love with. New entrants come to the market all the time, and a lot of them respond to advertising.”

In Melbourne’s booming property market, it is opportunistic sellers who may be prompted by the publicity surrounding an auction. Clearance rates have been topping 80% as buyers take advantage of Australia’s historically low interest rates. “People are sometimes staggered by what a property might make,” says Richard Earle, director at Jellis Craig, who works in the exclusive suburb of Boroondara. “It shakes them out of their complacency to pick up the phone to the agent and say ‘if you’ve got an under-bidder that might pay us a similar amount of money, we’d consider selling’.”

But there is no question of going to auction themselves: “An auction campaign is generally a four-week process – you have three Saturdays when the house is open for inspections and an auction on the fourth. High-profile personalities or businessmen, or just plain wealthy people don’t want the world through their front door.” Buyers are also reluctant to be seen with their hands in the air, he adds. Instead, many employ advocates to go to auctions on their behalf.

The rise in clandestine activity is not just restricted to residential, either. There has been an influx of buying agents in the UK land market, says Richard Liddiard FRICS, partner in Carter Jonas’s Newbury office. Vast swathes of farmland are now changing hands out of sight of the market. “Ten or 15 years ago there

weren’t that many private transactions, but nowadays it could be as high as 30%,” he says. “Farmland has been bulletproof through the recession and it has fantastic tax advantages, and a lot of very wealthy people around the world have identified UK land as a safe haven. They’re the ones driving off-market sales.”

Off-market sales typically command a premium. Pugh says overseas investors will pay several million more if they can keep a low profile and out of the fray. “Off market gives them a little bit more time to sort out how and where they are going to buy than when you’ve got four or five people rushing at it.”

Liddiard estimates an additional 10%-20%, to give the seller confidence that they have not missed out by not going to the open market.

Encyclopaedic market knowledge and an extensive network are indispensable skills for an off-market specialist, as is a strong reputation and inscrutable tact. Earle notes that private sales are often driven by sensitive family situations, such as a marriage breakdown. “The integrity of the salesperson is paramount to someone who is trying to protect their privacy. If you’ve lied, overestimated values or blabbed about something you shouldn’t have, you won’t get to open the door. You only get one shot.”

Timing is also crucial to getting the best deal for the seller, adds Marking. “You have to bring interest to a peak at the

same time to hopefully create an element of competition. Private buyers don’t want to hang around, so preparation is crucial, both from the legal side and the property information side. Just because one is offering something privately, that should not mean one lessens the information given to a buyer.”

Of course, the agent also has to satisfy themselves that the buyer’s desire for secrecy is not concealing anything that would be illegal or incompatible with their own professional standards. In July, the UK’s National Crime Agency claimed that house prices were being driven up by foreign criminals laundering money by buying expensive properties, and urged estate agents to report any suspicious activity. Prime minister David Cameron responded by declaring that there was no place for “dirty cash” in UK property.

In any situation, compliance with UK law such as the Estate Agents Act 1979 must always be the deciding factor, advises Pugh, alongside RICS guidelines and surveyors’ own gut instincts. “You’ve got to know your clients, and do the due diligence on them. If they can’t justify where they get their money from or prove it’s theirs, you don’t deal with them. It’s common sense.” nROBERT PUGH MRICS Piedmont

It’s about absolute trust and discretion. As soon as you start talking to people, a property has a limited time to be off market

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WORLDWHOLE

IN YOUR

THE

HAND

MODUS_Oct15_P24-27_Robin McLaren_v9.indd 24 15/09/2015 12:09


Land rights

When Robin McLaren FRICS first proposed using crowdsourcing as a way for people in developing countries to gather evidence of their own land rights, the level of criticism it attracted

came as a surprise. For some, the idea of using non- professionals to collect sensitive spatial data was a step too far – it would never work, they said, and furthermore, it could potentially undermine the profession.

“Although some fellow professionals were initially sceptical of the idea,” he explains, “this really began to shift around two years ago at a World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty – people became much more interested in how to make it happen, rather than questioning the concept.”

As founder of Edinburgh-based Know Edge, McLaren specialises in land reform and land information management systems, and over the past decade he has been at the forefront of developing an idea that helps people use widely available technologies, such as mobile phones, to crowdsource evidence of land rights in Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and parts of south-east Asia. The idea is fast becoming a wide-ranging solution to a huge challenge: how to help vulnerable communities in developing countries formally recognise their land rights and secure land tenure, when there are just too few land professionals available to gather the vast amounts of data involved.

Land administration systems have long helped citizens of developed countries formally recognise rights to land assets. However, research by a UN committee of geospatial experts suggests 70% of the world’s developing countries have no access to such systems, due to a combination of high costs, inadequate legal frameworks and localised corruption. This severe knowledge gap means many poor and vulnerable communities are unable to register their land and natural resource rights to obtain security of tenure, leaving them at risk of exploitation – and even eviction – from land they might have lived on for generations.

“Most people are unaware of the global security of tenure divide and the scale of land-grabbing activities taking place,” explains McLaren. Such behaviour might involve large- scale acquisitions of land by companies, governments or individuals, who may offer little or no compensation to local communities. “An area the size of western Europe is now leased to foreign countries and corporations across less-developed countries,” he adds.

Strengthening security of tenure not only helps communities protect what is theirs, it can also provide opportunities for citizens to participate in economic development, promoting better environmental stewardship

More than two-thirds of developing countries have no security of tenure. Robin McLaren FRICS is on a mission to change that, but rather than using

surveyors, he wants people to use their phonesWords Brendon Hooper Photography Jo Hanley

and encouraging responsible private investment in land. But with so few land professionals on hand – for instance, there are only around 100 surveyors in Tanzania – there is an urgent need for cost-effective and sustainable systems that identify the way land is occupied and used, and accordingly provide for secure land rights. Crowdsourcing is ideal, as it relies on widely available technology such as mobile phones to enable volunteers to gather large amounts of data across vast areas, which would otherwise require armies of surveyors to attain.

McLaren first presented the concept of crowdsourcing using mobile phones at an International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) congress in 2010, and three years later published an RICS research paper, Crowdsourcing Support of Land Administration, that helped spur several land rights crowdsourcing initiatives. More recently, as a project partner he specified the Tanzania Mobile Applications to Secure Tenure (MAST) pilot project on behalf of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). To date, MAST has helped issue more than 900 land rights documents to local communities in Tanzania. “It’s moving people from zero to a formal tenure recognised by the state,” he says.

For the first phase of the project, the village of Ilalasimba in the Iringa Rural District was chosen as a representative, agricultural Tanzanian community. Its small population of 325 households each occupy two or three parcels of land of five to 10 acres apiece. The Cloudburst Group, a US-based consultancy that is implementing MAST on behalf of USAID, has been working with villagers to help them map and record individual land rights. The project has helped lower costs and the time involved in registering land and, importantly, made the process more transparent and accessible.

As a multifaceted data capture device, the humble mobile phone has been vital: “In less developed countries mobile phones have become a global development tool,” McLaren explains. “The projects use standard smartphones, and the technology is progressively integrating GNSS [global navigation satellite system] positioning, microphones, and digital cameras, all driven by apps. They help citizens »


26 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Land rights

directly participate in the full range of land administration processes, from accessing land information services and recording property boundaries, through to secure payment of land administration fees using mobile banking.”

Once each community validates the data, Tanzania’s Ministry of Land, Housing and Human Settlement Development can then issue official Certificates of Customary Right of Occupancy (CCRO). Under a CCRO, tenure is secured, as land cannot then be traded or sold without the entire group agreeing to the transaction.

As well as training local people in data collection and verification, the MAST team also raises awareness of land laws. This is necessary in many countries where those in positions of power control access to land. Eventually, McLaren hopes such initiatives will lead to a sustainable system of crowdsourcing whereby locally trained staff self-organise into a network of trusted intermediaries to provide services to citizens. This could also cover health, agricultural information or financial services.

Of course, land professionals will still play a key role in supporting locally trained staff, and McLaren is leading an FIG working group on crowdsourcing land rights. “We’re working on a guide on fit-for-purpose land administration for the Global Land Tool Network, to be published later this year. It advocates identifying and recording visible land boundaries on satellite or aerial imagery, and using field-trained staff from communities, rather than expensive traditional field surveys. It’s flexible, scalable and affordable and, for less-developed countries, it’ll be a game changer.” n

DOWNLOAD THE RICS RESEARCH at rics.org/crowdsourcing. Read the Global Land Tool Network guide at bit.ly/gltn_fig

Most people are unaware of the scale of land-grabbing activities. An area the size of western Europe

across less-developed countries is now leased to foreign countries and corporations

ROBIN MCLAREN FRICS Know Edge

An estimated 227m ha (561m acres) of land – an area the size of western Europe – was sold or leased to international investors – mostly within developing countries – over the past decade, according to the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).

Issues of land governance, administration and management are closely linked and the United Nations Global Compact, together with RICS, advise that companies should start an open dialogue with members of the community at the point of land status change and at a building’s planning and design stage.

Both organisations make several recommendations for dealing with land governance issues in section 3.2 of the resource: Advancing Responsible Business Practices in Land, Construction, Real Estate Use and Investment. These include:n Carry out a thorough Environmental, Social and Governance impact assessment that adheres to FAO Guidelines of Responsible Governance of Tenure and covers the protection of human rights (access to clean water, sanitation, housing, food etc), including impacts on groups that may be at

heightened risk of vulnerability or marginalisation – such as children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, indigenous people – and differentiated impacts on women and menn Ensure equitable land acquisition. Compensation for any land that is acquired should be based on market value (which also may include special ex gratia payments, such as for the loss of value of crops)n Ensure that land acquisitions by governments/others have been executed properly so that the company does not “inherit” land disputes

n Respect any indigenous people’s formal, informal or customary claims on land, if these have been recognised or are being considered by the appropriate authoritiesn Ensure that when buying land through agents and advisers, no shortcuts are taken with regard to the process of fair and equitable land acquisition in alignment with national and international standards.

FOR MORE RECOMMENDATIONS about land governance and other related UN resources and tools, go to rics.org/responsiblebusiness

RICS and UN Global Compact’s guidancePOLICY

MASTERING TECHNOLOGYMcLaren helped develop a pilot project called MAST that USAID is running to help local communities in Tanzania (below)


www.rics.org/crowdsourcing

www.bit.ly/gltn_fig

www.rics.org/responsiblebusiness

Xxxxxxxxx


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Deciding between installing a green roof or photovoltaic (PV) panels has been a question faced by many

industry professionals over the years when surveying a flat roof. However, with the introduction of biosolar roofs, these two technologies are no longer mutually exclusive options.

WHAT IS BIOSOLAR?A biosolar roof successfully marries biodiverse and extensive green roofs with photovoltaic systems, delivering a duality of technologies for environmental advantage and increased profitability for your client or building owner.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?Biosolar roofs deliver all the benefits of green roofs and solar power in a synergy of technologies that maximises PV output and the footprint for the green roof: n Cooling effect of vegetation increases solar output by up to 5%n Green roof element acts as ballast so waterproofing is not penetratedn Entire roof qualifies as biodiverse green roof by maximising area for vegetationn Shade-tolerant species thrive under the panels, creating more diverse flora and fauna community.

AND THE APPLICATIONS?Because the biosolar system is suitable for both new build and refurbishment applications, it can be retrofitted on many existing roofs without the need for any structural modification to the building. Weight loadings and design calculations are obviously an important factor when surveying a building to determine its suitability for a biosolar roof. However, these are all included in a free Bauder roof survey that can be used by structural engineers to

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Flat-roof manufacturer Bauder was the first company to introduce green roofs to the UK market more than 30 years ago. The company has now launched its own innovative PV mounting system for green roofs, Bauder BioSOLAR, which is set 300mm above the level of the substrate to allow light and moisture to the vegetation, and for easy maintenance access.

With Bauder able to supply and install all of the waterproofing, green roof and PV elements, surveyors have total confidence that the solution is the right one for their clients, with single-point responsibility for all the roofing components. n

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Bauder BioSOLAR, contact Bauder on 0845 271 8800 or visit bauder.co.uk


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28 RICS.ORG/MODUS

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Illustrations Melvin Galapon

BIM Manager

Knowledge is power in construction, and new technologies such as BIM challenge professionals to extend their skills further. It is into this context that RICS has launched a BIM Manager certification, to offer an industry standard that guarantees an individual’s ability to work with BIM on live projects. Andrew Brister talks to three of the first wave

MODUS_Oct15_P28-33_BIM Manager_v5.F1.indd 28 17/09/2015 14:09

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o say that Mac Muzvimwe is passionate about BIM is something of an understatement. Although still in his mid-30s, Muzvimwe is head of BIM at

Faithful+Gould, where he is also an associate director. “My BIM journey really started back in 2009 when I was studying for my MBA in construction and real estate. I did my dissertation on BIM, and I questioned why it was not being adopted more widely in the UK given the many benefits. I suggested that the government needed to take a leading role – this was before the 2016 mandate was issued on public sector work.”

The insightful Muzvimwe suggested that Faithful+Gould set up the BIM working group that he now leads. “Our strategy is to make BIM business as usual. Today, BIM is still seen as a specialism, but my argument is that there are so many benefits, so many advantages, that it needs to become just the way we do business. We are doing that internally by making the tools more visible to the staff, making them aware of the advantages and rolling out training programmes.”

Muzvimwe ably demonstrated the advantages to the business on a pilot project at City College in Plymouth. Faithful+Gould and parent company Atkins were appointed to provide both project management and quantity surveying services for the scheme. “The £7.5m project was split into two main phases, and following the completion of phase one in 2011, we proposed to the client that BIM was used for phase two. Atkins started work on creating a model of the existing building, all design work was done using Revit and other BIM-compliant applications, and we used BIM for taking off the quantities and for auto-generation of schedules. The client was extremely satisfied with the results: 3D images and walkthroughs were provided to the college which, in turn, used these as part of its consultation process with various stakeholders, including students.”

Muzvimwe thinks the best argument for BIM is the fact that you are building twice: once virtually and once on site. “Building virtually allows you to sort out any problems first, early on in the programme. If you have

T

THE VISIONARYMAC MUZVIMWE MRICS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AND HEAD OF BIM, FAITHFUL+GOULD, EXETER

to resolve those problems on site, it’s much more complicated, expensive and costly in terms of time.” Collaboration and sharing data is the key to success.

As a member of both the Construction Industry Council’s BIM2050 Group and the RICS Technology & Focus Group, he is well placed to look at what the future holds for the profession. “We need to find our position in a digital world. The technology will do the quantity take-offs and remove human error, which gives us more time to add value and improve outcomes for clients. We can be part of the team, providing real-time cost advice on design options. The BIM2050 Group looks at what we can do to improve collaboration across the disciplines, and one area we are examining is digital qualifications that are recognised across institutions such as RICS, the Institution of Civil Engineers, Royal Institute of British Architects and so on. That way, when I meet with an architect or engineer, we have a common ground and a common knowledge. In a way, the RICS BIM Manager certification is a first step towards that.”

Muzvimwe foresees a future in which Spon’s price books are replaced by a subscription-based app service, featuring real-time price data that the quantity surveyor can use to advise on implications of design options, such as the use of a steel frame over concrete. “This is not about technology – it’s all about improving outcomes for clients,” he says. »


30 RICS.ORG/MODUS

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CHUANG QIU MRICS JCM International Engineering Management Institute

The most important level of BIM is the management of the model. This is perfect for the quantity surveyor because the profession is good at management of data


THE PIONEER CHUANG QIU MRICS DIRECTOR, JCM INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE, BEIJING

A recent survey, conducted by Dodge Data & Analytics in association with Autodesk and Glodon Software, predicted that BIM

implementation in China will grow by 108% within the next two years. JCM International Engineering Management Institute is well placed to take advantage. It specialises in 3D, 4D and 5D construction project management and has several high-profile BIM schemes under its belt. “Our first BIM project was the Shenyang Taoxian International Airport terminal back in 2011,” says JCM’s director, Chuang Qiu MRICS. “We realised the whole project in 3D and BIM is excellent for project management – for example: cost management, quality management and clash detection. It’s a really good technology for communication and collaboration.”

An architect by training, Qiu has more than 20 years’ experience in construction project management. He was the chief engineer of the China International Engineering Consulting Corporation’s project management arm, and set up JCM in 2011 to take advantage of the opportunities presented by BIM. “My company is still relatively small, but we are carrying out some very large projects because of our experience with BIM. A few years ago, only the most high-profile buildings were adopting BIM, but it’s now filtering down to more and more projects. Some regions in China have mandated its use by 2017, driven by the anti-corruption agenda, as BIM is a very transparent technology.”

Qiu sees the surveyor as central to a future involving BIM. “If the first level of BIM is the creation of the model, the second level is the modelling itself, and the third and most important level is the management of the model. This is perfect for the quantity surveyor because the profession is good at management of data. The key part is how data is transferred from the design to the operation of the asset over its lifetime. The advent of sharing of digital data will provide an advantage for surveyors. We are now providing 5D service for Shanghai Disney Resort. It proves surveyors’ important role in data management.”

Qiu believes that China has taken huge steps with BIM adoption. “There was a big cultural issue in China around sharing data and intellectual property rights. Designers did not want to share their building models. Now the customer wants to implement BIM and it is up to us to advise on the best way to put it into practice. We have enough people with the skills to create the model but we lack people who can fully integrate 3D, 4D and 5D processes.” An opportunity for RICS-certified BIM Managers, perhaps? »



XxxxxxxxxAdvertisement

The all-new Volvo XC90. Redefining luxury.

Volvo’s all-new flagship SUV is a car that doesn’t make compromises – meaning it’s the perfect choice for motorists in the 21st century.

It’s not often that a genuine game-changer gets launched in the UK car market. But the all-new Volvo XC90 is one such vehicle, thanks to its ability to combine economy with performance, and class-leading safety with comfort, style and charisma.

This is one of the most significant vehicles to have been launched in Volvo’s history. It indicates the manufacturer’s future direction, making use of the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) that will form the basis of its model line-up from now on.

As you’d expect, the all-new XC90 is one of the safest cars in the world, with cutting-edge technology designed to prevent accidents. An example is the feature that brakes if the driver pulls in front of an oncoming vehicle while overtaking – the first of its kind ever used on a production car.

Another safety first is the extra protection provided if the car runs off the road. The front seatbelts are pulled extra tight to stop occupants from sliding around, and the seats themselves are designed to minimise spinal injuries.

In these ways and more, the all-new XC90 marks a major step towards realising Volvo’s ambition that by 2020 no one will be killed or seriously injured while travelling in one of its new cars. But this sharply styled SUV isn’t only about world-leading protection. It also underscores Volvo’s ability to make vehicles designed for everyday life.

Take the seven-seat accommodation as a case in point. This ensures the all-new XC90 retains its predecessor’s legendary flexibility. Moreover, the interior is a place the whole family can enjoy spending time in, thanks to plush leather upholstery, a premium Bowers & Wilkins audio system and a wealth of intuitive technologies.

Performance is also high on the agenda. Offering 6-cylinder power from only 4 cylinders, the all-new XC90’s range of Drive-E engines has been designed to maximise power while keeping fuel consumption and carbon emissions to a minimum. The 400 hp hybrid variant, for example, delivers just 59g/km CO2, making it one of the world’s most eco-friendly SUVs.

Available in a variety of trim levels, the all-new XC90 also comes with two accessory packs. The first is aimed at urban drivers, while the Rugged Luxury Kit enhances the car’s performance for rural dwellers with items like stainless steel skid plates and side running boards.

Whatever configuration is chosen, drivers of the all-new XC90 can be certain of one thing: by taking ownership of this car, they’ll never feel the need to compromise again.

TO FIND OUT MORE CONTACT THE RICS MEMBERS DIRECT LINE ON 01473 873 000

Don’t choose your next company car until you’ve looked at the all-new Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine. It certainly has head-turning figures

No one likes to be bombarded by facts and figures when they’re choosing a company car. But you really need to read what the all-new Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine has to offer.

Thanks to CO2 emissions of just 49g/km, its Benefit in Kind (BiK) tax rating is a mere 5pc. That equates to a monthly bill of £53 for 20pc tax payers, and £106 for 40pc tax payers.

Those sums are pretty astonishing for any car, let alone an award-wining luxury SUV that produces 407 horsepower and has an official fuel consumption figure of 134.5mpg on the combined cycle.

If that takes care of the figures, here are some of the facts. The flagship SUV makes use of two engines, one electric and one petrol, to generate its impressive combination of power and frugality. And it doesn’t skimp on luxury, with a sumptuous leather interior, a state-of-the-art Interior Air Quality System (IAQS) that keeps harmful irritants and pollutants out of the cabin, and an intuitive Sensus touch-screen tablet that serves as a hub for the car’s controls.

It also benefits from Volvo’s legendary attention to road safety, with equipment such as Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Adaptive Cruise Control and auto-brake at intersections, meaning the car will apply the brakes at a blind junction if oncoming traffic is detected.

In addition, the XC90 features Volvo’s cutting-edge run-off-road protection. So if an accident should happen, the car’s occupants are kept as safe as possible, in this Euro NCAP 5* awarded vehicle.

The XC90 T8 Twin Engine makes sense from an employer’s perspective, too. Its carbon emissions ensure it is below the threshold for 100pc Write-Down Allowance. That means businesses can offset the whole purchase cost (£63,650, including a Government Plug-In Car Grant of £5,000) against tax in the first year of ownership, potentially saving.

Alternatively, strong projected residuals ensure the vehicle is highly cost-effective to lease, with up to 100pc of the monthly cost being tax deductible.

The XC90 T8 delivers everything you need from a company car, and a whole lot more besides. Now, aren’t you glad you bothered looking at the figures.

TO FIND OUT MORE CONTACT THE RICS MEMBERSDIRECT LINE ON 01473 873 000

Essential reading for company car drivers and owners.

Advertisement

SARAH DAVIDSON FRICS Gleeds

BIM allows us to manage risk better. It creates a link between designers, cost managers and contractors, so when things change, we can quickly address any issues

32 RICS.ORG/MODUS

BIM Manager

THE STRATEGIST SARAH DAVIDSON FRICS HEAD OF CORPORATE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, GLEEDS, NOTTINGHAM

I f BIM is all about management of data, then no one is better qualified than Sarah Davidson FRICS. Following 20 years as a practising quantity surveyor, Davidson

now leads Gleeds’ corporate research and development department, managing a team that has developed the group’s internal data and benchmarking systems. “We now have a robust, structured database that allows us to better support projects and to better manage risk. We can integrate more with the design team because we understand where the allocation of cost ought to be for certain types of design.”

With the arrival of BIM, Davidson could see the potential synergies with Gleeds’ data capabilities. “We can use data to address some of the problems around lack of predictability and certainty over cost and delivery, to better inform the briefing and project progress.”

Since 2011, Davidson has been responsible for raising the awareness of BIM within Gleeds and developing its capabilities. “We’ve created a lot of guidance, there’s an internal, online BIM training course, we’ve introduced a Centre of Excellence and developed a mentoring scheme. We have highly motivated staff, who are very clever and many are of the generation that understand modelling.”

She is excited by the opportunities BIM presents for surveyors. “We are used to being in the middle of things – accepting information, doing something with it and passing it on. We’ve often done that through reproduction and that creates risk. BIM allows us to manage those risks better. It creates a link between designers, cost managers and contractors, so when things change, we can quickly address any issues. It also takes away many mundane activities that

don’t add value, allowing us to devote more time to things that do, like pricing and managing the risk. BIM also allows surveyors to move into asset management. If you understand how an asset is going to perform and how it can be optimised, you can make decisions based on long-term performance rather than short-term capital delivery.”

Davidson believes the BIM Manager certification lends credibility to what is still a relatively new skill. “It’s allowed me to provide evidence to clients that I can do this job and enable them to have confidence in me. It also allows the applicant to evaluate themselves and gives them some direction over how they might want to progress.”

The UK government’s construction strategy requires all centrally procured public projects to be built using Level 2 BIM by 2016. At this level, parties create models using their own software and data can be shared with project stakeholders. This puts a focus on intelligent modelling and project data generation, transition and application. “A lot of progress has been made, but there is still a way to go,” says Davidson. “There’s still a lack of awareness over what Level 2 BIM means – many think it is a software solution, rather than a data and information solution … It’s about the industry trying to work smarter, which has to be beneficial in the long term.” n

TO FIND OUT MORE about the BIM Manager certification and how to apply, go to rics.org/bimmanager



Xxxxxxxxx


XxxxxxxxxAdvertisement

The all-new Volvo XC90. Redefining luxury.

Volvo’s all-new flagship SUV is a car that doesn’t make compromises – meaning it’s the perfect choice for motorists in the 21st century.

It’s not often that a genuine game-changer gets launched in the UK car market. But the all-new Volvo XC90 is one such vehicle, thanks to its ability to combine economy with performance, and class-leading safety with comfort, style and charisma.

This is one of the most significant vehicles to have been launched in Volvo’s history. It indicates the manufacturer’s future direction, making use of the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) that will form the basis of its model line-up from now on.

As you’d expect, the all-new XC90 is one of the safest cars in the world, with cutting-edge technology designed to prevent accidents. An example is the feature that brakes if the driver pulls in front of an oncoming vehicle while overtaking – the first of its kind ever used on a production car.

Another safety first is the extra protection provided if the car runs off the road. The front seatbelts are pulled extra tight to stop occupants from sliding around, and the seats themselves are designed to minimise spinal injuries.

In these ways and more, the all-new XC90 marks a major step towards realising Volvo’s ambition that by 2020 no one will be killed or seriously injured while travelling in one of its new cars. But this sharply styled SUV isn’t only about world-leading protection. It also underscores Volvo’s ability to make vehicles designed for everyday life.

Take the seven-seat accommodation as a case in point. This ensures the all-new XC90 retains its predecessor’s legendary flexibility. Moreover, the interior is a place the whole family can enjoy spending time in, thanks to plush leather upholstery, a premium Bowers & Wilkins audio system and a wealth of intuitive technologies.

Performance is also high on the agenda. Offering 6-cylinder power from only 4 cylinders, the all-new XC90’s range of Drive-E engines has been designed to maximise power while keeping fuel consumption and carbon emissions to a minimum. The 400 hp hybrid variant, for example, delivers just 59g/km CO2, making it one of the world’s most eco-friendly SUVs.

Available in a variety of trim levels, the all-new XC90 also comes with two accessory packs. The first is aimed at urban drivers, while the Rugged Luxury Kit enhances the car’s performance for rural dwellers with items like stainless steel skid plates and side running boards.

Whatever configuration is chosen, drivers of the all-new XC90 can be certain of one thing: by taking ownership of this car, they’ll never feel the need to compromise again.

TO FIND OUT MORE CONTACT THE RICS MEMBERS DIRECT LINE ON 01473 873 000

Don’t choose your next company car until you’ve looked at the all-new Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine. It certainly has head-turning figures

No one likes to be bombarded by facts and figures when they’re choosing a company car. But you really need to read what the all-new Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine has to offer.

Thanks to CO2 emissions of just 49g/km, its Benefit in Kind (BiK) tax rating is a mere 5pc. That equates to a monthly bill of £53 for 20pc tax payers, and £106 for 40pc tax payers.

Those sums are pretty astonishing for any car, let alone an award-wining luxury SUV that produces 407 horsepower and has an official fuel consumption figure of 134.5mpg on the combined cycle.

If that takes care of the figures, here are some of the facts. The flagship SUV makes use of two engines, one electric and one petrol, to generate its impressive combination of power and frugality. And it doesn’t skimp on luxury, with a sumptuous leather interior, a state-of-the-art Interior Air Quality System (IAQS) that keeps harmful irritants and pollutants out of the cabin, and an intuitive Sensus touch-screen tablet that serves as a hub for the car’s controls.

It also benefits from Volvo’s legendary attention to road safety, with equipment such as Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Adaptive Cruise Control and auto-brake at intersections, meaning the car will apply the brakes at a blind junction if oncoming traffic is detected.

In addition, the XC90 features Volvo’s cutting-edge run-off-road protection. So if an accident should happen, the car’s occupants are kept as safe as possible, in this Euro NCAP 5* awarded vehicle.

The XC90 T8 Twin Engine makes sense from an employer’s perspective, too. Its carbon emissions ensure it is below the threshold for 100pc Write-Down Allowance. That means businesses can offset the whole purchase cost (£63,650, including a Government Plug-In Car Grant of £5,000) against tax in the first year of ownership, potentially saving.

Alternatively, strong projected residuals ensure the vehicle is highly cost-effective to lease, with up to 100pc of the monthly cost being tax deductible.

The XC90 T8 delivers everything you need from a company car, and a whole lot more besides. Now, aren’t you glad you bothered looking at the figures.

TO FIND OUT MORE CONTACT THE RICS MEMBERSDIRECT LINE ON 01473 873 000

Essential reading for company car drivers and owners.

Advertisement


3 4 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Valuation

Consider this: roughly 80% of the value of companies on the NASDAQ 100 is, these days, attributed to intellectual property (IP). This means

that, for some of the world’s most powerful companies, the main drivers of wealth creation are no longer the hard assets of old, but intellectual capital such as patents and trademarks, and even copyright. Yet until relatively recently, IP and intangible assets were the invisible class: poorly understood and unrepresented in company accounts. That is now starting to change, and it is opening up opportunities for business valuers with the right expertise.

IP is typically protected by copyright, patents, trademarks and design rights. But it is also a subset of a wider group of intangibles that can be valuable but are not legally protected, such as know-how, customer relationships and supplier contracts. A brand, for example, is usually a bundle of lots

How much is a concept, patent or trademark worth? Putting a price on intangible assets is becoming

an important part of a valuer’s job

OFIDEAS

Words George Bull Illustrations Joey Guidone

of IP and intangibles. Although these assets may hold no obvious physical value, they can underpin a company’s market dominance and profitability, and are increasingly the target of mergers and acquisitions.

“Industry has always had IP,” says Kelvin King FRICS, senior partner at London firm Valuation Consulting. “It just hasn’t been properly identified to allow valuation. Accounting is to blame for this. Until recently, we didn’t have any reporting for intangible assets, despite the fact that they are 80% of the asset class.”

In 2008, a revised version of International Financial Reporting Standards 3 finally made it compulsory for all companies making acquisitions to produce a purchase-price allocation that identifies and assesses the fair value of all intangible assets. “You now see these assets in reporting and that helps everybody,” says King. “Before, if bankers didn’t see an asset in public accounts, they didn’t think it existed in a viable way.”

Valuation can play an important role in the effective management of IP and intangible assets, from how they are developed, exploited and acquired, to how they can be used to create new revenue streams. It can also help companies decide what IP to protect and what to sell or abandon. One of the questions King is often asked by companies is: “Should I register this patent?”

Registering a patent can be a complicated and expensive process, and legal protection does not always affect how valuable something is, he says. “You can have a very valuable brand without it being trademarked, for example. The more important question is: ‘In which jurisdictions should we concentrate our registrations?’ And that is driven by a valuation assessment. A valuer will put the real crown jewels in the portfolio so that management can focus on that area.”

How that valuation is reached is a hot topic. Only a small number of business valuers are recognised experts in IP valuations. Decisive moves by organisations such as RICS aim to address this. The ninth edition of RICS Valuation Standards (the Red Book), »

WEALTH

MODUS_Oct15_P34-37_Value ideas_v2.indd 34 16/09/2015 12:45


Valuation


36 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Valuation

published in 2014, introduced chapters written by King on the value of intangible assets and business valuation. This was followed in May by the RICS global guidance note, Valuation of Intellectual Property Rights, to help valuers unpick the legal, functional and economic characteristics of IP, all of which can have a profound impact on the value of an asset (box, below).

“We always had visible, challengeable methodologies in the hands of good experts, but now it’s encapsulated in the Red Book,” says King. “This is the first worldwide accreditation of business and IP valuation. It really is a giant leap forward.”

That still might not be enough, says Stuart Whitwell MRICS, joint-managing director of London-based Intangible Business. “When we first started, all the auditors pretended they were the only ones who could do it. Your typical business valuer is going to face that hurdle. Having people with some experience in accounting standards helps you get over the credibility hurdle.”

Steve Choi, RICS’ International Director of Business Valuation in New York, says there is more momentum than ever behind industry-wide standards. “In recent years, the US Securities Exchange and Commission called into question whether individuals conducting fair-value measurement estimates had the requisite training, qualifications, experience and independence to perform this type of work. Basically, they said: fix it or we’re going to regulate you.”

KELVIN KING FRICS Valuation Consulting

Encapsulating the methodologies in the Red Book is the first worldwide

accreditation of business and IP valuation. It is a giant leap forward

Intellectual property (IP) is a creation of the intellect that has value to the owner and for which exclusive rights are recognised. They are negative rights, in that they allow the owner to prohibit others from using the IP without permission.

The RICS guidance note, Valuation of Intellectual Property Rights, expands on International Valuation Standards 2013 and the Red Book. It provides important information on how the valuer identifies, defines

and describes specific rights attached to the IP being valued.

The subject of an IP valuation can be a single right, or a portfolio of complementary IP rights and other intangible assets. Valuation is complex, particularly as a single asset

is rarely the sole driver of value. For example, a company may have a valuable patent, but that patent may be associated with a brand that drives sales. The IP valuer must be able to understand these interactions.

What is intellectual property?GUIDANCE NOTE

Specifically, regulators criticised the lack of consistent qualifications and credentials. “If you interview valuation appraisers about how much work should be performed to value intangible assets, they will generally have different views,” says Choi.

Since then, RICS, together with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the American Society of Appraisers, The Appraisal Foundation and a group of leading accounting and valuation firms, have focused on creating a fair value measurement credential focused on business valuation and intangible asset valuation.

Although the initiative is US-centric, it has international consequences, says Choi. “Anyone performing valuations of intangible assets for US publicly-traded companies should or will need to have this credential.”

The US is not the only country making a noise about IP. Hong Kong, given its position straddling Asia and the

West, is being touted as a future IP trading hub. The opportunity has arisen, says Gary Man FRICS, managing director of Greater China Asset Services, because Chinese-listed companies engaged in overseas mergers and acquisitions have realised the importance of the IP they are buying. “Chinese companies won’t engage foreign companies to do the valuation for them and domestic firms can’t handle this kind of valuation, so the best choice is to find the expertise in Hong Kong.

“I see more of this happening over the next five years. Hong Kong is in a good position to develop as a trading centre for all kinds of IP activities: valuation, management, buying and selling patents, marketing, and raising finance for research and development.”

The opportunity is not just confined to Hong Kong. As Chairman of RICS’ Asia Business Valuation Committee, Man travels widely across Asia-Pacific. He says the latest guidance note has been well received by the Japan, South Korea and Taiwan governments.



Valuation

Whitwell agrees: “China, south-east Asia and India are waking up to what brands are about.

They’ve been more production-orientated, commodity-based industries, but now they see a need to develop other value-added components, which are mostly built around brands. So we see a lot more demand for that knowledge.”

Most work, says Whitwell, is coming from Indian companies that want to know “what their brands are worth, what credibility it gives them, and how they can leverage their assets – including those that aren’t on their books, which are intangible assets”.

In Malaysia, Intangible Assets has also worked on valuing IP for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A report published by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in July this year revealed that small businesses in the country may be missing out on finance, and even government funding, in failing to measure and report the value of their ideas and innovations. Whitwell says: “A lot of SMEs haven’t got many hard assets, most of it is code or software. So the government wanted to develop the skill set to value that, secure it, and lend against it, so those businesses can develop more quickly.”

Lending on IP and intangible assets is, however, a relatively new concept for the banking market. Traditional asset-based lenders have generally lacked confidence in valuation practices to lend on intangibles. But as methodologies become more accepted, and as new industry-wide standards bed down, things are changing.

In 2013, the UK Intellectual Property Office commissioned King to write Banking on IP – a report to investigate whether those who created or owned IP assets could use them to secure the financing needed for company growth. Although no government recommendation followed, the report was well received and King has since joined the panels of several large banks, which he says

shows the sector is starting to pay more attention to specialist IP operators.

Where IP is of greater use to companies is as collateral, says King. With the number of companies running pension deficits on the rise and with no cash to put in, many RICS members may have been asked to value traditional assets, such as land and buildings, as security against future pension obligations. IP and its income streams is starting to be used in the same way. “Pension trustees are increasingly willing to take patents, trademarks and copyright as security against pension liabilities.”

Business valuation is big business across the globe. It underpins stock market activity. With so much of this activity generated by technology, brands and artistic content, internationally recognised and consistent standards for their valuation is crucial. Not only could it provide regulators and traditional asset-based lenders with the reassurance they need to lend on IP and intangible assets, but it could finally put those assets at the top of company agendas. RICS business valuers could be at the forefront of a very interesting shift. n

DOWNLOAD THE RICS GUIDANCE NOTE, Valuation of Intellectual Property Rights, at rics.org/valipr

STUART WHITWELL MRICS Intangible Business

Companies want to know what their brands are worth, what credibility it gives them, and how they can leverage their assets


www.rics.org/valipr

38 RICS.ORG/MODUS

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AFTER A CRASH IN 2008 THAT ROCKED GLOBAL MARKETS AND THEN STARTLED INTERNATIONAL investors by recovering so quickly, it looks like tough times may be returning to the Dubai real estate market. From being one of the worst-performing housing markets in the world in the late 2000s to one of the best performing in 2013 and 2014, house prices in the emirate are once again falling. Knight Frank’s Q1 2015 Global House Price Index ranks Dubai 53rd out of 56 locations monitored in terms of real estate inflation. Prices are down 6.1% over the year to June and 3.7% lower than the previous quarter.

At the start of the year, JLL and ratings agency Standard & Poor’s predicted that average house prices in Dubai would fall by 10%-20% in 2015. They say prices have been under pressure since the end of last year after the government introduced tough new mortgage caps and higher transaction fees in an attempt to slow an overheating market.

Market data from local property services firm Asteco reveal average property prices in the city fell 2% in the first three months of 2015 and then by another 2% during the second quarter of the year.

“We are still of the opinion that average residential prices will fall by up to 10% during 2015 and, from what we have seen so far, we think the market is on track for that,” says Alan Robertson FRICS, chief executive of JLL in the Middle East and North Africa. “So far, we have seen the same pattern in the first two quarters of prices declining to be in line with our prediction.”

At the same time, sales volumes have been declining steadily. Figures from the Dubai Land Department show that the total number of property transactions in the emirate plunged 51.8% to 7,311 in the 12 months to April 2015 as the slowdown continued. The total value of transactions was AED35.3bn (£6.1bn) – down 37.1% on the previous year.

MARKET SHEIKH-UPAverage rents for high-end flats along Sheikh Zayed Road (1) fell by 7% between April and June, as budget- conscious tenants sought cheaper properties elsewhere

BACK TO THE STUDIOAxis Residences (2) is a development of studio and one-bed flats at Silicon Oasis. The shift towards building cheaper homes is one factor in explaining a fall in prices

SHIFTING SANDS

1

Is Dubai’s rollercoaster residential market about to take another dip or simply levelling out? Lucy Urquhart reports

2

MODUS_Oct15_P38-39_Briefing.F1.indd 38 16/09/2015 12:47


then yes, a 10% house price drop would be pretty bad news but you’ve got to remember that Dubai is a maturing real estate market and over the last two years, prices have risen by 25%, which was unsustainably hot,” says Richard Sweetman MRICS, founder of British Arabian Asset Valuers and Chartered Surveyors. “For most people here, a fall in prices of this magnitude isn’t a crash. They’re just happy to see prices come down a bit.”

John Stevens MRICS, managing director of Asteco, believes that if values do not hold up, then many projects will simply be held back. “We have seen similar scenarios every year, whereby handover dates are delayed,” he says. “As such, rental declines will depend on whether the anticipated supply is actually delivered during 2015 and, if this is delayed, downward rental adjustments may be seen only from 2016.”

Others point out that the average fall in sales prices coincides with a shift towards developers building cheaper homes in less prime locations within the city, such as International City and Dubai Silicon Oasis. In 2013/14 most of the launches that took place were in prime sites in downtown Dubai, where “apartments can generate up to AED2,000/ft2 (£345/ft2)”, points out Niall McLoughlin,

senior vice-president at Damac Properties. Current developments on the market are in “peripheral locations where land prices are around half of those downtown”.

But despite the dip, most surveyors remain confident that the market is experiencing a short-term blip, rather than the sort of wholesale meltdown it saw in 2008. “We have a relatively sanguine medium- to long-term view of Dubai’s residential sector,” says William Neill MRICS, sales partner for Knight Frank’s Dubai office. “Prices are not only low in an international context, but also below their previous highs. Moreover, there is significant infrastructure construction work currently under way. Once complete, the improvement in connectivity should also provide scope for residential property price growth.”

“If you ask me not as a developer but as an individual, I would say that when confidence returns, you will probably be too late,” adds Sajan. “If you are serious about investing in Dubai, you should do so when the market is slow.” n

Meanwhile, average rents across the emirate slipped by another 2% between April and June, reports Asteco, and the falls were as large as 7% in established areas such as Sheikh Zayed Road and 6% on Palm Jumeirah.

The declines come as the pipeline of properties due to come on to the market this year ramps up. At the start of 2015, CBRE predicted that 23,000 new homes would be delivered in 2015. Compared with recent years, this represents quite a significant increase in supply. In 2013, around 14,000 new homes came on to the market and in 2014 that increased to 16,000. “That may come down somewhat, but we still think there will be around 20,000 completions,” says Nick Maclean FRICS, managing director of CBRE in the Middle East.

Danube Properties has just launched its 352-flat Glitz 3 scheme in Dubai Studio City. The developer’s founder, Rizwan Sajan, acknowledges that the market is “a little slow” as a result of shaky investor confidence: “People have liquidity, they have the cash. But they are a little confused whether they should invest or not.”

The strong US dollar – the currency to which the UAE dirham is pegged – has been making real estate more expensive to many overseas investors. Coupled with the fall in oil prices at the beginning of the year dampening sentiment, the short-term outlook for real estate is cloudy.

But despite the gloomy figures, most chartered surveyors in Dubai remain relatively upbeat about prospects for what is, after all, a maturing, volatile market. “In a mature market IM

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FLAT LININGAfter a period of recovery, prices across all residential classes in Dubai have started to decline. Villa sales have been the worst hit, falling 11% in the last six months, while apartment rents have been the most stable at -2%

Source: Asteco

DOWN AT NAKHEELMany market commentators attribute the drop in prices to the shift from high-end development to more affordable housing in less prime locations, such as Nakheel’s International City scheme

Reidin Real estate information company focusing on emerging markets. reidin.comKnight Frank Global House Price Index Q1 2015 bit.ly/globalhouseprices_Q115Asteco Property Review House price and rent research bit.ly/Asteco_DubaiQ215

RICS in the Middle East Find out about staff in the region, national associations and local member groups. rics.org/menaDubai property listings and research with section on new developments propertyfinder.ae

REFERENCE POINT REPORTS AND RESOURCES

Brie� ng

BY NUMBERS

UK€902


Sao Paulo


LondonNewYork

Switzerland€822

Spain€622

Netherlands€625

Germany€600

France€598

Sweden€500

Malta€461

Romania€333

Slovakia€239

2014

484k

39.1% 39%31.9% 28.5% 29.5%

34.8% 34.7%29%

13.2%24.8%

2015

524k

2013

324k

2012

246k

2011

220k

2010

226k


26%22%

18%13% 12%

-5% -7% -7%-11%

-22%

$4,8

40

$4,5

60

$3,9

00

$3,3

50

$3,2

40

$2,9

60

$2,9

50

$2,1

90

$2,1

10

$2,0

80

$780

100

80

60

40

20

12/07 06/08 09/08 12/08 06/09 12/09 06/10 12/10 06/11 12/11 06/12 12/12 06/13 12/13 06/14 12/14 06/15

Apartment sales

Apartment rentals


MODUS_Oct15_P38-39_Briefing.F1.indd 39 16/09/2015 12:47

www.reidin.com

www.bit.ly/globalhouseprices_Q115

www.bit.ly/Asteco_DubaiQ215

www.rics.org/mena

www.propertyfinder.ae

40 RICS.ORG/MODUS

BEYOND THE VELODROME

MEDAL HOPESThe arena’s compact size responds to the challenges of the site, while the gold, silver and bronze cladding reflects the sporting achievements it was built to inspire

NIGEL TYE’S FIRST THOUGHT ON VISITING THE proposed site of Derby Arena was “that’s tight”. Bordered, as it was, on one side by industrial units and on the other by a nature reserve, Tye, a director at FaulknerBrowns Architects, quickly assessed that squeezing the proposed venue’s 250m velodrome track into a site that did not even measure 100m across, was going to be a sizeable challenge.

But that was just one of the obstacles that stood in the way of the project team, which was appointed by Derby City Council in 2011.

The site, on a former gas works that was then turned over for landfill before being reclaimed in the 1990s, was already being used as park and ride and match-day car parking for Derby County, whose Pride Park stadium is next door. And as part of a long-standing agreement the football club had with the council, the project team had to ensure that supporters were able to park at the arena both during and post construction.

With a build cost of £25m, which rose to £30m once fees were factored in, the council

Thanks to its ingenious raised track, the new Derby Arena is equipped to cover a multitude of uses, from community sports centre to concert venue. Simon Creasey reports

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Client Derby City CouncilArchitect FaulknerBrownsProject manager/quantity surveyor Mace GroupStructural engineer Arup

MODUS_Oct15_P40-41_Case File.indd 40 15/09/2015 12:32


Case �le

was under huge pressure to justify the expenditure in an era of public sector cuts – the design had to allow the arena to pay its way. Thankfully, an early breakthrough altered the whole dynamic of the development, says Tye. “We started with the operational brief of the client, which was the cycle track, and one of the ideas was to lift it to the first floor, which would provide completely unimpeded access to the centre of the track,” he recalls. “This simple move opened up the building and it changed quite quickly from being a multi-sports venue to a general-purpose arena that could host other events.”

However, when construction work began in 2013, putting the idea into practice turned out to be far from straightforward, as John Read, associate director at Arup, explains: “We had to support the track at first-floor level, which hadn’t been done before in the UK.” To resolve this issue, the track was raised on columns and the run-off zone, which is 4m wide, cantilevers out, giving the sense that the track is floating.

RAISING ITS GAMEThe elevated circuit is the first of its kind in the UK and is built on pillars that cantilever out. A platform at one end provides space for race preparation

ON THE RIGHT TRACKGood track design was paramount – too slow and it would be insufficiently challenging for professional riders, too fast and novices might feel intimidated

ALL-ROUND PERFORMERLifting the track has created a flexible facility that can accommodate a host of court-based sports and doubles up as a 5,000-capacity concert venue

The track design was integral to the success of the project, says Read. “The challenge was to come up with a track that was fast and therefore competitive and interesting for professional riders, but also not too fast that it was unforgiving for starters, because this building is very much about bringing new people into the sport.”

With the track in place the building was essentially then built from the inside out. The fitness areas, gym and spectator seating were configured in a tight wrap around the track to keep the arena’s footprint as compact as possible. The tightness of the site also necessitated turning the 156,000 ft2 (14,500m2) building through 45 degrees. “That was the only way we could get it on there,” says Tye.

The roof, which has a span of 85m, was made from lightweight steel to reduce the load bearing on the piles of the structure, which had to be sunk through the unstable base of landfill on which the arena was built. As for the exterior, FaulknerBrowns made a

virtue of the geometry of the cycle track by mirroring it in the building’s cladding.

“We wanted to reflect that feeling of the linearity of movement, so we clad it in a long sheet of aluminium shingle in gold, silver and bronze, reflecting sporting success,” explains Tye. “Because there is an anodised finish on the shingles, it subtly changes in sunlight to give off a different appearance from different angles, so it’s quite dynamic, which goes to reflect the type of activity that goes on within the building.”

One of the council’s original aspirations was that the arena had a “wow factor” and Adam Khan, senior project manager at cost consultant Mace Group, believes it more than delivered on this score. “The key to the design was the floating velodrome, which gives the building real grandeur when you walk into the heart of the arena,” says Khan. “The metallic finish means that you can spot it from a mile away on a sunny day. Visually it’s a very unique building and it really has that wow factor.” nIM

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42 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Whoever said two heads are better than one had clearly never faced a panel interview. Double the trouble might be a more apt descriptor. But, responding to a panel need not feel like an ordeal by following some simple advice.

“Trying to keep two people engaged can be difficult, as routinely looking at both people just because you feel you should can look a bit rehearsed, so the key is to behave as you would talking to friends,” suggests former quantity surveyor Roddy

Donaldson, now managing director of recruiter Maxwell Bruce. “Try to look at the person that asks you the question, and not get distracted by the other, who’ll more often than not be writing notes, or thinking about the next question.”

Because panel interviews tend to be longer, often candidates forget some rudimentary considerations, says Donaldson. “Work out if you’ve got enough material, or examples to fill the time,” he advises. “Even making sure you’re hydrated, so you maintain your concentration, is worth thinking about.”

“Turn having more eyes on you to your advantage. Look for the eye contact that says they’re trying to nudge you to explain more. Success in a panel is as much about reading their reactions as it is your performance,” advises Stuart Thornhill MRICS, director at chartered surveyor Jonathan Cornes Associates. Candidates often get paranoid in these situations trying to work out who’s playing “good cop” or “bad cop” – if at all, he adds. “There’s no point worrying about this. Often two people will be chosen

because they have different characteristics, but my advice is that if you find yourself warming to one person, trust your instincts, and gravitate to them.”

Other basics, such as answering the question you’ve been asked, and remembering simply to stop talking when you have answered it – “there is a tendency to fill pauses,” says Thornhill – apply just as equally with a panel as a one-on-one.

Most surveyors experience the stress of a panel interview at the APC interview, but Malcolm Hollis associate Gary Blackman FRICS, a seasoned assessor and APC chairman, says stress can be removed from this simply through proper planning. “These interviews have to be followed by the book, have to cover a lot of ground, and are strictly based on your experience. So if you understand your subject matter, and research how the process works, you will know what you need to prepare for.”

The key, agree the experts, is staying calm and not buckling just because more people are looking at you. “Ours is an industry where it’s impossible to know everything off by heart,” reflects Thornhill. “There’s no shame in saying you’d look up a particular regulation if you don’t know the details there and then. This shows you’re the sort of person who’ll check stuff when eventually face to face with clients.”

“People come unstuck if they’ve over-embellished their experience, and can’t back it up under scrutiny,” adds Blackman.

Donaldson argues that, in his experience, being challenged by panellists is actually a positive. “If the panel throw a curve-ball, it’s generally a sign things are going well,” he suggests. “If they haven’t, it shows they can’t be bothered to test you.”

MASTER THE RESPONSE

01 “People are often stumped when they’re

asked their opinion about something,”

says Jonathan Cornes’ Stuart Thornhill.

“They fear they have to respond how they

think the panel wants them to. Just be you.”

02 “It’s not patronising to check

with the panel that they’ve understood your response,” says

Maxwell Bruce’s Roddy Donaldson. “It shows that you

care you’ve come across properly.”03 “If a panel is repeatedly asking

the same question, take it as a sign that you’re not answering properly,”

says Malcolm Hollis’ Gary Blackman. “Don’t let the same question be

asked more than twice.”

FoundationsCareers / Business / Legal / Training

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For further careers advice, go to rics.org/careers, and for the latest jobs, see ricsrecruit.com

NEXT MONTH: “ANY QUESTIONS?”

STAND UP AND BE COUNTEDCAREERS Being interviewed by committee may seem intimidating, but you can turn having a larger audience to your advantage

MODUS_Oct15_P42-51_Foundations V3.F1.indd 42 16/09/2015 12:51

www.rics.org/careers

www.ricsrecruit.com


Foundations

I grew up in Motherwell, Scotland, and despite leaving school with the qualifications I needed for university, I never really fancied the idea of being a full-time student. So I wrote to more than 100 quantity surveying firms and got a position with Corderoy in 1988. I did my training with them, while attending a part-time course at Edinburgh’s Napier University. It took me six years to get my degree, but I found it to be a much more flexible and worthwhile approach.

I’d been working on a large-scale marine infrastructure project for six years when Corderoy offered me a move to London to gain more experience in pre-contract work, as well as take my APC. It was a fantastic period of time – my first project was on the extension to the Jubilee Line of the London Underground. It was a great learning ground

Identify it The plant rarely exceeds a height of 3m. It has shield-shaped leaves that are carried on sturdy, purple spotted, hollow and bamboo-like zigzagged stems. The flowers are creamy white and are formed in drooping clusters.Ascertain the risks Section 5 of RICS’ Japanese Knotweed and residential development information paper classifies the risks associated with growth. rics.org/japanese-knotweedGet expert help Advise clients to contact the Property Care Association’s (PCA) Invasive Weed Control group, which will help them find professional treatment companies. bit.ly/PCA_IWCAdvise on a long-term solution Where treatment plans are provided by a specialist who is a member of the PCA, it will usually be possible to provide guarantees and assurances that the treatment has been successful. In most events it will be possible to insure these guarantees. Remember, it’s just a plant Japanese Knotweed often gets a bad press, but viewed generally as any other type of property problem, it can be identified and treated with minimal impact.

Stephen Hodgson is chief executive of the Property Care Association property-care.org

UK MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TURNER & TOWNSEND

MY WAY

Patricia Moore MRICS

DEAL WITH JAPANESE KNOTWEED

HOW TO

“One of my tasks involves growing the business in the UK regions.

Although I’ve been at Turner & Townsend 16 years, and got to know so many people, I still find it important to get out and meet new faces”

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– I also took my masters in construction law and arbitration and became chartered during this time, so it holds some special memories.

Soon after the Jubilee project ended, I joined Capita on another huge scheme, as deputy commercial manager on the Paddington station redevelopment, where we had a really strong team. We still meet up to this day, which shows the lasting bonds you can make when you work with great people.

After the project’s completion in 1999, I was headhunted by Turner & Townsend. They had such a diverse client base, I thought it was a compelling reason to make a change and join them. Since then, I’ve led the bid team on tendering for Crossrail work, and became head of costs on the project. Now the tunnelling is complete, it’s amazing to seeit all coming together. Last year, I was promoted to MD for infrastructure, and one of my day-to-day tasks involves growing the business with key clients in the UK regions. Although I’ve been here 16 years, and got to know so many people, I still find it important to get out and meet new faces.rics.org/patriciamoore


www.rics.org/japanese-knotweed

www.bit.ly/PCA_IWC

www.property-care.org

www.rics.org/patriciamoore

44 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Barely a week goes by without another story of a company being hit by hackers. Attacks that make the headlines tend to involve well-known businesses, but small companies can be targets, too. Criminal gangs are the main culprits – often to steal data, occasionally to demand ransoms. Some cyber attacks are conducted by young thrill seekers, whereas others have malicious intent.

Cyber attacks take many guises, but are quite often begun by a person, unwitting or otherwise, installing a virus on a network. Experts say using an insider is often more likely to yield results than attempting to hack through a firewall.

Andy Crocker is the CEO of cyber security firm Protect 2020 and previously was a senior investigator in the now defunct UK National Hi-Tech Crime Unit. He cautions that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) might be seen as an “easy entry point” to a larger organisation. “Criminal gangs are the main threat to businesses, and their intentions are primarily profit,” he says. “SMEs are often regarded as a softer target than their bigger partners.”

Crocker says many cyber attacks are inside jobs, with staff members the culprits. “A great deal of serious hacks are done by disgruntled ex-employees. Businesses need to have exit policies in place to ensure that, when a person leaves, they don’t take the crown jewels with them.”

More businesses are now embracing cloud-based services but that means companies are then reliant on

their suppliers’ security. Nick Blenkarn MRICS, managing director at 3D visualisation company Seeable, moved his business’s systems into the cloud to take advantage of a wide range of Google apps and to improve security. He has more confidence in Google’s servers than his own. “If you store all your data on your

office server, what are you going to do if the building burns down or someone breaks in? It’s about ensuring your data is backed- up and ours is across multiple locations on Google’s servers, which is more secure than being on your premises.”

But this means that access and password controls are of the utmost importance. Therefore, the company uses a two-step verification to access Google apps. It also runs password management software such as Lastpass, as well as YubiKeys – essentially a USB stick combined with a password, which ensures a two-step verification before allowing users to access business-critical data. “It’s about having a sufficient level of paranoia to get to the right level of security. Geomatic surveyors need to be a little bit paranoid to make sure they are doing a good job,” Blenkarn adds.

RECOVERY POSITIONBusiness owners using the cloud need to be sure they are taking advantage of the security measures that come with them. They also need to have a plan in place to recover data and resume operations if their business is disrupted.

Mervyn Green MRICS, owner of quantity surveying business the Merv Green Consultancy in Newport, South Wales, has built in a range of methods and rules to mitigate against attacks. Like many business owners, he opted to use cloud- based services such as Dropbox. However, he also uses encrypted pen drives to transfer documents to clients and, rather than store data in the cloud, he archives via hard disks and has set reminders to ensure this is done regularly. Security updates and virus checks are scheduled and automatic. Finally, access to his computer systems is restricted. “I’ve seen other companies suffer cyber attacks and they can be very costly,” he says. “I’m the only one who uses my laptop and I don’t ever go on any suspicious-looking sites.”

Such incidents are becoming more frequent and insurers are reporting an increase in claims as a result of IT security breaches. Emma Vigus, head of professional indemnity at Howden Insurance Brokers, cautions that some professional indemnity insurance policies only cover the policyholder directly and would not include data loss from a third-party supplier. Recovering from a cyber attack can be expensive, so standalone cyber security insurance should be considered. “If you experience an infiltration, are infected by

BREAKING AND DATA ENTERING

BUSINESS Companies of all sizes must take their IT security seriously

HOW TO keep a handle on your cashflow and chase those unpaid invoices. To take part in future business advice columns, email [email protected]

NEXT MONTH: LATE PAYERS

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malware or experience a system outage, you need to be confident in your ability to rectify the situation quickly. The costs charged by IT forensic firms may be very high unless negotiated in advance,” she says.

Businesses often neglect to consider the impact of mobile devices on their security, yet smartphones connected to your network can potentially wreak havoc. Some companies have a “bring your own device” (BYOD) policy, but security experts warn

this increases the likelihood of malware entering the network and removing data. “BYOD is one of the biggest things that has played into the hands of criminals,” says Professor John Walker, a lecturer in cyber security at Nottingham Trent University. “Companies just lose control of their data.”

Walker says cyber crime is both under-reported and underestimated and is costing companies vast sums of money. His advice is to get proactive, better understand the risk, and make changes.

Tackling modern slaveryLEGAL 101

Those working in the UK surveying profession should take note of key new obligations to be introduced by the government this month in the Modern Slavery Act. As well as giving law enforcers tools to tackle the issue of modern slavery, the Act also introduces obligations on commercial organisations to produce an annual statement setting out the steps they have taken to eradicate modern slavery in their global supply chains. This requirement is due to come into force in October and there will be transitional provisions for those organisations whose financial year end falls near that time.

Which commercial organisations will be captured by the requirement? Commercial organisations include both corporate entities and partnerships that carry out all or part of their business in the UK. The government has indicated an intention to set a threshold turnover of £36m, which will include the global turnover of a corporate and its subsidiaries.

What should the statement say? The statement should either state what steps an organisation has taken during the financial year to ensure that slavery and human trafficking does not take place in its supply chains, or it should state that no such steps have been taken. The former

may require extensive due diligence of supply chains, while the latter carries with it the risk of reputational damage. The Act sets out information that the statement may include, but the government does not intend to be prescriptive about the content, instead allowing each organisation to tailor it to its own business and sector.

Where should the statement appear? The statement should appear on the organisation’s website with a clear link to it on the website’s homepage. If an organisation does not have a website, it will need to provide a copy of the statement within 30 days of a request to do so.

Who approves the statement? The statement is approved by the board of directors of a corporate entity or by the members of a limited liability partnership. One director, or member respectively, will be designated to sign the statement on behalf of the relevant corporate or partnership.

What next? The UK government is due to publish statutory guidance in October on the new requirements. If you anticipate that your organisation will be caught by the new obligations, your HR, legal and compliance teams should be thinking now about how your business is going to respond. cms-lawnow.com

FOR MORE DETAILS on the legislation, visit bit.ly/modernslaveryact

Every business should have a secure IT policy. Here are six measures you should take. n Enable automatic updates. This is a must for all businesses, as updates on software and browsers include security patches and remove bugs. n Use anti-virus and firewall software. Regular scans prevent the accumulation of

malware, which can act as a Trojan for future attacks. n Enable two-step verification. Most cloud services have this, preventing outsiders from gaining access by guessing your password.n Audit and check all mobiles, which are often the weak spot for companies. Install anti-virus software on your mobile.n Only download from trusted and verifiable sources. This is easier said than done and accidents happen. Encourage staff to own up if they make this mistake.n Control access. Ensure former staff cannot access your systems after they leave.

Foundations

HOW SECURE IS YOUR IT POLICY?

“If you store all your data on your office server, what are you going to do if the building burns down? It’s about ensuring your data is backed-up and ours is across multiple locations”

NEIL BLENKARN MRICS Seeable

SARAH OZANNEpartner, employment practice group, CMS Cameron McKenna

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RICS’ SMALL BUSINESS HUB is a space for UK SMEs, offering industry advice and toolkits. Go to rics.org/sme


www.rics.org/sme

www.cms-lawnow.com

www.bit.ly/modernslaveryact

46 RICS.ORG/MODUS

ricsrecruit.com@ricsrecruit RICS Recruit

RICS RecruitWhere recruiters go to find the best surveyors in the industry

RICS Recruit is the UK’s No. 1 built environment job recruitment board with almost 1,000 active vacancies in the UK and around the world.

RICS Recruit is packed full of knowledge and guidance to support your career development.

Find your future job today


www.ricsrecruit.com

www.ks-security.co.uk


www.wwyltd.co.uk



all the corridors, and a heat alarm in every flat. This is becoming increasingly important as the number of office-to-flat conversions rises in the UK.

Many flat residents, particularly elderly people, rely on mobility scooters. However, they should never be stored or charged in fire-escape areas, which is an all-too-common sight. The batteries in mobility scooters have been liable to catch fire due to loose connections, even when not charging. Corridors are sterile areas and there should never be anything

blocking them. If it is not possible to store a scooter anywhere else, it should be put in the remotest room or corner of the owner’s flat, and definitely not near the door.

In modern, mixed-use developments, where a block of flats sits above a retail space, the key thing to make sure of is that the shop section has been totally separated from the flats with a concrete fire floor. Any alarms in the retail area should also be linked to the flats above as one system. Another issue is maintenance – when was the last time fire alarms were checked, and who is doingthe checking? Investigate the competence of the person who completed the fire risk assessment. Check their qualifications and ideally make sure they have third-party certification. If there is ever any doubt, request a further survey.

DAVID WARE is managing director of Fire Risk Consultancy frconline.co.uk

LatistaIt is: An Apple-based app that helps construction professionals keep track of project errors and defects when out in the field.It does: Reduces the amount of time taken to correct errors. It also eliminates the need for paper printouts – you can take, mark-up

and manage photos of problems, complete and upload inspection forms, and identify equipment using a barcode scanning feature. Users can get an overview of a project’s progress, collaborate with others and complete a punch list at the end of the working day. Specific issues can be sent by text message directly from the app, and workflows, reports and project approvals can be synced

to the online Latista storage area for the project team to access.What else can it do? Latista can also be combined with BIM software to create a 3D model of the construction project, where all inspection information can be uploaded and tracked.Price: Free (in-app purchases available).Search: Latista at the iTunes app store.

Spon’s Architects’ and Builders’ Price Book 2016Provides the most accurate, detailed and professionally relevant construction price information for the UK. Now with separate plant prices in the measured works section.£160

Spon’s Civil Engineering and Highway Works Price Book 2016 Gives costs for both general and civil engineering works and highway works.£175

APP LAUDED

The biggest issue concerning fire safety in blocks of flats is compartmentation. Each individual room or unit in a residential block should be compartmented with all gaps in walls or floors fire stopped – that is, where fire-resistant materials have been used to seal the openings to impede any fire. However, even in new builds it can be common to find pipes or holes running between rooms that are not adequately fire stopped. Fire stopping measures should be checked by a certified third party, and ideally labelled for clarity during surveys. Be very thorough in checking all gaps and openings between walls. If it looks bad, it generally is, and it should be reported.

In old buildings or offices that have been converted into flats, it is not always possible to guarantee compartmentation. In these instances, surveyors should advise on the installation of a communal fire alarm throughout the building, smoke alarms in

BRAIN GAIN

FIREGUARDS FOR FLATS

BURNING ISSUESUnderstand the legislation covering fire safety in blocks of flats on a RICS one-day course. Go to rics.org/flat fires for more information

SKILLS

RICS booksrics.org/shop

Farm Management Pocketbook 2015 This 45th edition introduces several additions to the already information-packed title.£24

Foundations


www.rics.org/shop

www.frconline.co.uk

www.rics.org/flatfires

48 RICS.ORG/MODUS

youtube.com/skanskauklinkedin.com/company/skanska

twitter.com/skanskaukplc skanska.co.uk

We have fantastic opportunities at Skanska, one of the world’s leading project development and construction groups. Known for major projects like the Gherkin and Crossrail, we are building, upgrading and maintaining the country’s infrastructure.

We make a positive difference to society and with your skills and experience, you can too. We are currently recruiting for a range of roles, including senior commercial managers, senior quantity surveyors, commercial managers, managing quantity surveyors, quantity surveyors and assistant quantity surveyors.

More information about the roles and how to apply can be found online at skanska.co.uk/careers

It’s not just about construction.

It’s making a positive difference to society.


www.skanska.co.uk/careers

www.skanska.co.uk

www.linkedin.com/company/skanska

www.twitter.com/skanskaukplc

www.youtube.com/skanskauk


Foundations

EVENTSFULL RICS EVENTS LISTINGS ONLINE AT rics.org/events For enquiries, call +44 (0)20 7695 1600. All prices are +VAT

››RICS Planning and Development Conference, Northern Ireland3 November, Belfast City HallExamine the practicalities around project investment and viability, learn from best practice and gain insight into how to attract investment into the region.CPD: 3.5 hours / £84 / rics.org/pdnireland

››RICS Building Surveying Conference, Scotland 12 November, Hampden Park, GlasgowLegal updates on CDM regulations, building standards regulations and EPCs. Sessions on identifying and reporting defects in buildings. Learn about best practice in dilapidations, BIM in small-scale projects and enhancing your business through social media.CPD: 5.5 hours / £125 / rics.org/buildsurvscotland

››RICS Rural Mid-Session, Scotland19 November, PerthTopics will include the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill, the River Basin Management Plan and proposed changes to agricultural holdings and how this is likely to change the rent review process.CPD: 5.5 hours / £75 / rics.org/scotlandrural

UNITED KINGDOM››Autumn CPD Series September-December, various locationsGain formal CPD hours with more than 200 seminars taking place across the UK. Topics covered include: boundary disputes, modern methods of construction, professional indemnity and insurance market updates.CPD: 1 hour / £30, or £25 for three or more bookings / rics.org/cpdseries

››RICS Rural Conferences7 October, Hexham; 11 November, PrestonProvides regional and timely information on crucial legislation and policies shaping the rural economy. Keep up to speed with the latest developments and meet colleagues from across the region. CPD: 5.5 hours / £100 / rics.org/northrural; rics.org/ruralnw

››RICS CPD Days8 October, Southampton; 13 October, Leeds; 9 November, Warrington; 24 November, CambridgeRegional conferences full of CPD within land, property and the built environment, with breakout sessions tailored to meet your specific learning requirements.CPD: 6 hours / £145 full day, £90 half day / rics.org/cpddays

››RICS Environment and Resources Conference 8 October, BristolNetwork with peers across the environment, minerals and resources sector at this half-day conference. Explore the solutions and the contribution that your profession can make to the UK economy. CPD: 3 hours / £80 / rics.org/envandresources

››RICS Legal Issues in Construction 13 October, LondonA timely and essential legal update for practitioners in the construction sector. Covering case law, best practice and procedure, this year’s programme will again combine the expertise of RICS members with that of leading law firms Pinsent Masons and Keating Chambers.CPD: 6 hours / £220 / rics.org/legalissues

››RICS APC Prep Day, Scotland29 October, StirlingCombining plenary sessions, workshops and a mock interview, the day offers comprehensive guidance on the final assessment of professional competencies.CPD: 6 hours / £105 / rics.org/apcprepday

Flagship conference that will strengthen members’ understanding of the current economic outlook, latest occupier trends, growth opportunities and risks to the sector. Whether you are the in retail, leisure or office sector, and based in London or the regions, there will be a session relevant for you and your business. CPD: 5.5 hours / £245 / rics.org/commercialconference

26 November, London

RICS COMMERCIAL PROPERTY CONFERENCE

››RICS Telecoms Forum Conference26 November, LondonProvides critical updates for those working in the telecommunications industry. Delegates gain insight on legislative developments, landlord and tenant implications and the evolution of technology. Sessions will include: broadband delivery; an overview of the regulatory environment; wayleaves negotiations in London; issues caused by phone masts and ensuring connectivity in rural areas.CPD: 6 hours / £220 early bird rate, £245 standard rate / rics.org/telecomsconference

youtube.com/skanskauklinkedin.com/company/skanska

twitter.com/skanskaukplc skanska.co.uk

We have fantastic opportunities at Skanska, one of the world’s leading project development and construction groups. Known for major projects like the Gherkin and Crossrail, we are building, upgrading and maintaining the country’s infrastructure.

We make a positive difference to society and with your skills and experience, you can too. We are currently recruiting for a range of roles, including senior commercial managers, senior quantity surveyors, commercial managers, managing quantity surveyors, quantity surveyors and assistant quantity surveyors.

More information about the roles and how to apply can be found online at skanska.co.uk/careers

It’s not just about construction.

It’s making a positive difference to society.


www.rics.org/events

www.rics.org/cpdseries

www.rics.org/northrural

www.rics.org/ruralnw

www.rics.org/cpddays

www.rics.org/envandresources

www.rics.org/legalissues

www.rics.org/apcprepday

www.rics.org/pdnireland

www.rics.org/buildsurvscotland

www.rics.org/scotlandrural

www.rics.org/telecomsconference

www.rics.org/commercialconference

50 RICS.ORG/MODUS

Pull on your raincoat and wellies, step outside and enjoy the crunch of golden leaves beneath your feet. Make this one of your most memorable autumns yet and save 30% when you discover Europe with IHG hotels.

In autumn, London comes alive with Halloween celebrations. Warm up during those chilly autumn days with freshly roasted chestnuts and mulled apple cider.

For the gastronomes among you, Helsinki is one of Europe’s most popular destinations for cooking enthusiasts at this time of year, when Finnish nature is at its most bountiful.

If it’s culture you hanker after, then Paris and Hamburg have much to offer. Without the summer crowds,

you’ll be able to wander around all of the top sites and museums, and still have time for a warming hot chocolate at the end of the day.

If Rome is too hot for you during the summer, then plan an autumn visit. The days are still warm and the evenings are still pleasant enough to dine al fresco.

Or you could experience the rewards of the great outdoors in Geneva. If you go up to the mountains at this time of the year, there are wonderful hikes organised through enchanting forests.

Autumn is a great time to visit Europe. The days are still warm and the thronging crowds of summer have gone, giving you space to discover the true heart of a place.

ICONIC HOTELS, ICONIC CITIESOur hotels can be found in most of Europe’s iconic cities and desirable destinations. This autumn, stay at any of our hotels and enjoy up to a 30% discount.n InterContinental Hotels & ResortsRely on the pioneer in the international hotel trade offering reliably high standards worldwide.n Crowne Plaza Hotels & ResortsThe perfect meeting-place for any occasion offers you excellent business service and pleasure for leisure travellers.n Hotel Indigo As a seasoned traveller, discover a new dimension of hotels and immerse yourself in the peaceful beauty of natural colours and shapes.n Holiday Inn A good night’s sleep, inexpensive breakfast and obliging service – you can expect all of these when you stay at a Holiday Inn.n Holiday Inn Express This fresh brand offers comfort, friendly service and excellent value for money.n Staybridge Suites Make yourself at home in the new luxurious hotel brand for longer stays.

WHEREVER YOU CHOOSE TO GO in Europe this autumn, it’ll cost you 30% less with IHG. To claim your discount, visit rics.org/ihg

BENEFITSTo view the latest offers, new partners and promotions, visit rics.org/benefitsplus

Advertorial

Find your perfect destination far from the madding crowd this autumn

ROOM TO BREATHE

ALPINE STARUse the Crowne Plaza Geneva as your base camp for a weekend’s hiking up mountains and through forests


www.rics.org/benefitsplus

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››Carol Anne Tills MRICS1956-2015, London

NORTH WEST››David John Benjamin MRICS, 1961-2015Ambleside››Peter Johnstone MRICS 1941-2015, Liverpool››Geoffrey Pilkington MRICS, 1925-2015Lytham St Annes››John E Shelley MRICS1937-2015, Liverpool››Joseph Fraser White FRICS, 1924-2015Altrincham

SOUTH EAST››Derek Michael Brooker MRICS, 1933-2015Croydon

››Robert William Coatman FRICS1927-2011South Croydon››Raymond Edward Delves MRICS1929-2015, Hove››Alan John Fuller MRICS 1964-2015, Aylesbury››John Roderick Orringe FRICS, 1934-2015Eastbourne››Henry NP Smith FRICS1931-2015, Hove

SOUTH WEST››Derek Malcolm Westgate Beauchamp1932-2014, Dorchester››John Derek Halston MRICS, 1931-2015Bournemouth››Colin Trevor Jenkins FRICS, 1938-2015, Bristol››Ralph Morrow FRICS1941-2015, Salisbury››Eric Henry Ernest Sperring FRICS1922-2015Weston-super-Mare

››CR Start AssocRICS1938-2015, Tavistock

WEST MIDLANDS››Peter Allan Allen-Jones MRICS1925-2015, Warwick››Giuseppe Gianfagna MRICS, 1947-2015Bromsgrove››Alan Coates Turner MRICS, 1924-2014Birmingham

YORKSHIRE & HUMBER››Harold Stanley Chambers MRICS1919-2015, Barnsley››David Peter Payne MRICS, 1963-2015Northallerton

SCOTLAND››James Batchelor Devlin FRICS1921-2015, Dundee››Graham Elliott Ellis FRICS, 1924-2015Isle of Mull

››Philip Gregson Laidler MRICS, 1950-2015Kelso

WALES››Michael John Colin Slinn FRICS, 1931-2015Colwyn Bay

EUROPE››Mykhailo Goriainov FRICS, 1976-2015Ukraine››Klaus Schaefer MRICS, 1958-unknown Tutzing

If you are facing hardship after the loss of a family member, or if you are considering leaving a legacy, please contact LionHeart, the charity for RICS members and their families. Call +44 (0)24 7646 6696, email [email protected], or visit lionheart.org.uk.

OBITUARIES

EASTERN››Derek John Goodwin FRICS, 1927-2015Hornchurch››John William Grimes MRICS, 1929-2015Loughton››Timothy John Wootton FRICS, 1956-2015Halesworth››Kenneth William Wotherspoon FRICS1924-2015, Norwich

EAST MIDLANDS››Terence Hadoke FRICS, 1944-2015Peterborough

LONDON››Tughral Beg MRICS1958-2015, London

Please email obituary notifications to [email protected] or call +44 (0)870 333 1600

Notices

CONDUCTPeter Briggs, CheshireDisciplinary Hearing by way of written representations – 08.07.15The Panel heard the case against Peter Briggs by way of written representations. The Panel considered whether Mr Briggs may be liable to disciplinary action under RICS Bye- Law 5.2.2(d) by reason of having been convicted of a criminal offence, namely that on 13 January 2015 he was convicted by Llandudno Magistrates’ Court of an offence of Assault occasioning actual bodily harm on a minor, contrary to section 47 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. The Panel reprimanded Mr Briggs.

Wayne Wharton MRICS, EssexDisciplinary Panel – 08.07.15The Panel heard a case against Wayne Wharton contrary to Rule 3 of Rules of Conduct for Members 2007, for failure to ensure that professional work undertaken by his firm was covered by adequate and appropriate professional indemnity insurance following the firm ceasing to trade. The Panel reprimanded Mr Wharton and imposed Conditions on his continuing membership of RICS. Mr Wharton was ordered to contribute towards RICS’ costs.

William Hastings MRICS, GwyneddDisciplinary Panel – 16.07.15The Panel heard a case against William Hastings contrary to Rule 4 of Rules of Conduct for Members 2007. Mr Hastings failed to carry out professional work with due skill, care and diligence and with proper regard for the technical standards expected of him, when he undertook professional work as an Expert and Advocate for and at an arbitration on 8 November 2012. The Panel reprimanded Mr Hastings and ordered him to contribute towards RICS’ costs.

Paul Murray FRICS, OxfordDisciplinary Panel – 22.07.15The Panel heard a case against Paul Murray, who was charged with failing to avoid any actions or situations inconsistent with his professional obligations (Rule 3 of Rules of Conduct for Members 2007) in that he failed to ensure that previous professional work undertaken by his firm, Mr Paul Murray (Town & Country Property) Ltd was covered by adequate and appropriate run-off cover. Mr Murray was also charged with failing to provide information to RICS (Rule 8 of Rules of Conduct for Members 2007). The Panel found the charges proved and imposed a Reprimand, an undertaking and ordered costs.

rics.org/conductcases


www.lionheart.org.uk

www.rics.org/conductcases

52 RICS.ORG/MODUS

The November issue will be published on 3 November Recruitment copy deadline

Wednesday 7 October

Residential Surveyors

Full and Part-Time positions throughout London/M25 (codes AL,WD SG ,N, NW, NE, EC, E, RM,SE, BR, CR, SM, TW,RH,SW, plus DA1,SE3,SW16,HA2,RM1,8,CM19. Plus Aberdeen, Anglesey, Basingstoke, Bath, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Chichester, Colchester, Corby, Derby, Devon Nth, Dorking, Edinburgh, Gloucester, Guildford, High Wycombe, Hereford, Huntingdon, Inverness, Ipswich, Kettering, Kings Lynn, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, Loughborough, Luton, Maidstone, Malvern, Manchester, Notts Nth, Norfolk Nth, Northampton, Norwich, Oxford, Penzance, Peterborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Reading, Redhill, Rochester, Sheffield, Slough, Southampton, Suffolk, Swindon, T Wells, Thame, Tonbridge, Trowbridge, Truro, Tyneside, Winchester, Woking, Worcester, Worthing, Wrexham. Also: High value, Inner London specialist £60k basic/high OTE. Risk & Quality Surveyor Barnsley. Lender Staff Surveyors E.London & S.Midlands £55-65k. Self Employed Consultants nationwide. Private client surveys only (no vals) London & SE.

Existing or past experience of undertaking mortgage valuations, HBR’s or building surveys required. Employers include many smaller local practices through to all major surveying organisations and direct lenders. The current high demand for surveyors is reflected in the outstanding remuneration packages available.

We are experts at finding you the right job in the residential surveying sector. NEW VACANCY INSTRUCTIONS DAILY Please call Jeff Johnson on 07940 594093 or email your CV in confidence to: [email protected] www.mlarecruit.com

Do you want to work for a private firm with a corporate attitude - a firm that is quality driven and that has a strong tradition of VALUING its surveyors as INDIVIDUALS.

Valunation is part of one of the country’s largest independent and privately owned Estate Agency groups with over 200 branches and we’re looking to further expand and strengthen our national team of residential valuation surveyors.

This is your opportunity to make a positive and rewarding change to your working life and join a leading name in the residential surveying marketplace where we pride ourselves on the emphasis we give to the quality, rather than the quantity, of what we deliver.

We have vacancies for RICS qualified and registered experienced residential surveyors, who are highly motivated. You must be familiar with undertaking valuations and surveys for both lenders and private clients

There are immediate vacancies in London and the South East, North Leeds and Derby but new vacancies are being added all the time, so send us your CV and we will contact you when a vacancy comes up.

We offer a competitive benefits package including private medical care, life insurance, BMW car scheme or car allowance, together with a generous bonus scheme. We are also happy to consider part-time or flexible working.

If you are interested in joining us we would be delighted to hear from you. Please email your CV directly to [email protected] or call Paul Lancaster on 07974 090 113 or David Atter on 07973 543 010 for a confidential chat.

Residential Valuation Surveyors

Recruitmentricsrecruit.com / To advertise, email [email protected] or call +44 (0)20 7871 7406

0203 817 0000 [email protected] www.carriera.co.uk

Specialists in Recruitment and Search & Selection within the Construction and Property Industry

Recruitment – Search & Selection – Market Intelligence – Benchmarking

MODUS_Oct15_P52-61_Recruitment.indd 52 15/09/2015 13:03

www.ricsrecruit.com


Recruitment

But we’re still looking for qualified residential surveyors both experienced and recently qualified as well as surveyors from other RICS disciplines wishing to re-train to carry out residential mortgage valuations, homebuyer surveys and building surveys in the following locations:

Plenty of people are now discovering the Landmark difference…

If, for you, quality comes ahead of quantity and you like the idea of working with us in a culture of partnership, please email your CV to our Operations Manager, Jon Charlesworth, FRICS [email protected] or give him a call on 07825 634137 for an initial chat.

• London North • London East • London South

• Camberley • Dorking • Bristol/Bath

• Leicester • Plymouth/Torbay • Slough/Uxbridge

For the right people we will consider any location in England and Wales.


5 4 RICS.ORG/MODUS

To view more jobs online visit ricsrecruit.comTo view more jobs online visit ricsrecruit.com

Essential reading for RICS members

For those RICS members with residential valuation, homebuyer or building survey experience.

Metropolis Surveyors are seeking FRICS/MRICS to work to the highest standard on a consultancy basis across England and Wales. If you can achieve the standards we require

then you can earn significant fee income, while balancing this against a sensible lifestyle and a knowledge that you will receive the real respect that your qualification demands. For a meeting local to you, please send your CV to:

[email protected]

Residential Surveyor – HarrogateIndependent Practice with Directorship potential

Interested?Call Andrew on 07791 505 116Emails and CVs to [email protected]

Kempston-Parkes Chartered Surveyors is a well-established and successful independent company looking to expand. We pride ourselves on providing a highly professional and personal service based in Harrogate and covering North and West Yorkshire.

We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Chartered Building Surveyor / General Practice Chartered Surveyor to strengthen our team and to help maintain our high standards.

The ideal candidate must have a minimum of 10 years post qualification experience and be able to undertake Building Surveys, Homebuyer Reports and associated professional valuation work.

You must be self-motivated with excellent communication skills and be able to work well with our exacting levels of client service.

This is a fantastic opportunity offering an excellent salary and potential for the right candidate to become a Director in the future.


www.ricsrecruit.com


RecruitmentRecruitment

BECOME PART OF INDUSTRY CHANGE

CALLING ALLAssocRICS SUPER HEROES

#assocRICS

Achieve your full potential

BENEFITS• Gain MRICS status

• Earn more! Great base salaries and unrivalled bonuses

• Latest mobile technology – iPad, iPhone 6 & ToughPads

• Award winning company

• Fun & friendly team

•Signing on bonus

• Company car – you choose the make & model!

• Sociable team – nights out, networking events and banter!

CALL JOE 077 650 33 650

Be the best and gain MRICS accreditation with Arnold & Baldwin. Arnold & Baldwin Chartered Surveyors is a fresh, fun and vibrant business based in South London. We are currently recruiting for motivated and ambitious AssocRICS Surveyors who are driven to become MRICS qualified. We are looking for the very best super heroes who uphold our core values of being ‘honest, approachable experts’ to carry out mortgage valuations, homebuyer reports and building surveys in and around the London area.

In return we will invest in your development by supporting you through a structured and effective APC training programme. No claw back agreements here! Arnold & Baldwin offer financial support and you will be working alongside some of the top Surveyors in the industry. As the majority of the team are office based you really will have full support on a daily basis. Who better to learn from than the award winning surveyors at Arnold & Baldwin!

If you think you have the potential to become our new Superman or Supergirl please get in touch. We welcome applications from people across the country and a full relocation package is available. To apply please email your CV to [email protected]. Fancy an informal chat about the role first? Feel free to call Joe Arnold on 077 650 33 650.

We are also recruiting MRICS/FRICS REGISTERED VALUERS & BUILDING SURVEYORS. Do YOU deserve a better bonus? A new car? Better work life balance? We have full time and part time positions available for the BEST surveyors in the industry. Whether you are looking to have more time or more money we want to hear from you. Please do contact Joe Arnold to discuss what YOU would like from YOUR life.

www.arnoldandbaldwin.co.uk/jobs/


56 RICS.ORG/MODUS


With a two decade sector association, wide ranging (and often exclusive) client base and in-depth knowledge of each company through years of close working, we welcome enquiries (in confidence, without obligation and however speculative) from: • Residential surveyors already

working in the sector • Residential surveyors who left the

sector post 2008, but would like to return with refresher training

• Semi-retired surveyors (with residential experience) keen to keep active on a part-time/flexible basis

• MRICS-qualified surveyors with relevant – although perhaps not direct – inspection or valuation experience.

• Staff Valuers/ Residential Surveyors keen to work client side

We can you achieve: • An improvement in earnings, be

that basic salary or a bonus scheme that offers greater incentives

• A reduction in hours or a move to part-time or zero hours working

• A reduction in the volume of work that you are expected to handle

• An improvement in the general quality of your instructions

Current vacancies include:

Opportunities for experienced Residential Surveyors within corporate environments: All London postcodes (N, NW, W, SW, SE & E), Essex (SS, CM, RM, CO, IG & E), Hertfordshire(AL, SG, WD, EN), Bedfordshire/Luton (LU, MK), M4 Corridor generally (SL, RG, OX, SN), East & West Sussex (BN, TN, RH),

Dorset, (DT, BH), Hampshire (SO, PO), Surrey (CR, TW, KT, SM, GU), Kent (ME,TN, CT, BR, DA), Plymouth, Gloucestershire (GL), Bristol (BS), Cardiff/South Newport (CF, NP), Chichester, Basingstoke Aberdeen, Northants, Uxbridge, Harrow, Twickenham, Swindon, Leicester. Remuneration includes a basic salary of £40-55k (depending on location), bonuses (based on fee income), a car (or allowance), healthcare and pension.

Opportunities for first time entrants / Trainee Residential Surveyors nationally Our client is an independent, well-established and growing firm of chartered surveyors undertaking the full range of survey and valuation services for main lenders and private clients. They are able to train enthusiastic chartered surveyors from most backgrounds so previous residential surveying experience is not essential. Opportunities currently exist in SO/PO, BS/BA, SL (HP/RG/OX), CO/CM, IG/RM/E, N/EN, NW/W, ME/TN, NE, GL/SN with additional vacancies following weekly. Basic salary to £50k + Bonuses + Car allowance

Opportunities within panel– appointed, non-corporate practice-based environments Our clients are traditional, independent private practices who service main lender, private client and in-house (agency) instructions undertaking the full range of residential reports for high average fees. Their ethos is quality

over quantity (but not at the expense of security) and, as such, surveyors working for them are not put under the same pressures as they might be elsewhere in the sector. Vacancies exist in the following locations immediately with additional needs following on a near weekly basis: South London, South Hampshire (Portsmouth/Southampton/ Winchester), Chilterns, North West London, North East London/Essex, Kent, Oxford, Bristol/Bath. Chichester, North London, Reading, St Albans, Bromley, Dartford, East London, SW London, Loughton/ Chigwell, Romford, Colchester, Chelmsford, Milton Keynes. Basic salary circa £50k+ with excellent “zero threshold” bonus scheme, quality car and benefits.

To find out more or apply, contact:

James Irving0208 514 [email protected]

We are recruiting nationally for both high street and specialist lenders who require experienced Valuers in the following locations URGENTLY:

East LondonNorth LondonCroydonSloughOxfordNorthamptonWatfordFarehamEast AngliaSouth MidlandsM4 Corridor

Suitable Surveyors will need to meet the following criteria: • MRICS/FRICS qualification (though

AssocRICS may be considered with sufficient levels of experience)

• VRS accreditation• PII claim free• Strong track record in their

chosen patch • A stable career history demonstrating

strong commitment to past and present employers.

As well as the obvious workload, lifestyle and team benefits, successful Staff Surveyors can expect a remuneration package comprising:

• High basic (up to £65k) depending on location

• Profit share or bonuses based on multiple (quality) factors as opposed to volume only

• High quality prestige company car• 6 weeks holiday to start • Market leading Pension• A wide range of health, lifestyle and

wellbeing benefits• Preferential staff mortgage rates

Would you like to focus on quality over quantity with a single reporting format, a workload comprising mostly Mortgage Valuations (no Building Surveys), a tight knit patch, market leading tablet technology and an outstanding remuneration package that isn’t commission led?

Staff Surveyor / Valuer opportunities UK wide

Residential Surveying opportunitiesWith so much demand where should you start? Finding a new “job” in the current market isn’t difficult…. finding the RIGHT opportunity can be. Often the best roles aren’t found in the public domain, they are handled by specialist agents whose insight and candidate base enable discreet appointments without exposing coverage shortfalls to clients. If you’d like to see the full picture without the market knowing you’re curious, look no further…


Greg Coyle 0208 514 [email protected]

MODUS_Oct15_P52-61_Recruitment.F1.indd 56 17/09/2015 13:02

www.ricsrecruit.com



With a two decade sector association, wide ranging (and often exclusive) client base and in-depth knowledge of each company through years of close working, we welcome enquiries (in confidence, without obligation and however speculative) from: • Residential surveyors already

working in the sector • Residential surveyors who left the

sector post 2008, but would like to return with refresher training

• Semi-retired surveyors (with residential experience) keen to keep active on a part-time/flexible basis

• MRICS-qualified surveyors with relevant – although perhaps not direct – inspection or valuation experience.

• Staff Valuers/ Residential Surveyors keen to work client side

We can you achieve: • An improvement in earnings, be

that basic salary or a bonus scheme that offers greater incentives

• A reduction in hours or a move to part-time or zero hours working

• A reduction in the volume of work that you are expected to handle

• An improvement in the general quality of your instructions

Current vacancies include:

Opportunities for experienced Residential Surveyors within corporate environments: All London postcodes (N, NW, W, SW, SE & E), Essex (SS, CM, RM, CO, IG & E), Hertfordshire(AL, SG, WD, EN), Bedfordshire/Luton (LU, MK), M4 Corridor generally (SL, RG, OX, SN), East & West Sussex (BN, TN, RH),

Dorset, (DT, BH), Hampshire (SO, PO), Surrey (CR, TW, KT, SM, GU), Kent (ME,TN, CT, BR, DA), Plymouth, Gloucestershire (GL), Bristol (BS), Cardiff/South Newport (CF, NP), Chichester, Basingstoke Aberdeen, Northants, Uxbridge, Harrow, Twickenham, Swindon, Leicester. Remuneration includes a basic salary of £40-55k (depending on location), bonuses (based on fee income), a car (or allowance), healthcare and pension.

Opportunities for first time entrants / Trainee Residential Surveyors nationally Our client is an independent, well-established and growing firm of chartered surveyors undertaking the full range of survey and valuation services for main lenders and private clients. They are able to train enthusiastic chartered surveyors from most backgrounds so previous residential surveying experience is not essential. Opportunities currently exist in SO/PO, BS/BA, SL (HP/RG/OX), CO/CM, IG/RM/E, N/EN, NW/W, ME/TN, NE, GL/SN with additional vacancies following weekly. Basic salary to £50k + Bonuses + Car allowance

Opportunities within panel– appointed, non-corporate practice-based environments Our clients are traditional, independent private practices who service main lender, private client and in-house (agency) instructions undertaking the full range of residential reports for high average fees. Their ethos is quality

over quantity (but not at the expense of security) and, as such, surveyors working for them are not put under the same pressures as they might be elsewhere in the sector. Vacancies exist in the following locations immediately with additional needs following on a near weekly basis: South London, South Hampshire (Portsmouth/Southampton/ Winchester), Chilterns, North West London, North East London/Essex, Kent, Oxford, Bristol/Bath. Chichester, North London, Reading, St Albans, Bromley, Dartford, East London, SW London, Loughton/ Chigwell, Romford, Colchester, Chelmsford, Milton Keynes. Basic salary circa £50k+ with excellent “zero threshold” bonus scheme, quality car and benefits.


James Irving0208 514 [email protected]

We are recruiting nationally for both high street and specialist lenders who require experienced Valuers in the following locations URGENTLY:

East LondonNorth LondonCroydonSloughOxfordNorthamptonWatfordFarehamEast AngliaSouth MidlandsM4 Corridor

Suitable Surveyors will need to meet the following criteria: • MRICS/FRICS qualification (though

AssocRICS may be considered with sufficient levels of experience)

• VRS accreditation• PII claim free• Strong track record in their

chosen patch • A stable career history demonstrating

strong commitment to past and present employers.

As well as the obvious workload, lifestyle and team benefits, successful Staff Surveyors can expect a remuneration package comprising:

• High basic (up to £65k) depending on location

• Profit share or bonuses based on multiple (quality) factors as opposed to volume only

• High quality prestige company car• 6 weeks holiday to start • Market leading Pension• A wide range of health, lifestyle and

wellbeing benefits• Preferential staff mortgage rates

Would you like to focus on quality over quantity with a single reporting format, a workload comprising mostly Mortgage Valuations (no Building Surveys), a tight knit patch, market leading tablet technology and an outstanding remuneration package that isn’t commission led?

Staff Surveyor / Valuer opportunities UK wide

Residential Surveying opportunitiesWith so much demand where should you start? Finding a new “job” in the current market isn’t difficult…. finding the RIGHT opportunity can be. Often the best roles aren’t found in the public domain, they are handled by specialist agents whose insight and candidate base enable discreet appointments without exposing coverage shortfalls to clients. If you’d like to see the full picture without the market knowing you’re curious, look no further…


Greg Coyle 0208 514 [email protected]


58 RICS.ORG/MODUS


If you’re part of the VRS scheme, email your CV to [email protected]

• Your own patch

• A dedicated booker

• Bespoke iPad software

• On-site sign-off

www.shepherd.co.uk

• Fantastic benefits

• High bonus-earning potential

• Opportunities to develop

• Free fruit

A great place to work!

A fresh perspective for chartered surveyors

Enjoy being a surveyor with a company that works to make your days easier and values your skills with a great rewards package that gives you back your work life balance.

Start enjoying your job again.

Email better life to [email protected] or call 0208 300 1144

Surveyor Valuers London SE, E, N, SWFull and part time positions immediately available

SENIOR COMMERCIAL SURVEYOR/ VALUER

· North London and Surrounding Areas · Competitive Package · Based Enfield

Established Surveyors require a full time experienced Commercial Surveyor to undertake valuations of commercial property, including warehouses, offices, retail, portfolios, factories etc

CONTACTTo apply please send your CV with a covering letter to [email protected]


www.ricsrecruit.com



MB19379_S&V_Modus_ad_Sept_aw.indd 1 03/09/2015 09:05


60 RICS.ORG/MODUS


RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL CONSULTANT VALUATION SURVEYOR OPPORTUNITY NATIONWIDE

We are a national firm of chartered surveyors specialising in the bridging finance market for residential, commercial and development valuations. Due to recent significant growth in volumes of work, we are keen to recruit additional residential and commercial valuation surveyors in all geographical areas to carry out valuation work on a generous fee-share basis. Our client base requires valuation reports to be turned around quickly and we are looking to work with valuers who are able to work to strict deadlines. Valuation work is distributed from our admin centre and we offer the facility to type dictated reports. The opportunity would probably suit sole practitioners looking to add income to their existing workload. We can confirm that we provide the PII cover under which you would operate.

Please attach a brief CV and email in the first instance to: Jon Ellis-Smith MRICS Director PLP Property Consultants [email protected]

The Building Control Partnership has successfully delivered high quality services on behalf of Gosport & Fareham Borough Councils for over 10 years and is now expanding with the addition of Portsmouth City Council. The Partnership offers an interesting and challenging caseload and an opportunity to work within a modern and progressive Building Control environment. Our Partnered company portfolio includes large development companies, Hampshire County Council and companies working for the MoD.In order to maintain this success and ensure the continuation of our excellent service provision to clients, we have the following opportunity to join our team of professionals »

Help us build a better future

£32,778 - £36,571 p.a. - 37 hours per week

We need a talented and forward thinking surveyor to help progress and develop the Partnership. Ideally MRICS or CABE qualified with sound Building Control experience and an enthusiastic approach to all the demands of a modern office, you will be responsible for the full range of Building Control duties. Self-motivation, commitment, the ability to embrace new technology and create effective working relationships with clients are key attributes of this post.

To find out more about this post and apply, please visit the website www.jobsatportsmouth.co.uk.

For an informal discussion about the above post please contact John Shaw, Head of Building Services, on 01329 824450 or e-mail [email protected].

Working in Partnership

Building Control Surveyor (ref. 3317)

Qualified Valuer/Agentrequired for our Norwich Office

A dynamic valuer is required to help grow this residential agency team, covering Norfolk and North Suffolk.

The candidate will also undertake professional valuations for bank security, probate and matrimonial purposes. A wide ranging and stimulating brief. The candidate will need to be self-motivated, use his/her own initiative and be ambitious.

Package negotiable according to experience with attractive incentive scheme. Equity partnership will be considered.

Apply in confidence with a CV together with any queries to [email protected] or telephone Tim Stephens MRICS on 01603 661199 or 07769532909.

13 Upper King Street, Norwich NR3 1RB. www.humberts.com. A franchised office of Humberts, part of the Chestertons Group.


www.ricsrecruit.com



Find more jobs online atconradconsulting.co.ukFor more information about any of these positions, please contact [email protected] or call 0203 1595 387

Associate Quantity SurveyorCentral London£70,000-£80,000 Plus Benefits

Bespoke firm of property and construction consultants is on the lookout for an associate level quantity surveyor. The ideal candidate will be operating at an associate level or looking to make the step up from a senior position, working on a wide range of projects. You will be an experienced quantity surveyor who can develop their existing services and lead this division with a strategic company expansion plan in mind.

Head of Building SurveyingCentral London£65,000-£80,000 Plus Benefits

Specialist provider of professional design and construction advice is seeking an experienced Building Surveyor to help develop their building surveying department and bring new clients into the business. Working alongside the owner of the company this role will allow the successful candidate the chance to work independently crafting a successful and sustainable future for the company. The practice is committed to investing into the development of its employees and allows a clear progression route within the organisation.

Senior Associate Building SurveyorCentral London£65,000-£75,000 Plus Benefits

Leading independent project management, cost and building consultancy is seeking a Senior Associate Building Surveyor. You possess a wealth of professional services experience along with a background of operating within the commercial sector. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of developing and maintaining client relationships within a commercial environment. This role offers the opportunity to work autonomously crafting a successful team of surveyors.

Senior Building SurveyorSurrey£45,000-£55,000 Plus Benefits

The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering services in relation to construction projects and in support of the project consultancy team in the South East and London. You will also deliver and develop the building surveying service line in the South East and expand the existing service to key commercial investor clients.

Senior Chartered Building Surveyor Leeds£35,000-£40,000 Plus Benefits

A well established, proactive and innovative firm who provide a nationwide building surveying, project management and cost consultancy practice is seeking a senior chartered building surveyor to take on a leading role within their Leeds office. They offer a comprehensive range of high end professional services to their impressive client base within the commercial, public and leisure sectors. The ideal candidate will be RICS qualified with a wide range of professional experience including dilapidations, pre-acquisition surveys, contract administration, employer’s agent and project management services.

Senior Chartered Quantity Surveyor MIdlands£38,000-£45,000 Plus Benefits

A leading independent, multi-professional consultancy practice is seeking a Chartered Senior Quantity Surveyor to be based at their head office in the Midlands. You should have a proven track record of consultancy cost management working on large scale building projects in a variety of sectors including one or more of education, healthcare, blue light or defence. You will be responsible for feasibility studies through to detailed cost planning and post contract management.

Principle Chartered Building Surveyor Manchester£45,000-£55,000 Plus Benefits

A dynamic, forward thinking practice is currently expanding their operations. You will help expand and manage the Building Surveying team, offering exciting career prospects and the opportunity to progress into a management position within the firm. Responsible for carrying out surveys, inspections, schedules and the overall management of schemes in the North-West of England. You will also have the opportunity to be involved in business development activities and the management of the regional Building Surveying team.

Senior Quantity SurveyorLondon£55,000-£60,000 Plus Benefits

Innovative and forward thinking property and construction consultancy requires an experienced Senior Quantity Surveyor. Our client has experience in all commercial property sectors, extending internationally and across Europe, offering an extensive range of design and professional services to an impressive and highly respected client base. Responsible for delivering cost planning and cost management services in relation to construction projects and in support of the project consultancy team in the South East and London, you will deliver and develop the cost consultancy service line in the South East and expand the existing offer to key commercial investor clients.

For a confidential chat, call us 8am to 8pm on 0203 1595 387

further your career


www.conradconsulting.co.uk

WHAT ARE INVESTORS FOCUSING ON IN MEXICO?

We’re seeing greater

investment from Mexican companies into the southern US states.

Some of Mexico’s biggest retailers are capitalising

on the US’s growing Latin American

population.

Mexico is struggling to create a

transparent real estate sector. There is a growing

trend to increase the sophistication of standards, but

we’ve been unable to secure this at all levels. Things are

improving, especially for international

clients.

Car manufacturers

are taking advantage of Mexico’s central location and lower workforce costs. They’re also getting great real estate

deals, because some states are almost giving away land to

attract investment to their region.

FIBRAs (Mexico’s

version of REITs), represent some of the

most stable assets and there is a lot of

competition for them.

Size matters in Mexico – investors are

happy to get involved in large-scale projects. While

Mexico City still commands the bulk of investment transactions, the Bajio region is growing as an

industrial hub.

Mind map

Juan Carlos Ulloa FRICS managing director, Mexico and Central America, Cushman & Wakefield

62 RICS.ORG/MODUS

ILLU

STR

ATIO

N R

OB

ERT

NIP

PO

LDT

MODUS_Oct15_P62_Mind Map.indd 62 15/09/2015 13:06

A changing landscape creates a world of new opportunitiesThe crossover between public and private land is driving lucrative new career opportunities within the property sector.

Speak to our specialist recruitment team and take the first step towards your next big move.

020 7766 9000www.oysterpartnership.com

MODUS_adverts_full_page.indd 1 11/09/2015 17:04MODUS_Oct15_P63_Oyster ad.indd 2 14/09/2015 11:32

Home insurance0800 840 2349 | hiscox.co.uk/rics

SPECIALLY NEGOTIATED DISCOUNT FOR RICS MEMBERS

OF COURSE GALLEON COVER COMES AS STANDARD

At Hiscox, we provide specialist cover for art, collectibles and unusual items as standard.

As your home becomes more important, you need an insurer you can rely on.

Terms and conditions apply, for full terms and conditions see www.hiscox.co.uk/rics. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is an Appointed Representative of Hiscox Underwriting Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. For UK residents only. 14795 09/15

MODUS_Oct15_P64_Hiscox ad.indd 64 14/09/2015 11:33

www.hiscox.co.uk/rics

RICS Modus, Global edition - October 2015

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