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Half of the UK surveying firms that answered RICS's latest skills survey say staff shortages are already having a critical or moderate impact on their business. That is the headline from the surveyor shortage RICS skills report published in November 2026, and it lands at a moment when Kingston upon Thames homebuyers, landlords and litigants rely on chartered surveyors more than ever for building surveys, Red Book valuations and expert reports [1].
This article sets out what the RICS "Surveying skills report, UK snapshot" actually found, why it matters for property owners in Kingston, Surbiton, New Malden and the wider south-west London area, and what to check before you instruct a surveyor in a stretched market.
Key Takeaways
- The RICS report found that 50% of UK respondents see a critical or moderate impact from skills shortages, and 63% of those describing the effects report reduced capacity to meet demand [1].
- The deepest gap is in mid-career and experienced professionals (cited by 62%), which is exactly the group that carries out Level 3 building surveys, complex valuations and expert witness work [1].
- Only 12% of respondents feel well prepared to work with AI tools, yet RICS already expects firms to manage AI responsibly, tell clients when it is used in measurement or report drafting, and keep a human in control [2].
- For Kingston clients, the practical effects are longer lead times, a greater need to verify RICS registration and survey scope, and extra care when instructing an expert witness under CPR Part 35.
- Nothing in the report changes a surveyor's professional duty: a stretched diary is never a defence to a negligent report.
What the surveyor shortage RICS skills report found
The RICS report is a UK snapshot of how surveying organisations are coping with recruitment, retention and new technology. Its findings were reported on 9 November 2026 [1][3]. The figures below are taken directly from that reporting.
Source: RICS Surveying skills report, UK snapshot, as reported by Specification Online [1].
Respondents also rank communication and collaboration (47%), critical thinking and learning agility (47%) and data and digital skills (44%) as the most important skills for the next three to five years, and RICS says it is modernising its routes to membership with new pathways in Sustainability Advisory and in Data Analytics and Intelligence [1].
"Surveyors are essential to delivering the homes and infrastructure the UK needs.", Justin Young, Chief Executive, RICS [1]
James Garner FRICS, Head of AI and Data at Gleeds, went further on technology: "AI must become a core, formally assessed part of surveying education. The profession's future depends on it." [1]
Why the experienced-surveyor gap matters most in Kingston
The most important number in the report for local clients is not the headline 50%. It is the 62% who say the real shortage is of mid-career and experienced professionals [1].
Kingston upon Thames has a housing stock that rewards experience. Victorian and Edwardian terraces around Kingston Hill and Norbiton, inter-war semis in New Malden and Tolworth, riverside flats and a steady flow of extended and converted homes all present defects, from period roof structures and historic damp to movement on London clay, that a newly qualified surveyor may not recognise at first glance.
The experienced surveyor is also the one who:
- Carries out RICS Level 3 building surveys on older or altered properties rather than the lighter Level 2 report.
- Produces Red Book valuations for probate, matrimonial, tax and lease-extension purposes, where the evidence base and reasoning will be scrutinised.
- Acts as an expert witness in defect, boundary and valuation disputes, where the court expects years of relevant practice.
When that group is in short supply, the pressure falls on exactly the work that carries the greatest consequence if it goes wrong.
Practical effects of the surveyor shortage RICS skills report for homebuyers and owners
Lead times and survey booking
With 63% of affected firms reporting reduced capacity to meet demand, buyers should expect that the best-regarded local surveyors may have fuller diaries than in previous years [1]. The report does not give specific waiting times, and this article does not attempt to invent them. The sensible response is to instruct early, ideally as soon as an offer is accepted, and to confirm the inspection date in writing.
Check registration and scope before instructing
A shortage increases the temptation for some providers to stretch beyond their competence. Before instructing anyone in Kingston or the surrounding boroughs:
- Confirm the individual surveyor is a current RICS member and that the firm is RICS-regulated.
- Ask which RICS Home Survey Standard level is being offered (Level 2 or Level 3) and why it suits the property.
- Ask who will physically attend the inspection and who will sign the report.
- Check the terms of engagement for limitations, such as areas not inspected.
Kingston Surveyors is a RICS-regulated practice and sets out the survey level and scope in its terms before every instruction.
Capacity pressure and the risk of error
The report finds that 55% of firms have limited time to train and upskill existing staff [1]. Time pressure is a well-known contributor to missed defects and thin reasoning. A surveyor who misses a significant defect that a competent surveyor should have found can face a professional negligence claim, and the measure of loss is usually the difference between the price paid and the true value with the defect known.
For clients, the lesson is simple: a cheaper or faster report is no bargain if it is wrong. A surveyor's professional duty does not shrink because the market is busy.
AI-assisted surveys: what the report and RICS rules mean for you
Only 12% of respondents feel well prepared to work with generative AI and AI-driven workflows, while 58% feel unprepared or only slightly prepared [1]. At the same time, 30% of organisations list AI, automation and digital tools among their top three responses to shortages [1]. In other words, many firms are adopting tools they are not yet confident using.
This matters because, as Howden's March 2026 claims-risk review summarised, RICS expects firms to manage AI responsibly from March 2026: where AI is used for measurements or report drafting, clients must be notified and the firm must retain control, with human review of outputs [2]. Insurers expect future claims to examine whether a firm had an AI policy, training and a proper audit trail [2].
A Kingston homebuyer is entitled to ask whether AI is used in preparing the report, who reviews the output before it is signed, and whether the report will say so.
Expert evidence: the shortage reaches the courtroom
Why experienced surveyors are needed as expert witnesses
Building defect claims, boundary disputes, party wall appeals and valuation negligence cases in the County Court and the High Court all depend on expert surveyor evidence. Under CPR Part 35, an expert's overriding duty is to the court, not to the party paying the fee, and the report must comply with Practice Direction 35, including a statement of truth and a summary of the expert's qualifications [4].
A court will only give weight to an expert whose experience matches the issue. A surveyor who has inspected hundreds of period houses in south-west London is far better placed to explain a damp or movement defect than a generalist. If 62% of firms are short of exactly this experience, litigants in Kingston County Court and beyond will find it harder to secure a suitable expert at short notice [1].
The new RICS expert witness standard from 30 November 2026
The fifth edition of the RICS professional standard Surveyors acting as expert witnesses takes effect on 30 November 2026 [5]. It restates the expert's independence, the need to work within one's competence, and the requirement to disclose any conflict. Surveyors who take on expert work without the right experience risk criticism from the court and a complaint to RICS.
Practical steps for parties and solicitors:
- Instruct the expert as early as possible, before court directions set tight deadlines.
- Check the proposed expert's actual experience of the property type and the issue in dispute.
- Consider whether a single joint expert is appropriate for lower-value disputes, which reduces demand on a scarce pool of experts.
Frequently asked questions
Does the surveyor shortage mean I should skip a survey?
No. The report shows capacity pressure, not a reason to go without advice. A Level 2 or Level 3 survey remains the main protection against buying a home with hidden defects.
Can I complain if my survey was prepared with AI and contained errors?
The surveyor remains responsible for the content of the report regardless of the tools used. RICS expects firms to keep human control and to tell clients when AI is used [2]. A complaint can go to the firm first, then to RICS or the relevant redress scheme.
How do I find an expert witness surveyor for a dispute?
Look for a chartered surveyor with direct experience of the issue, familiarity with CPR Part 35 and the RICS expert witness standard, and availability within the court timetable. Your solicitor will normally help identify suitable candidates.
Conclusion
The surveyor shortage RICS skills report confirms what many south-west London clients have already noticed: experienced surveyors are stretched, firms have less time to train, and AI is arriving faster than confidence in using it [1]. None of that lowers the standard a surveyor must meet. It does mean that Kingston homebuyers, owners and litigants should instruct early, verify RICS registration and survey scope, ask how AI is used, and secure expert witnesses well before court deadlines.
Next steps: confirm your surveyor's RICS status, agree the survey level in writing, and if a dispute is in prospect, raise the question of expert evidence with your solicitor now rather than later. This article is general information and not legal or professional advice on any specific property or claim.
References
- Surveying Skills Shortages Put Delivery Ambitions at Risk as Report Reveals AI Training Gap. specificationonline.co.uk.
- Top 5 Claims Risks Facing Surveyors 2026. howdengroup.com.
- Surveying Skills Shortage Threatens Housing Delivery Rics. propertyindustryeye.com.
- Part35. justice.gov.uk.
- Surveyors Acting as Expert Witnesses. rics.org.
