Definition

A client brief for a residential valuation records the client's identity, the property, the purpose, the basis of value, the fee, and any specific instructions. It forms the instructing document and, with the terms of appointment, defines what the surveyor has agreed to deliver. The RICS Rules of Conduct require a written record of terms of engagement; for valuations this is reinforced by the RICS Red Book Global Standards (effective 31 January 2022), which set mandatory requirements for the content of valuation terms of engagement.

Why this matters for Client Care

  • The purpose determines the basis of value; a surveyor who misidentifies the purpose may produce a technically correct but contractually wrong result.
  • A written brief protects the surveyor if the valuation is used for a purpose other than agreed, and enables the client to give informed consent to its limitations.
  • For consumer clients, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires services to be provided as described; the brief creates that documented description.
  • APC candidates in valuation pathways are routinely asked to describe how they documented a client instruction; the brief is the central piece of evidence.

Key principles

Establishing the purpose and basis of value

Common purposes for residential valuations include market appraisal for sale, probate, matrimonial settlement, capital gains tax, or reinstatement cost assessment. Each may require a different basis of value: Market Value under the Red Book applies for sale and most loan security purposes, whilst reinstatement uses a different methodology. Record the agreed purpose explicitly; the valuation must not be used for any other purpose without a new or amended instruction.

Identifying the client and any third-party reliance

Name the instructing client and confirm whether any third party (lender, solicitor) is entitled to rely on the valuation. Where third-party reliance is anticipated, consider whether PI insurance covers the additional exposure. If reliance is not authorised, state that restriction clearly in both the brief and the report.

Recording assumptions, limitations, and access arrangements

Document any special assumptions to be applied (for example, that planning permission exists for a proposed conversion) and limitations arising from the inspection (areas not accessed, services not tested). Confirm access arrangements in writing, including the date and time of inspection and the contact for key handover.

Fee, delivery, and format

Record the agreed fee, payment method, delivery date, and report format (a Red Book compliant report for formal purposes, or a market appraisal letter where a full report has not been requested). For consumer clients the fee must be clearly stated before work begins, per the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Relevant RICS guidance and legislation

  • RICS Rules of Conduct (effective 2 February 2022) — Rule 3 (Service) requires a written record of terms of engagement before work commences.
  • RICS Red Book Global Standards (effective 31 January 2022) — sets mandatory requirements for valuation terms of engagement.
  • Consumer Rights Act 2015 — applies where the client is a private individual commissioning a valuation for personal purposes.

Ethics and Rules of Conduct angle

Rule 1 (Honesty and Integrity) requires accurate recording of instructions and prohibits allowing the client to believe the valuation has a broader application than agreed. Rule 2 (Competence) requires the surveyor to confirm they are competent to value the property type before accepting the instruction; where specialist knowledge is required (listed buildings, complex leases), this must be acknowledged in the brief. Rule 3 (Service) requires keeping the client informed throughout, including if any material difficulty arises during the inspection.

APC-style Q&As

Q (Level 1) Why is it important to record the purpose of a residential valuation in writing before the instruction begins?

The purpose determines the basis of value and methodology. Recording it in writing aligns both parties, prevents unintended use, and creates the documented instruction the RICS Red Book and Rules of Conduct require.

Q (Level 1) What does the RICS Red Book require in relation to the terms of engagement for a residential valuation?

The RICS Red Book requires certain matters to be agreed and confirmed in writing before the valuation is completed: the client identity, purpose, basis of value, property details, special assumptions, fee, and any limitations on the inspection.

Q (Level 2) A client instructs you to provide a residential valuation for sale purposes. After delivering the report, you learn that they have given it to their mortgage lender. How do you respond?

(example) I would contact the client immediately to confirm that the valuation was produced for private sale purposes only and that lender reliance was not within the original instruction. I would write to make clear the report could not be relied on by the lender without a separate, potentially revised, instruction. I would also review whether my PI cover extended to lender reliance and take advice from my firm's risk manager. The original brief should have addressed third-party reliance explicitly; I would amend my standard template accordingly.

Q (Level 2) How do you handle a situation where, on arrival for a residential inspection, you discover that the property is significantly different from the description provided by the client in the brief?

I would document the discrepancy in my inspection notes and contact the client before completing the valuation. If the discrepancy is material (different tenure, undisclosed extension, significantly different floor area), I would confirm in writing that the brief needs to be amended to reflect the property as inspected, and consider whether the fee remains appropriate. I would not proceed on assumptions inconsistent with what I have observed.

Q (Level 3) A client instructs you to value a probate property and makes clear that a high valuation will benefit the estate. They ask you to make your report as favourable as possible. How do you respond?

(example) I would explain that RICS valuers must provide an independent, impartial opinion of Market Value; a probate valuation is a formal document submitted to HMRC, and overstating it would be a misrepresentation to a public authority with potentially serious legal consequences for the client and for me. My obligation under Rule 1 (Honesty and Integrity) and Rule 3 (Service) is to provide an accurate valuation, not one that serves a particular financial outcome. I would document this conversation and confirm I would proceed only on an independent basis. If the client insisted, I would withdraw from the instruction.