Click for Bruce's Party Wall Cyclopedia

Party Wall Suveyor Qualifications & Post Nominal Suffixes

The Privy council regulates Royal Charters for Professional Institutes who can confer Professional memberships designated by suffixes i.e. MCIOB.. These memberships are academically benchmarked to a degree/honour degree and in the case of a Fellow equate to an honour/Master degree.

Royal Charters

Degree equivalents 

The Privy Council regulates Universities (higher education) which can confer degrees designated by suffixes i.e. MSc, BSc 

The term Chartered Construction Professional is applied to a member of a Chartered Institute (i.e. MCIOB etc)

The government list professional organisations approved for tax relief (listed organisations) 

Listed organisation members are engaged in a specified activity as their main paid occupation; the members are also colloquially known as professionals.  Some listed organisations give suffixes to their members and encourage them to use them.  Some of the listed organisation members may not have a degree, or indeed any higher education qualifications and their experience may be limited.  They may not have an adequate complaint’s procedure and may be inadequately regulated.

So how, when selecting and appointing a Party Wall Surveyor can you determine if your Party Wall Surveyor is Chartered, has a degree (or both) or is not Chartered and does not have a degree?  The author considers that the responsibility lies with the listed organisations and their members – they should state clearly that the suffixes used by their members do not donate Chartered Status or a degree – the problem is then solved.

Ofqual regulate qualifications and awarding bodies

There are 8 levels of qualifications 

Regulated Qualifications and their level can be searched 

Registered qualifications are offered by registered awarding bodies

Level Description Exemplar qualification Suffix following Professional review
1 Under 18 School Level – CSE – Expected minimum school attainment   –
2 Under 18 School Level –  GSE (o level) – Above average school minimum attainment  –
3 Under 18 School Level –  A level – above average school attainment ABBE Level 3 Award in Understanding the Party Wall etc. Act 1996
4 Higher education CIOB Level 4 Diploma in Construction Site Management   NVQ level 4 + 5 years experience ACIOB       LCGI
5 Degree level BSc MCIOB,  MRICS
6 Degree with honours BSc (hons) MCIOB,  MRICS FCIOB, FRICS
7 Master’s degree MSc FCIOB,  FRICS
8 PhD – Doctorate PHd

Party Wall Surveyor serving Thanet and London

Third Surveyor serving England and Wales

Bruce Spenser MSc LCGI
Bruce Spenser MSc LCGI