Quantity surveyors who are found guilty of incompetence will face tough penalties as part of a review of the RICS’ regulatory functions.

The professional body has moved to pre-empt a government review of property and construction regulations by conducting its own review, chaired by Sir Brian Carsberg, former head of telecom watchdog Oftel.

The review’s findings, published this week, are that the RICS should take a more active role in policing its members. At the moment, only serious malpractice ends up in court.

Carsberg said he recommended that the RICS treat seriously behaviour that brought the profession into disrepute.

He said: “I was surprised that the RICS does not, as a matter of course, take action against members’ serious professional incompetence. Almost the only way in which a member is debarred from practising as a chartered surveyor is if the insurance market refuses to provide professional indemnity insurance.”

Carsberg added that the RICS could move into the territory of the Architects Registration Board, which has used site visits and expert witnesses to pursue serious cases.

Companies will have to submit information on the number of complaints they have received every year, and the outcome of each one.

In addition, QSs and other surveyors who have only needed to pass one set of qualifications will need to undertake continuous professional development to maintain standards.

Carsberg’s review said the RICS did not require external regulators, but it recommended that the RICS be split into regulatory and representational duties. This follows concerns that the professional body’s regulations could be affected by the work it does to promote its members interests.

The RICS’ governing council met on Tuesday and approved the structural change.

Louis Armstrong, RICS chief executive, said: “The review was prompted by a desire to be ahead of the game so we could avoid a government-induced blitz and be seen to be espousing best practice.”

The RICS is planning to extend the ombudsman scheme that it has been running as a pilot in Scotland. This allows complaints to go to a non-adversarial watchdog instead of arbitration.