The founder and CEO of a chartered surveyor firm has lost his appeal against expulsion by the RICS.

Nicholas Prinse, of London-based Prinsegate Surveyors, also faces a costs bill of more than £53,500.

He previously claimed he was forced to make nearly all of the company’s staff redundant after disciplinary action by regulatory body RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors).

At the time he told The Neg that once the original decision of the RICS disciplinary panel was made public in 2023, the new business for his practice “halved overnight”.

Allegations

The RICS’ Standards and Regulation Board has now ruled once more on these allegations for an appeal by Prinse and his company, confirming that it found that:

• The firm routinely used non-chartered surveyors to carry out Level 3 surveys.
• Acted without integrity when issuing terms and conditions to the effect that chartered surveyors would be used.
• Allowed the firm to issue Level 3 survey reports in his name when he [Prinse] had not personally written the reports.
• Sent a letter to RICS asserting that he had been at 26 School Hill as part of the survey undertaken on 25 October 2022, when he had not and when he knew he had not.

There were multiple allegations of dishonesty found proved.”

The panel says it is satisfied that “Mr Prinse’s breaches of his professional obligations were wide ranging and serious, and committed over a prolonged period”

“It held that the findings of dishonesty and a lack of integrity were pre-planned, deliberate and repeated.

“There were multiple allegations of dishonesty found proved and the Disciplinary Panel found there was no evidence of insight or remorse,” it says.

“It noted that whilst there was no evidence that the conduct caused clients actual loss, that there was the potential for financial loss for homeowners from the conduct.”

Costs of £53,580 were awarded against Prinse.

Right to reply

Prinse has told The Neg that he continues to disagree with the complaints made against him and his company, which included allegations that have led to expulsion action by RICS, saying that during the original hearing expert witnesses admitted that his firm’s surveys met the ‘professional standard’ and no loss has been caused to anyone. Prinse also claims that too many surveyors, including both him and his company, are being “unjustly disciplined” by RICS.

Read the full appeal panel hearing judgement here.