Valuer

Valuers assess the value of buildings, land or other goods such as machinery and works of art. They may work for one of a variety of organisations including estate agencies, the Civil Service or local government.

Also known as:

General practice surveyor
Valuation surveyor

Work activities

Valuers assess the worth of buildings, land and a wide range of goods such as plant, machinery, chattels and works of art. The reason for the valuation, and the duties of a valuer, depends on the employer. For example, estate agencies employ valuers to assess property for sale, rental or mortgage valuation. Valuations are used to work out taxes that need to be paid on properties and the price of property or land when it is sold or bought. Valuers also advise HM Revenue and Customs and other government departments on taxation and valuation matters.

Valuers may also assess the rental value of commercial and industrial property such as offices, shopping centres and factories. They assess new properties and reassess existing ones after they’ve been altered or improved. Some valuers specialise in plant and machinery or fine arts and chattels rather than in land and property. This is often for insurance purposes. Valuation is often combined with other roles such as estate management or agricultural surveying and auctioning. Fine arts and chattels valuation in particular is often combined with auctioneering.

Being able to read, write and speak Welsh may be an advantage when you’re looking for work in Wales.

Personal qualities and skills

As a valuer, you will need to:

Have maths and IT skills.
Be able to make accurate calculations.
Keep up to date with all the relevant laws and technology related to your area of work.
Be a well-organised person.
Have good written and verbal communication skills.

You may need to travel around locally in this job, so a driving licence could be useful.

Pay and opportunities

The pay rates given are approximate. Valuers start on roughly £20,000. Pay can rise to £40,000-£45,000 depending on the field.

Most work around 38-40 hours a week, Monday to Friday. However, you may have early starts and late finishes, and you may need to work some weekends.

Employers include estate agents, the Civil Service, local government, public bodies and organisations such as the electricity, gas and water companies. Opportunities for valuers occur with employers in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards, and on the Government’s Find a Job service.

Entry routes and training

Most new entrants to this career have a degree. However, some people join without degrees and train part-time or by distance learning. To value property, you are encouraged to join a professional body such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV). Degree subjects linked to valuation, estate management or surveying will be useful for people wishing to go into this career. The RICS provides a list of accredited degree/diploma courses.

For non-graduate entrants, training will be on-the-job with part-time study. Valuers can also work towards the qualifications offered by the IRRV. To become a fully qualified member of the RICS, you’ll need to undertake at least two years’ structured learning whilst in employment. Full members of the RICS are given chartered status. This is the highest level of competence in a profession.

There is not currently an apprenticeship programme in this area.

Experienced valuers can move into senior roles. Some may become self-employed.

Qualifications

For entry to a relevant degree, you’ll usually need:

Two to three A-levels.
GCSEs at grades 9-4 in your A-level subjects.
A further two to three GCSEs at grades 9-4, including English and maths.

Other qualifications are often acceptable as alternatives to A-levels, for example:

Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 National qualifications
International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

However, entry requirements for different courses vary, so check university prospectuses for more details.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Skills gained in work areas such as property or fine arts could be useful. Late entrants can progress as technical members (AssocRICS) of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course could be the way in. These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.

Numerous institutions offer relevant postgraduate qualifications in surveying and real estate management via part-time/flexible or distance learning.

Related careers

Antique dealer
Auctioneer
Estate agent
Estate manager
Insurance claims investigator
Insurance loss adjuster
Licensed conveyancer