RICS Code of Measuring Practice 6th Edition Notes on the Changes

This document provides an overview of the main changes between the fifth and sixth editions of the RICS Code of Measuring Practice. It is written by Robert Ash, member of the RICS Property Measurement Group. It provides useful information for practitioners who wish to gain a better understanding of the key differences but should not be treated as formal RICS guidance.

The Changes (with references) Introductory passage on accuracy NIA 1 refined usable definition NIA 4 full height glazing 3.6 ramps, sloping areas and steps within usable areas 3.9 areas occupied by partition walls 3.15 (a and b) corridors and circulation areas 3.18 (a and b) heating/ventilation units 26 Net Sales Area (Residential) Accuracy There was some concern that the introduction to the previous edition included a section on accuracy and suggested that when measuring a high value city centre office building an accuracy of plus or minus 5 mm would be expected. The new edition aims to remove reference to accuracy in this way but does recognise that a greater degree of accuracy is likely to be required for high value properties. It makes it clear that the degree of accuracy depends on the circumstances of the measurement and particularly highlights what would be the ramifications should the level of accuracy be deemed insufficient for the purpose. While the reference to the accuracy of individual measurements has been removed, there is a statement that for high value properties an accuracy requirement for the total area of better than +1% may be expected. Usable Definition While previous editions have included in the definition of the Net Internal Area reference to the usable area, there has been no definition of this term. Following Kilmartin v Safeway where this point was considered, the new edition includes the definition of usable area as stated in that judgment:"an area is usable if it can be used for any sensible purpose in connection with the purposes for which the premises are to be used". This clarification led to the Property Measurement Group looking again at certain parts of the code where issues had arisen concerning usability

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Full height glazing The Property Measurement Group received a number of enquiries from surveyors seeking advice on how to measure buildings with full height glazing. After much discussion the panel decided that there were too many different circumstances for such glazing to provide precise guidance as to how measurements should be taken but the following note is now included:"where there is full height glazing, measurements should be taken to the glazing unless elements of the window structure or design render the space substantially unusable".

Ramps, sloping areas and steps within usable areas There is not much effective difference envisaged from the alteration made to the wording in 3.6. None of the current Group members could shed light on the reasons behind the previous specific reference to ramps of lightweight construction other than to underline that their areas should not be excluded. Other ramps have not, in the past, been excluded and the alteration in the wording clarifies this, along with reference to sloping areas (judgment from Kilmartin v Safeway). Steps, within usable areas, have been added to 3.6 for completeness, as another possible situation where a change in floor level may occur.

Partition walls Really 3.9 is a tidier alternative to the more wordy predecessor that the Property Measurement Group thought was sometimes misinterpreted by being misread (served instead of severed) The division of internal usable area is the concern of the tenant and areas taken up by such dividing features count towards NIA figures.

Corridors and circulation areas The new edition provides clearer guidance on how corridors and recesses associated with access should be considered. These are to be excluded from NIA but not those parts that are usable areas within overly wide corridors. This is not easy to express in words and alterations to the illustrative diagrams are intended to aid interpretation. 3.15 Corridors and other circulation areas where used in common with other occupiers or of a permanent essential nature (e.g. fire corridors, smoke lobbies etc) Into: 3.15a Corridors and other circulation areas where used in common with other occupiers And 3.15 b Permanent circulation areas, corridors and thresholds/recesses associated with access, but not those parts that are usable areas

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Heating/ventilation units The previous code provided that where such units were not continuous they were included in NIA. This however seemed to be inconsistent with the idea that an area should only be included if it is usable. Clearly space occupied by heating or air conditioning units is not usable. The consultation draft for the new edition removed the reference to continuous so that any intermittent heating or air conditioning units would then have become exclusions from NIA. Responses received were divided on this proposal. Whilst many recognised the logic, they objected to the practicality of excluding a substantial number of individual panel radiators, for example. As a compromise, use has again been made of a specific parameter (as with unusable space under reference 3.20) and the final edition of the new code only excludes intermittent units if they protrude 0.25 metres or more into the usable area.

Residential - Net Sales Area As residential valuations and appraisals are increasingly making use of values per square foot it was considered helpful to include an enhanced definition of Net Sales Area with the intention of producing more consistency in this sector. This definition is based on Gross Internal Area but with some further exclusions I acknowledge assistance from Simon Curtis, Property Measurement Group chairman, with his contribution to the text.

R B B Ash RICS Property Measurement Group 18/09/2007

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