Chartered Building Surveyor and Prendos Director, Mike Woods, was recently awarded Fellowship of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS) – the highest professional recognition available within the organisation. While it’s a personal career milestone for Mike, the real significance lies in what it means for clients working with him and the wider Prendos team.
“FRICS is about more than technical expertise,” Mike explains. “It recognises leadership, service, and a commitment to upholding standards across the profession.” For Mike, it reflects many years of mentoring, teaching and supporting others in the industry, not just his own career progression.
‘Gruelling’ process upholds standards of excellence
To achieve Fellowship, Mike was assessed on four criteria: Services to RICS, Leadership, Teaching, and Qualifications. Each reflects his contribution to the surveying profession – from leading firms in both the UK and NZ, to mentoring future surveyors, and developing Prendos’ in-house technical training programme in line with RICS standards.
As both an assessor and counsellor for RICS, Mike has helped aspiring surveyors through the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) – a process he describes as “gruelling”, but necessary to uphold the standards of professional excellence that RICS represents.
“I often tell my candidates I’d rather do another four master’s degrees than sit the APC again,” he laughs. “The interview process is daunting – you’re in front of three seasoned professionals who are there to test your experience. But that’s exactly how it should be, because as assessors, we’re endorsing these candidates as competent to give professional advice.”
What RICS represents
For those less familiar with RICS, it is the world’s leading professional body for built environment specialists, with more than 130,000 members across 150 countries. Chartered professionals are bound by strict ethical codes, peer-reviewed standards and continuous professional development. Firms regulated by RICS – like Prendos – commit to operating under globally recognised professional standards.
“Being RICS-regulated means everything we do at Prendos is underpinned by integrity, transparency and accountability,” says Mike. “Clients can be confident our advice is independent, evidence-based and internationally benchmarked.”
Why RICS matters in New Zealand
Although RICS originated in the UK, Mike is quick to point out its relevance to New Zealand. “RICS is now a truly global organisation,” he explains. “Its standards are increasingly recognised and valued here by government, investors and multinational clients who want consistency across borders. For Prendos, it means we can bring the weight of international best practice into the local market.”
Importantly, this isn’t about adopting a one-size-fits-all UK standard. “The guidance is global, but it’s written with diverse markets and regulatory environments in mind,” Mike says. “As Chartered professionals, we’re expected to have a deep understanding of local conditions, which can only come from on-the-ground experience, so we’re combining international standards with local knowledge.”
What it means for clients
For Prendos’ clients, working with RICS Chartered professionals comes down to three things: trust, expertise and assurance.
- Trust: Chartered professionals are bound by strict ethical standards and held accountable by an independent regulator.
- Expertise: Members are rigorously trained, peer-reviewed, and required to keep their skills current.
- Assurance: Clients know that every piece of advice is impartial, evidence-based, and supported by an internationally recognised body.
These aren’t abstract benefits. Mike highlights projects where international clients came to Prendos unsure of the technical expertise they needed. “Because of our RICS values and structured approach, we were able to quickly diagnose the core issues, design a bespoke solution, and give them confidence they were getting independent, proportionate advice.”
Raising standards across the industry
For Mike, achieving FRICS is recognition of decades spent not only delivering projects, but also contributing to raising the profile and standards of the profession. “If we want to be leaders, we need to hold ourselves to the same standards as the best in the world,” he says.
For Prendos’ clients, the ‘Regulated by RICS’ brand is a clear signal: when you engage our team, you’re working with professionals who are accountable, globally benchmarked, and committed to delivering independent, trustworthy advice.
At Prendos, adding value to your assets is our number one priority. If you’d like to speak with our Building Surveyors about how they can help you maximise the value of your investments, call us on 0800 PRENDOS, email prendos@prendos.co.nz, or fill in the form below and we’ll call you back.