THE MERGER between the surveyors and auctioneers is a fait accomplibut word is only now trickling out that the real winners have been the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in London.

Members of the Dublin-based Society of Chartered Surveyors (SCS), which relies on the RICS for its chartership status, had been somewhat out of favour with the London organisation after breaking an agreement and appointing its own chief executive about three years ago.

“The filling of that post had been London’s prerogative,” says an RICS member, “and even though a highly competent chief executive was appointed (Ciara Murphy) the RICS’s nose has been out of joint since then.”

To reassert its influence, the RICS apparently approached the Irish Auctioneers Valuers Institute with the idea of a merger with the SCS. The plan worked and a full merger will be in place by the year end. Not surprisingly, the estate agents voted overwhelmingly in favour of the amalgamation whereas only 53 per cent of the SCS supported the move. The result is that about 700 estate agents will now automatically get the highly coveted chartered rating. Not a bad deal for them. The new sub for the SCS will be €445 while RICS membership will cost a further €379.