Professional Fees
Discussion
Bit of a rant really.
I am a trainee surveyor and I'm signing up for my APC training. RICS website gives me a palatable figure of around £160 per year as a trainee surveyor. Excellent.
I fill in my form and am confronted woth a figure of over £660! I called the RICS and this is the correct cost, to be paid upfront before I can study for my APC. She did then reassure me that when I'm qualified and earning decent money I have the option to pay in installments. Not now though, oh no. Pay up, recent student with all the money left over from studies.
My work have agreed the 160 pound fee for trainee membership but the assessment fees that I have to pay now were not in the equation.
Expenses are also a 'claim back' affair so I have to pay and then get it back. I don't want to borrow from the bank for this either tbh.
Rant over, for now. Pointless thread but I'm just a little put out about it really as I was excited to get enrolled and on my way to becoming chartered.
I am a trainee surveyor and I'm signing up for my APC training. RICS website gives me a palatable figure of around £160 per year as a trainee surveyor. Excellent.
I fill in my form and am confronted woth a figure of over £660! I called the RICS and this is the correct cost, to be paid upfront before I can study for my APC. She did then reassure me that when I'm qualified and earning decent money I have the option to pay in installments. Not now though, oh no. Pay up, recent student with all the money left over from studies.
My work have agreed the 160 pound fee for trainee membership but the assessment fees that I have to pay now were not in the equation.
Expenses are also a 'claim back' affair so I have to pay and then get it back. I don't want to borrow from the bank for this either tbh.
Rant over, for now. Pointless thread but I'm just a little put out about it really as I was excited to get enrolled and on my way to becoming chartered.
I’m a huge fan of CPD and professional membership as a means of improvement (and differentiation in a sometimes crowded job marketplace) as well as signifying a defined level of competence to customers.
I do concede however that at times it can be costly and only you can determine whether the outlay is worth it to you and your career plans.
The good news is that you may be able to claim tax relief:
https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/profes...
I do concede however that at times it can be costly and only you can determine whether the outlay is worth it to you and your career plans.
The good news is that you may be able to claim tax relief:
https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/profes...
I'm a MRICS - been one a long time, so getting back to those days is a stretch.
BUT. Other than one employer, not one would ever have had an issue with paying the fee, including larger and smaller firms. This is a small cost (in the scheme of things) and the training and development will bring value to them as well as to you.
The only one that would was a County Council who would not pay RICS fee's, but did pay an additional £1200 to cover such costs under some bland heading. Would have been nice to know that before joining. There argument was I did not need to be a member to do my job. My counter response that I'd just resign my membership in that case was met by a wry smile at the empty threat.
BUT. Other than one employer, not one would ever have had an issue with paying the fee, including larger and smaller firms. This is a small cost (in the scheme of things) and the training and development will bring value to them as well as to you.
The only one that would was a County Council who would not pay RICS fee's, but did pay an additional £1200 to cover such costs under some bland heading. Would have been nice to know that before joining. There argument was I did not need to be a member to do my job. My counter response that I'd just resign my membership in that case was met by a wry smile at the empty threat.
BigGingerBob said:
Bit of a rant really.
I am a trainee surveyor and I'm signing up for my APC training. RICS website gives me a palatable figure of around £160 per year as a trainee surveyor. Excellent.
I fill in my form and am confronted woth a figure of over £660! I called the RICS and this is the correct cost, to be paid upfront before I can study for my APC. She did then reassure me that when I'm qualified and earning decent money I have the option to pay in installments. Not now though, oh no. Pay up, recent student with all the money left over from studies.
My work have agreed the 160 pound fee for trainee membership but the assessment fees that I have to pay now were not in the equation.
Expenses are also a 'claim back' affair so I have to pay and then get it back. I don't want to borrow from the bank for this either tbh.
Rant over, for now. Pointless thread but I'm just a little put out about it really as I was excited to get enrolled and on my way to becoming chartered.
I think that's pretty normal for all professional fees to be honest. My ACCA fees are £260pa which my employer reimburses. The only real benefit is having FCCA after my name (my Employer's training budget is pretty good so its rare that I use the ACCA CPD stuff)I am a trainee surveyor and I'm signing up for my APC training. RICS website gives me a palatable figure of around £160 per year as a trainee surveyor. Excellent.
I fill in my form and am confronted woth a figure of over £660! I called the RICS and this is the correct cost, to be paid upfront before I can study for my APC. She did then reassure me that when I'm qualified and earning decent money I have the option to pay in installments. Not now though, oh no. Pay up, recent student with all the money left over from studies.
My work have agreed the 160 pound fee for trainee membership but the assessment fees that I have to pay now were not in the equation.
Expenses are also a 'claim back' affair so I have to pay and then get it back. I don't want to borrow from the bank for this either tbh.
Rant over, for now. Pointless thread but I'm just a little put out about it really as I was excited to get enrolled and on my way to becoming chartered.
Another MRICS here too, I'm sure it was only about £300 when I originally signed up for the APC and that included a year's subscription and the first attempt at the assessment but I wouldn't be surprised if they have lifted the fee quite a bit, I think it's about £500 for a years membership now.
It's a bit harsh that your employer won't cover the cost as there's normally a bit of wording in your contract saying you've got to pay it back if you leave within a certain time.
Good luck with the APC, it's not an easy process but is ultimately worth it.
It's a bit harsh that your employer won't cover the cost as there's normally a bit of wording in your contract saying you've got to pay it back if you leave within a certain time.
Good luck with the APC, it's not an easy process but is ultimately worth it.
Bungleaio said:
Another MRICS here too, I'm sure it was only about £300 when I originally signed up for the APC and that included a year's subscription and the first attempt at the assessment but I wouldn't be surprised if they have lifted the fee quite a bit, I think it's about £500 for a years membership now.
It's a bit harsh that your employer won't cover the cost as there's normally a bit of wording in your contract saying you've got to pay it back if you leave within a certain time.
Good luck with the APC, it's not an easy process but is ultimately worth it.
Thank you. They agreed to the £150 or so and that's what I had geared myself up to pay.It's a bit harsh that your employer won't cover the cost as there's normally a bit of wording in your contract saying you've got to pay it back if you leave within a certain time.
Good luck with the APC, it's not an easy process but is ultimately worth it.
They will probably cover it but expenses are claimed back rather than given in advance.
I am dead keen to get on with my APC though as I know for sure that it will be worth every penny in the future.
Sporky said:
BigGingerBob said:
I know it will be worth it but the extra £500 was certainly a shock, haha.
Think of it this way; professional fees always turn out to be several times what you were told they would be.Not sure that helps, mind.
Your employer should really both cover the cost, and pay out on your behalf. Falls under 'professional subscriptions' expenditure rather than expenses - to us, anyway. I run a QS and PM consultancy and that's what we do for our employees.
It's a great qualification. The letters speak more than most other charterships / accreditations. Getting it was and remains one of the proudest moments of my life.
It's a great qualification. The letters speak more than most other charterships / accreditations. Getting it was and remains one of the proudest moments of my life.
Edited by iphonedyou on Friday 25th October 16:55
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