RICS APC Lifeline - Log Book & Case Studies - by Jen Lemen

RICS APC Lifeline - Log Book & Case Studies - by Jen Lemen

What are our top tips relating to the RICS APC Log Book? 

If you are enrolled on the Structured Training (12 or 24 months) route, you must keep accurate records of your experience via your Structured Training Diary.

The Diary is not a requirement for candidates on any other routes (e.g., Preliminary Review or Straight to Assessment) or assessments (e.g., Senior Professional, Specialist or Academic).

The Diary is not submitted as part of your final RICS APC submission. This means that your assessors will not have access to the detail recorded in your Diary.

However, the days that you record in your diary will filter through into the Log Book element of your final PDF submission. You can download this using the Preview function on the Assessment Resource Centre (ARC).

Your Log Book must show that you have recorded the minimum number of competency experience days, relating only to your technical competencies. For 12 months’ Structured Training you must have recorded at least 200 days, whilst for 24 months’ Structured Training you must have recorded at least 400 days. These are the minimum requirements, so you may have recorded substantially more days in total.

When reviewing your Log Book, you need to check your overall days spent on each level of each technical competency. Ideally, you will have an even spread with no deficiencies in experience in any one competency.
Your Diary days should also be weighted towards the highest level declared, demonstrating that you have met the required competency level.
As a minimum, you should have recorded at least 20-30 days per competency (between all three levels), with some competencies hitting 50+ days where these form the primary part of your role.

There are no exact requirements, however, and you should check that your Diary and Log Book days are realistic and accurate. If they are not, then your Diary could be called up by your assessors. Furthermore, if you do not record the minimum days required then RICS will not allow you to proceed to your final assessment interview.

What are our top tips relating to the Case Study template?

The RICS APC Case Study template can be downloaded via ARC, or you can use the Property Elite template available here.

We recommend that all candidates use this as the basis for their final Case Study submission.

Here are our top tips for using this template to present a professional Case Study that meets the requirements of the RICS:

  • Add page numbering to your Case Study

  • Include a Title Page with a relevant photograph, case study title and other key details

  • Include a Contents Page, including a Table of Figures / Tables and a List of Appendices

  • Fully justify your text and use consistent line spacing

  • Use an easy to read font, e.g., Arial Size 10 and ensure that this remains consistent throughout

  • Ensure you follow the RICS headings and do not deviate from these

  • Ensure that in 2. My Approach, you discuss ideally 2-3 key issues

  • Only include relevant Appendices and label these accurately

  • Ensure that any photographs you include have clear titles and that any maps have a North point, scale (or Not to Scale) and a reference (e.g., Google Maps, 2021)

  • Ensure that you refer to any Tables, Figures or Appendices within your text

  • Ensure you proof read your case study carefully before submitting

  • Convert your Word Document Case Study to PDF before uploading to ARC as part of the final submission process

About the author - Jen Lemen BSc (Hons) FRICS 

Jen has extensive experience in providing training services to students, RICS AssocRICS, APC and FRICS candidates and corporate clients, together with academic experience as a Senior Lecturer at the University of the West of England, Lecture at the University of Portsmouth and Associate Tutor at the University College of Estate Management. Her RICS assessment experience includes sitting on final APC interview panels, APC appeal panels and being a lead APC preliminary review assessor.

She has also written published articles in Property Week, ACES Terrier, RICS Modus and the RICS Property Journal. She also writes a regular APC column in Estates Gazette Brick & Mortar podcast series with Sarah Jackman and is a contributing author to the Health & Safety section on RICS iSurv.

For more details on the Built Intelligence APC Structured training sessions available click here

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