The Dispute Resolution Faculty is the home within RICS for members involved in all areas of dispute resolution including conflict avoidance, arbitration, adjudication, independent expert determination, mediation, and expert witness and advocacy services. The faculty’s key objectives are to deliver professional standards, guidance and information to members, and to raise the status of surveyors providing dispute avoidance, management and resolution services in the marketplace.

This web page provides essential information about the Faculty, and its activities. (For industry news and features please visit the Practice Areas.)

Faculties are responsible for setting the strategic direction for the future of their specialisms, and for identifying and serving the information needs of their members. The Dispute Resolution Faculty (DRF) has approximately 20,000 members who benefit from:

• An internationally respected qualification (the ‘RICS’ badge) that is recognised as the ‘gold standard’ of professional competence.
• Regular and up-to-date professional journals that provides advice and commentary on key issues facing the profession
• In-depth practice standards and guidance on a wide variety of professional topics
• Access to cost-effective training events
• RICS's ability to lobby and influence government and other policy makers on government consultations
• Opportunities to promote the profession through the technical press and national press and media
• Access to sources of impartial advice
• Access to a network of like-minded professionals through discussion forums 

The Dispute Resolution Faculty has responsibility for the mandatory APC competencies related to dispute avoidance, management and resolution. Your Faculty Pathway Guides explain how these competencies can be applied in practice. Please note: this faculty does not have an Alternative faculty designation. The DR faculty liaises closely with RICS Dispute Resolution Services (DRS) but the faculty’s role is distinct from that of the DRS – the latter is responsible for the appointment of RICS's third-party dispute resolvers across a range of land, property and construction disputes, and for the training, revalidation and quality control of such appointees.

Member benefits
The faculty provides help and advice to its members, and to the general public, and seeks to stimulate debate and innovate on matters relating to standards. As a faculty member you will receive regular industry news via e-briefs and through your dedicated technical journals. As a member of the DR faculty, you will receive RICS Commercial Property. You’ll also have opportunities throughout the year to network with similar-minded surveyors at various events and conferences.

About the Board
Members of the Dispute Resolution Faculty Board come from a variety of backgrounds and have a diverse range of skills and experience. The Board has a number of working groups and also produces regular progress reports.  

The Board is keen to encourage interaction with members of the faculty, so please feel free to send us your views at the email address given below.

Contacts/Join
You can join the faculty online, or by calling
T +44 (0)870 333 1600.

Your principal Dispute Resolution Faculty staff contact is Shiraz Oshidar (Mr), Professional Practice Manager, and he can be contacted via soshidar@rics.org