22
May
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Andrew McColl - Chairman - 22 May 2026
Blog
Surveyor Live 26: A Community Event That Proved the Profession Wants to Come Together
Surveyor Live 26 was created with a simple idea at its heart: bring the residential surveying community together in a practical, open and genuinely useful way.
Not as another formal conference. Not as a closed membership event. Not as a platform for one organisation to dominate the conversation. Instead, Surveyor Live was created as a neutral, collaborative gathering for surveyors and built-environment professionals who want to learn, share, debate, explore and connect.
On Thursday 14 May 2026, at the National Self Build and Renovation Centre in Swindon, that idea became something much bigger than we had dared to hope.
With more than 300 people attending, Surveyor Live 26 exceeded every expectation and demonstrated something very important: surveyors are hungry for events that are practical, affordable, inclusive and directly relevant to the work they do every day.
Brought to life by the RPSA, Skyline and the Howden team, Surveyor Live 26 was a genuine industry-wide team effort. It showed what can happen when professional bodies, suppliers, specialists, insurers, software providers, trainers and individual surveyors come together in the same room with a shared purpose.
A Proper Community Event
From the outset, Surveyor Live was described as a community event created by surveyors, for surveyors. That phrase can sometimes sound like marketing language, but on the day it felt entirely true.
The atmosphere was relaxed, friendly and genuinely collaborative. Delegates came from across the profession, including residential surveyors, specialist surveyors, professional bodies, software providers, insurers, training organisations, technical experts and industry suppliers.
The post-event feedback also told an important story. Nearly 50% of attendees travelled more than 100 miles to be there, with a further 30% travelling between 51 and 100 miles. Around 40% stayed in a hotel the night before. That level of commitment says something very powerful.
It shows that when the right event is created, at the right price, with the right mix of people and content, surveyors will make the effort to attend. The profession is not disengaged. It simply needs events that are worth the journey.
It was also striking that 56.5% of delegates came completely alone. That matters. Surveying can be a solitary profession, particularly for sole practitioners and smaller practices. Many surveyors spend their working lives inspecting properties, writing reports, managing risk, dealing with clients and trying to keep up with constant change, often without the day-to-day support structure that larger teams can provide.
Bringing people together in a relaxed and purposeful setting is therefore not just a nice extra. It is part of supporting the profession properly.
A Day That Felt Useful
The event programme covered a wide range of subjects affecting the profession today, including artificial intelligence and technology, professional indemnity insurance, complaints handling, mould safety, Japanese knotweed, bamboo, thatch, drainage and the longer-term future of residential surveying.
There were contributions from organisations including RICS, GoReport, the UK Centre for Mould Safety, The Property Ombudsman, Howden, Skyline, Environet, Canine Detection Systems, NADC, Love Surveying and the Thatched Home Inspector.
The format deliberately moved away from long, formal presentations. Short, focused sessions, practical discussions and a more conversational style were the order of the day. That approach worked well, but the feedback also told us something very clearly: delegates want even more technical content, more capacity in the presentation areas, better acoustics where possible, and more time for questions and discussion.
That is exactly the sort of feedback we hoped for. Surveyor Live was never intended to arrive fully formed. It was intended to be the beginning of something useful, and the response from delegates has given us a very clear direction of travel.
What the Feedback Told Us
The early post-event survey results were extremely encouraging. On a scale of 1 to 5, 54% of respondents gave the event a top score of 5, 35% gave it a 4, and 11% gave it a 3. No one scored the event a 1 or 2.
That means 89% of respondents rated Surveyor Live 26 as either very good or excellent.
The most valued features were the technical presentations, the relaxed presentation style, networking, CPD opportunities, exhibitors and suppliers. The range of exhibitors was also well received, with 80% rating the range of and access to suppliers as about right to excellent.
There were also some important learning points. Some delegates felt the split presentation format meant they missed sessions they would have liked to attend. Others wanted longer technical sessions, better acoustics, more room and more Q&A time. That is not criticism to shy away from. It is exactly the kind of practical feedback that helps shape a better event next time.
Feedback at a Glance
| What Worked Brilliantly | What We Will Improve for 2027 |
|---|---|
| Strong CPD value, with 80% finding the Sustainability Theatre valuable or very valuable. | Larger and better-planned presentation spaces so fewer people miss sessions. |
| A relaxed and conversational format that encouraged genuine engagement. | Better acoustics and more capacity in busy presentation areas. |
| Good range of exhibitors and suppliers, with an 80% approval rating. | More exhibitors where they add direct, practical industry value. |
| Strong networking and an inclusive community feel. | More structured workshop-style sessions and case-study discussions. |
| An affordable, accessible and well-supported day. | More time for questions, technical deep-dives and audience interaction. |
There was also a clear appetite for workshop-style environments where surveyors can sit together, discuss case histories and exchange practical knowledge. That is something we will explore seriously for future events.
Surveyor Live 26 proved the concept works. The next step is to refine the format and build on what the profession has told us it needs.
A Venue That Encouraged Conversation
The National Self Build and Renovation Centre provided a highly relevant backdrop for the day. Its mix of demonstration areas, trade displays, technical exhibits and open spaces helped create an atmosphere that felt more like a working gathering of professionals than a typical hotel conference.
Delegates moved freely between presentations, exhibition stands, technical displays and networking areas throughout the day. The lunch and refreshment areas were particularly busy, not solely because the catering was so well received, but because they created exactly the kind of relaxed environment in which conversations happen naturally and without agenda.
The feedback was also useful here. While the NSBRC gave us a strong and appropriate setting, the responses suggest that the entertainment value of the venue matters less to delegates than the quality of the presentations, exhibitors, acoustics and networking layout.
That is helpful. It opens up a wider range of options for future events, allowing us to focus even more closely on the practical needs of delegates.
We have also taken on board some important culinary feedback. Next time, fewer pastries, more bacon rolls.
Thank You to the People Who Made It Happen
Events like this do not happen by accident, and this one is no exception.
A very considerable thank you must go to Alan Milstein, who worked enormously hard behind the scenes to help bring Surveyor Live 26 together. Alan's energy, organisation and sheer commitment were central to making the day work, and his contribution deserves proper recognition.
Sean Curtin also deserves special thanks for his excellent work as compere on the main stage. Sean brought warmth, humour and professionalism to the role, helping the day flow smoothly and keeping the tone lively and engaging from start to finish.
Marion Ellis was equally brilliant on the Mezzanine. Her relaxed and personable presenting style made the sofa-style sessions feel genuinely welcoming and conversational. She even brought her own Love Surveying cushions, making the area feel so comfortable it rather looked as though she had moved in permanently.
Thanks also go to Tim Grant, Tom Vigliucci and the whole Howden team, whose support helped make the event accessible and affordable for delegates, and to Skyline for their central role in the organisation and delivery of the day.
We are grateful too to every speaker, exhibitor, sponsor, professional body, industry organisation and delegate who gave their time and support to make Surveyor Live 26 possible.
Great to See So Many Specialist Voices
One of the real strengths of the day was the breadth of expertise represented.
SPAB: It was excellent to see Jo Fells and Catherine Bull on the SPAB stand, particularly as we look forward to future collaboration around SPAB's 150-year events programme.
PCA: The PCA was well represented by James Berry, Harry Webb and Paul Walker, and it was good to have their specialist knowledge and continued support present at the event.
Thatched Roofing: Charles Chalcraft, a longstanding RPSA member and supporter, generated strong interest in his thatched roof course, with around 20 delegates expressing an interest on the day. Members wishing to know more should contact Charles directly at info@thatchedhomeinspector.co.uk.
Canine Detection Systems: Kat Janczur from Canine Detection Systems gave a fascinating account of the use of detection dogs for Japanese knotweed survey work, and it is genuinely exciting to hear that this specialist approach may now extend to dry rot detection. One to watch.
Sava: It was also lovely to see Mat Bailey and Anne Hinds from Sava. Anne, your RPSA bear is in the post. Members should also note that the Sava Expo will take place on Tuesday 6 October 2026, from 10am to 4pm, at the Coventry Building Society Arena, Judds Lane, Longford, Coventry, CV6 6AQ.
UK Centre for Mould Safety: Lisa Malyon from the UK Centre for Mould Safety delivered an excellent presentation on mould safety, supported by Adam Jankowski, and the subject clearly continues to sit high on the agenda for surveyors and their clients.
We were also delighted to see Sarah, Rebecca and Charlotte from IHBC; Martin Beattie from NADC; Gemma Adams and Peter Habert from The Property Ombudsman; Amy Chatfield and Joshua Law from CABE; Emily Grant and the Environet team; Matt McDermott, Tom Storey and Ellie George from RICS; Louis Blaxill from GoReport; and Nigel Cottle, Dylan Cottle, Peter Town and Liz Mountain-Town on the ISSE stand.
This breadth of organisations and individuals is exactly what Surveyor Live was created to encourage: useful, frank conversations across the whole built-environment community, without territorial boundaries.
Artificial Intelligence, Professional Indemnity and the Future of Surveying
Two subjects stood out strongly across the day: artificial intelligence and professional indemnity insurance.
AI clearly divides opinion within the profession. Some surveyors are genuinely excited by its potential, others remain cautious or concerned, and a fair number are still working out what it actually means for their practice.
That matters, because AI is not going away. The profession needs calm, practical and well-informed discussion about both the opportunities and the risks. The feedback suggested that AI is both loved and hated, but also often misunderstood. That gives Surveyor Live an important role in helping surveyors cut through the noise.
This is not about replacing surveyors. It is about keeping surveyors in control, using technology where it genuinely helps, and making sure that judgement, experience and professional responsibility remain at the centre of the process.
The future should be about Surveyor Powered Intelligence, not blind automation.
Professional indemnity insurance also remains a crucially important topic. It may not always be the most glamorous subject on a conference programme, but it is one of the most consequential areas for surveyors to understand properly.
The day reinforced the importance of good advice, clear disclosure, early notification where appropriate, and working with brokers who genuinely understand the particular demands and exposures of residential surveying practice.
These are precisely the kinds of subjects Surveyor Live should continue to address: practical, sometimes uncomfortable, but absolutely essential to the future health and sustainability of the profession.
What Surveyors Asked for Next
The feedback did not just tell us what worked. It also gave us a strong steer on what delegates want more of.
Suggestions ranged from more technical presentations and practical demonstrations to deeper sessions on Building Control, legal reporting expectations, structural defects, trees, damp and mould, modern methods of construction, property market trends, lead generation and marketing.
There was also interest in more input from estate agents, solicitors, conveyancers, government representatives and organisations that rely on surveyors' expertise, alongside practical historic-building skills such as lime plastering and lime mortar work.
That is gold dust for future planning.
It tells us that surveyors want practical, directly applicable knowledge. They want to understand risk. They want to improve their reports. They want to hear from the people who read, challenge, insure, regulate, support and rely on their work. They want technical depth, but they also want real-world usefulness.
That is exactly where Surveyor Live should sit.
A Brand With Real Legs
Perhaps the strongest single lesson from Surveyor Live 26 is that this is a distinct CPD and community events brand with genuine long-term potential.
The first event was ambitious, and it worked. More importantly, it demonstrated that there is space in the sector for neutral, low-cost, high-value events that sit alongside the work of professional bodies, accreditations, trade organisations and commercial suppliers without being owned or dominated by any of them.
That independence is not a detail. It is the whole point.
Surveyor Live is not about asking anyone to leave one organisation and join another. Many surveyors quite rightly belong to more than one professional body, accreditation scheme, trade association or support network. Each brings something different.
The value of Surveyor Live is that it creates shared space. A space where the profession can come together across traditional boundaries, hear different perspectives, build relationships and talk honestly about the future.
The feedback, attendance figures and quality of the conversations throughout the day all tell the same story. The profession is ready for more of this.
Looking Ahead to 2027
The next Surveyor Live event is already planned for 15 April 2027, and the intention is to take it north.
That direction fits the feedback. Delegates asked for future events in a more central location, somewhere further north, or in Central England, with suggestions including Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and other accessible regional venues.
We hear you.
The next event will build on what worked at Swindon while responding directly to what delegates told us they want: more technical content, more space, better acoustics, more Q&A, more practical workshops, and more opportunities to learn from each other.
Surveyor Live 26 began as an idea. On the day, it became a room full of people, conversations, questions, debates, laughter, learning and, it has to be said, a very impressive lunch.
Most importantly, it proved that the residential surveying profession wants to come together.
And that is something worth building on.
Andrew McColl Chairman, RPSA
