This is Surveying

Summary
Sarah Tanner, associate director at Stanley and Strong, joins me to talk all things party wall surveying. From her unconventional career journey to the realities of fees, disputes, and neighbour relations, this episode lifts the lid on one of the most misunderstood areas of surveying.
What we cover
How Sarah became a party wall surveyor
What triggers the Party Wall Act
Consent, dissent, and what they really mean
Party wall fees and what “reasonable” looks like
Communication, conflict, and emotional intelligence
Women in party wall surveying
Advice for homeowners and surveyors
Guest links
Sarah Tanner on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-tanner-40a57976/
Stanley and Strong – https://stanleystrong.co.uk/
Useful links
SurvPal software https://survpal.co.uk/
Party Wall Surveying – https://fpws.org.uk/
Guest Bio
Sarah Tanner is an associate director at Stanley and Strong, a specialist firm of party wall surveyors. With over a decade of experience in party wall matters, Sarah entered the profession through an unconventional route, progressing from PA to surveyor with the support of strong mentorship. She is known for her practical approach, firm views on fair fees, and her emphasis on communication and collaboration in resolving disputes.
If you want to connect with surveyors across the UK and keep up with the profession, join The Surveying Room. It is free to join and open to all types of surveyors, students, and professionals who work with them. Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room
Connect with me - Nina Young on LinkedIn

Summary
In this episode of This Is Surveying, Nina Young speaks with Rosie Wills, a chartered construction manager and ASSOC RICS surveyor based in North Devon.
Rosie shares her journey from over ten years in social housing into private residential surveying. We discuss damp and mould, peer review, Level 2 surveys, estate agent relationships, vendor surveys, pricing transparency, and why collaboration matters across the UK surveying profession.
This is a practical conversation about raising standards, reducing complaints, and building trust in residential surveying.
What We Cover
Rosie’s route into surveying and chartered construction management
Damp and mould expertise and building pathology
The transition from housing to private practice
Peer review between surveyors
Understanding the RICS Home Survey Standard
Working constructively with estate agents
Vendor surveys and pre-sale strategies
Transparent pricing and website improvements
Complaints handling and professional risk
Collaboration across UK surveyors
Guest Links
Rosie Wills LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosie-e-wills/
Nova Surveyors – https://novasurveyors.co.uk

Useful Links
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) – https://www.rics.org/
Guest Bio
Rosie Wills is a chartered construction manager and Assoc RICS surveyor based in North Devon. She spent over ten years working in social housing, developing specialist expertise in damp and mould and building pathology. Rosie now works in private practice delivering residential property surveys, including Level 2 and Level 3 home surveys, alongside specialist defect investigations. She is passionate about collaboration, peer review, professional standards, and improving trust in the surveying profession.
If you want to connect with surveyors across the UK and keep up with the profession, join The Surveying Room. It is free to join and open to all types of surveyors, students, and professionals who work with them. Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room
Connect with me - Nina Young on LinkedIn

Summary
In this episode I’m joined by commercial property surveyor and Property Elite co-founder Rachel Saint. We talk about APC pathways, the Senior Professional route, and why structured support matters so much for UK surveyors at every stage.
Rachel shares how she went from secretary to chartered surveyor, built a career in landlord and tenant and retail consultancy, and then pivoted into training surveyors across a huge range of pathways. We dig into the reality of the RICS APC, how to choose the right route for you, and what good mentoring and counselling actually looks like in practice.
What we cover
Rachel’s unconventional route into surveying and early years in residential block management
Moving into commercial property, retail consultancy and mixed use development
Setting up Property Elite and the surge in demand for support during COVID
How diverse the surveying profession really is, and why that makes APC complex
Choosing the right APC pathway and competencies for your actual work
The role and challenges of APC counsellors and supervisors
Why structured support is harder in smaller or non-surveying organisations
The three alternative RICS routes, including Senior Professional, and who they suit
Senior Professional interviews, leadership and management-focused competencies
Why valuation is both science and art, and why you still need to get out and see property
Market myths about people “giving up” on APC, and why the picture is more nuanced
Free resources and newsletters from Property Elite for APC candidates
Guest links
Property Elite website: https://www.property-elite.co.uk/
Rachel Saint on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-saint-1103b09/
Useful links
LionHeart charity for surveyors: https://www.lionheart.org.uk/
Guest bio
Rachel Saint is a chartered commercial property surveyor with over 30 years of experience across landlord and tenant, retail agency, and retail and mixed use development. She started her career in residential block management before moving into commercial work, advising on shops, supermarkets and wider retail strategy. Rachel is the co-founder and owner of Property Elite, a specialist training and mentoring business that supports surveyors through RICS routes to qualification, including APC, Associate and Senior Professional routes. She now spends most of her time helping UK and international surveyors navigate pathways, competencies and assessments, and is particularly passionate about making the process accessible for candidates who do not have structured in-house support.
If you want to connect with surveyors across the UK and keep up with the profession, join The Surveying Room. It is free to join and open to all types of surveyors, students, and professionals who work with them. Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room
Connect with me - Nina Young on LinkedIn

In this episode I am joined by Ola Alade, a chartered commercial surveyor and RICS Matrics Commercial Property Surveyor of the Year 2025. Ola shares how he went from biomedical science to commercial property, and why he has chosen to focus his work on helping small businesses understand and negotiate their commercial leases.
We talk about AI in surveying, from the reality on the ground in property firms to the tools that are already saving time for small practices. We also get into access, diversity and retention in the surveying profession, and Ola’s work as an APC counsellor, assessor and chair.
What We Cover
From biomedical science to commercial surveying
Discovering property via CoStar and NHS Property Services
Working at The Arch Company and negotiating directly with small business tenants
Why Ola founded Olawill and chose to sit on the tenant side
How commercial leases and rent reviews really affect SMEs
Where AI tools actually help surveyors and small businesses today
Data, hallucinations and negligence risks in AI-assisted professional practice
Why the word “surveyor” confuses people and how that affects recruitment
Diversity, progression and the reality of representation in senior roles
Making the APC interview process fairer as a counsellor, assessor and chair
Guest Links
Olawill – Lease advisory for SMEs
Connect with Ola on LinkedIn
Guest Bio
Ola Olade is a chartered commercial surveyor and founder of Olawill, a lease advisory practice focused on supporting small and medium-sized businesses. After an early academic path in biomedical science, he retrained in real estate development at the University of Westminster and built his career across roles at CoStar, NHS Property Services, The Arch Company and LCP. Ola has worked extensively in asset management and lease events, particularly with SME tenants in railway arches and neighbourhood parades, which inspired him to focus on redressing the knowledge imbalance between landlords and tenants. In 2025 he was named RICS Matrics Chartered Commercial Property Surveyor of the Year. He also serves as an APC counsellor, assessor and chair, helping the next generation of surveyors navigate the chartership process.
If you want to connect with surveyors across the UK and keep up with the profession, join The Surveying Room. It is free to join and open to all types of surveyors, students, and professionals who work with them. Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room
Connect with me - Nina Young on LinkedIn

Summary
Building surveying apprentice and RICS Matrics Apprentice of the Year, Sonya Swaley, joins me to share her journey into surveying and life on a five year apprenticeship. After Covid disrupted her A levels and a year studying economics, Sonya made the leap into professional construction and has not looked back.
We talk about the realities of balancing work, university and APC preparation, why she chose building surveying over quantity surveying, and how apprenticeships can unlock a chartered career without student debt. Sonya also opens up about being a young woman in a male dominated sector, developing confidence on site, and why she now prefers heritage and listed buildings to shiny new builds.
What We Cover
How Covid, cancelled exams and a year of economics led Sonya to surveying
Moving from full time university into an apprenticeship route
Why building surveying is less promoted than quantity surveying but more varied
What it is like to be four years into a five year building surveying apprenticeship
Starting the APC early and building a diary from day one
Sonya’s experience of the RICS Matrics Awards and winning Apprentice of the Year
Why she believes apprenticeships are a win for both apprentices and employers
Government funding support for smaller firms who take on apprentices
Learning to handle difficult conversations with contractors using facts and kindness
Being a woman in surveying and the role of women in property networks
The joy and challenge of working on heritage and listed buildings
Using LinkedIn as a portfolio and a way to help others into the profession
Guest Bio
Sonya Swaley is a building surveying apprentice currently working with Murray Birrell in London. After Covid disrupted her A levels, Sonya began a full time economics degree before realising that a traditional university route was not for her. She returned home, completed an A level in professional construction and secured a building surveying apprenticeship. Now over four years into a five year programme with London South Bank University, Sonya is already on her APC pathway and building a strong mix of site and office experience, particularly on heritage and listed buildings. In 2024 she was named RICS Matrics Apprentice of the Year, recognising her commitment, technical development and contributions to the profession. Alongside her role, Sonya is active on LinkedIn, mentors prospective apprentices informally, and is passionate about widening access to surveying careers through apprenticeships and better outreach in schools and colleges.
Guest Links
Sonya Swaley on LinkedIn 
Murray Birrell Chartered Surveyors 
Useful Links
Association of Apprentices 
Outer Circle networking group 
Women in Property 
London South Bank University built environment apprenticeships
If you want to connect with surveyors across the UK and keep up with the profession, join The Surveying Room. It is free to join and open to all types of surveyors, students, and professionals who work with them. Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room
Connect with me - Nina Young on LinkedIn