RICS APC Exam at a Glance

Facts verified Oct 20, 2026 against Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.

RICS APC Study Tips

• Create a structured study schedule at least 4-6 weeks before your RICS APC exam date.
• Focus on understanding core concepts rather than memorising answers for the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence.
• Use our free practice tests to identify weak areas and track your progress over time.
• Review the official RICS APC exam syllabus to ensure complete topic coverage.
• Take timed practice sessions to build your exam pace and reduce test-day anxiety.

Free RICS APC Study Tools

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Ready to Pass the RICS APC?

Join thousands of candidates who have used our free practice tests to prepare for the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence. Start practising today and build the confidence you need to succeed. Practice with the free RICS APC practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (7 questions with answer explanations).

Sample RICS APC Practice Questions

Try these questions from our free RICS APC practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.

1. Under the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 (as amended), what right does a long leaseholder of a house have?

   • A. The right to purchase the freehold of their house (enfranchisement) or to extend their lease by 50 years on prescribed terms
   • B. The right to assign their lease without landlord's consent
   • C. The right to carry out any alterations without planning permission
   • D. The right to withhold service charge payments if the landlord is in breach

   Answer: A. The right to purchase the freehold of their house (enfranchisement) or to extend their lease by 50 years on prescribed terms

   The Leasehold Reform Act 1967 gives qualifying long leaseholders of houses the right to acquire the freehold (enfranchisement) or extend their lease by 50 years at a ground rent of nil. This is a significant right that surveyors advising either landlord or tenant must understand, as it fundamentally affects the value of both the freehold and the leasehold interests.

2. Under the NEC4 suite of contracts, what does 'Early Warning' require?

   • A. Immediate contract termination
   • B. The contractor or project manager to notify the other party of any matter that could affect cost, time, or quality
   • C. A warning alarm system on site
   • D. Advance payment to subcontractors

   Answer: B. The contractor or project manager to notify the other party of any matter that could affect cost, time, or quality

   NEC4's Early Warning mechanism requires either party to notify the other of any matter that could increase costs, delay completion, or impair performance, promoting collaborative problem-solving.

3. What is a 'yield' in property investment valuation?

   • A. The total rental income received
   • B. The relationship between income and capital value, usually expressed as a percentage
   • C. The profit from selling a property
   • D. The cost of building a property

   Answer: B. The relationship between income and capital value, usually expressed as a percentage

   A yield expresses the relationship between the rental income and the capital value of a property as a percentage, reflecting the return an investor receives relative to the price paid.

4. What is a 'Schedule of Condition' and when would a commercial building surveyor prepare one?

   • A. A factual record of a property's condition at a specific date, typically prepared before a lease is granted — used to limit a tenant's dilapidations liability at lease end
   • B. A programme of planned maintenance work for a commercial building
   • C. A Scott Schedule used in party wall dispute resolution
   • D. A document prepared by a contractor before commencing building works

   Answer: A. A factual record of a property's condition at a specific date, typically prepared before a lease is granted — used to limit a tenant's dilapidations liability at lease end

   A Schedule of Condition is a photographic and written record of a property's existing condition, agreed between landlord and tenant before lease commencement. Its key purpose is to define the baseline condition, so that at lease end the tenant's dilapidations liability is limited to deterioration beyond that starting point — not to returning the property to better than its original state.

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