Yorkshire-born James Brook, founder of Novello Chartered Surveyors has recently been awarded a prestigious fellowship from the Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
At just 31 years old, this is a hugely impressive accolade for someone of his age - most chartered surveyors become fellows much later in their careers. He is one of the youngest Fellows out of 134,000 RICS members worldwide.
James was awarded Fellowship status for his work in setting up Novello Chartered Surveyors alongside cofounder Jack Pye. Together they have grown the business from four to 28 employees in just three years despite launching on the cusp of the coronavirus pandemic.
The business has grown exponentially due to offering a highly detailed premium service that guides clients through the process rather than just producing reports. The team has increased from four to 28 employees and they now cover Yorkshire, the South East, and London.
Novello are passionate about de-mystifying the jargon around buying and selling properties. The company offers its clients professional, friendly and impartial advice to guide them through the process and help them to make informed decisions regarding buying or selling a property.
All of their surveyors are trained in-house to ensure the highest levels of quality and standardisation. They’re also the only chartered surveying company whose surveyors are all qualified drone pilots.
The RICS Fellowship is not the first time that James’s exemplary contribution to the industry has been recognised. In 2020 aged just 31 he won the RICS Chartered Surveyor of the Year Award, making him one of the youngest people to have ever won.
James said “The past few years have been a challenging time for any new business but I am so proud of where Novello is today and our plans for the future. I started at the bottom achieving my AssocRICS with Countrywide back in 2014.
Since then I have taken every opportunity to work towards the next goal, taking risks and doing things my own way. My plans for the next few years are even bolder and I can’t wait to see where the future takes us.”
To become a RICS Fellow, chartered members must show how their career experience demonstrates four out of twelve characteristics that benefit the surveying industry. The in-depth application process involves submitting not just a detailed career history, but a professional characteristics statement and third-party evidence of the applicant’s contribution to the industry.
The characteristics the body felt James exemplified were:
Innovation
Teaching
Leadership
Industry and media profile
Services to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
