Is free CPD as good as paid CPD?

Often, yes — for keeping current. Professional bodies, manufacturers and industry groups publish a lot of high-quality free CPD. Paid courses tend to win when you need depth, assessment or a recognised certificate. Use free CPD for breadth and currency; pay when you need to prove competence.

Does free CPD count towards my requirement?

Usually, as long as it's relevant and you record and reflect on it. What matters to most bodies is the learning, not the price tag. Check your body's rules, and keep a note of what you took from each activity.

How often is this directory updated?

It's maintained as I find new resources worth listing — and pruned when something goes out of date. Join the monthly roundup below to get new additions in your inbox.

Can I suggest a resource?

Please do — if you know a genuinely useful free CPD source I've missed, get in touch . I check everything before it goes on the list.

Free CPD for surveyors & professionals

Keeping your CPD current shouldn’t mean spending a fortune or wading through marketing fluff. Below is a curated, annotated directory of free (and a few low-cost) CPD resources for property professionals — grouped by topic, each with a note on what it covers, who it suits, whether it’s accredited, and my honest take. The curation is the point: everything here earns its place.

Please verify before you rely on anything. Providers change their offerings, and "free" sometimes becomes "registration required" or "members only". I check entries periodically, but confirm the current position on the provider's own site.

Get new additions monthly. I add to this list as I find good CPD. Join the roundup below and you’ll get the new ones without having to check back.

Damp & mould

RICS — damp & mould guidance and CPD What it covers: professional standards and guidance on investigating damp and mould. · Who it suits: surveyors and housing professionals. · Free/paid: mixed (some member-only). · Accredited: yes (RICS). · Dom’s take: the professional baseline — start here for the “what good looks like” view.

Property Care Association (PCA) — webinars & resources What it covers: damp, condensation, timber and remediation from the trade body. · Who it suits: practitioners doing remedial work. · Free/paid: mixed. · Accredited: PCA. · Dom’s take: strong on the practical remediation side; read alongside independent guidance.

Damp & mould podcasts What it covers: practitioner discussion of diagnosis, Awaab’s Law and real cases. · Who it suits: anyone wanting CPD on the commute. · Free/paid: free. · Accredited: no (informal — log and reflect). · Dom’s take: great for staying current; pair with primary sources before acting on anything.

Energy & EPC

Elmhurst Energy / accreditation-scheme webinars What it covers: EPC methodology, SAP/RdSAP updates, energy assessment practice. · Who it suits: DEAs and trainees. · Free/paid: many free webinars. · Accredited: scheme CPD. · Dom’s take: the most useful free way to keep on top of methodology changes in my own field.

gov.uk — EPC and MEES guidance What it covers: the official rules on EPCs and minimum energy efficiency standards. · Who it suits: everyone working with energy compliance. · Free/paid: free. · Accredited: n/a (primary source). · Dom’s take: always check the regulation here before trusting a summary — including mine.

Retrofit & PAS 2035

The Retrofit Academy — free resources What it covers: retrofit fundamentals, PAS 2035 context, career routes. · Who it suits: aspiring and practising retrofit assessors/coordinators. · Free/paid: mixed (free intro content). · Accredited: yes (paid courses). · Dom’s take: good orientation before you commit to a paid qualification.

LETI — low-energy guidance What it covers: practical, freely available guidance on low-energy and retrofit design. · Who it suits: those wanting the technical “why”. · Free/paid: free. · Accredited: no (informal). · Dom’s take: excellent, genuinely free technical depth — well worth logging.

Building pathology

Building-pathology webinars & manufacturer CPD What it covers: how buildings fail — moisture, movement, materials — often via manufacturer-hosted CPD. · Who it suits: building surveyors and trainees. · Free/paid: usually free. · Accredited: varies. · Dom’s take: manufacturer CPD is useful but read it knowing who’s paying for it; take the science, leave the sales pitch.

Regulatory (Awaab’s Law, MEES, HHSRS)

Awaab’s Law — official guidance What it covers: the duties on landlords to act on damp and mould within set timescales. · Who it suits: anyone working in housing condition. · Free/paid: free. · Accredited: n/a (primary source). · Dom’s take: the single most important regulatory development in this space — know it cold.

HHSRS — guidance and training routes What it covers: the Housing Health and Safety Rating System councils use to assess hazards. · Who it suits: housing and enforcement professionals. · Free/paid: guidance free; formal training paid. · Accredited: varies. · Dom’s take: foundational for housing-condition work — see my HHSRS training guide.

General surveying

RICS — free CPD library & isurv extracts What it covers: a broad range of surveying CPD. · Who it suits: all surveyors. · Free/paid: mixed (member benefits). · Accredited: RICS. · Dom’s take: if you’re RICS, you’re likely paying for a lot of CPD already — use it.

CIH (Chartered Institute of Housing) — resources What it covers: housing policy and practice. · Who it suits: housing professionals. · Free/paid: mixed. · Accredited: CIH. · Dom’s take: useful for the policy context surveyors increasingly need.

Want more structured CPD?

Free resources keep you current; sometimes you need depth and a certificate. My own CPD courses are in development — practical training from a surveyor who’s doing the work and teaching it. Join the list above to hear first and get a launch discount.