A WELL-known Forest surveyor has been reprimanded by a professional body and ordered to pay £4,500 in costs.

Kevin J Toombs was disciplined by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) for failing to respond to issues raised in a review of how his firm complied with the RICS's valuation standards.

Mr Toombs, who is a fellow of the institution, admitted that he and the firm did not respond to reasonable requests for information quickly enough.

He told the Review he should have responded more promptly to requests for paperwork from the RICS.

The firm co-operated fully with the initial visit in July last year, an RICS disciplinary panel sitting in London was told.

A copy of the review was sent to the firm on August 19 with a letter indicating there were issues requiring immediate and urgent attention.

No response was received by the deadline of September 17 and four reminders in October and November also went unanswered.

On November 18, the RICS was told Mr Toombs was ill and would not return until December.

More requests for the information were made and in a phone call on May 29, Mr Toombs said "he knew he should have followed the regulations but had prioritised something else."

The panel said there were some attempts to respond to requests though they were "wholly deficient".

Panel members concluded: "The information sought was significant and the firm and Member's failure to respond was long-lasting.

"Compliance has been haphazard, and the Member has not set in place arrangements to ensure that the regulatory obligations are met.

"There have been health issues for a number of years, but this enhances rather than excuses the need to ensure that cover arrangements are sufficient and in place."

Mr Toombs was ordered to provide the information and to show that there were arrangements in place for a suitable person to take on his duties if necessary by the middle of December.

Mr Toombs told the Review: "There was a breach of the rules and regulations but there has been no adverse effect (on customers).

"I'm annoyed that I did not respond more quickly – I should have dealt with it."