Sava School of Surveying

The Sava School of Surveying and its role in residential surveying qualifications

The Sava School of Surveying is the trading name of Sava Limited, a company registered in England. It presents itself as a provider of professional surveying qualifications and describes its work as shaping careers and supporting better homes. The organisation is based in Milton Keynes and operates in the UK housing sector, with a focus on residential surveying and social housing skills.

Its stated purpose is to increase skills and knowledge in both the public and private housing sectors. The school says it is formed by a team of building physicists and engineers, surveyors and training specialists, and that it has been supporting better homes for 40 years. In its own account, the organisation has been developing and delivering qualifications and skills training for the housing sector for nearly four decades.

Residential surveying qualifications

The main route into the profession offered by the school is the Level 6 Diploma in Residential Surveying and Valuation. It is described as a part-time, industry-recognised qualification aimed at people who want to join the residential surveying profession. The website groups related information under headings such as what residential surveying is, residential surveyor training, careers and earning potential, and course fees. It also offers a free open day or webinar for prospective students and a video hub titled Becoming a Surveyor.

Skills Builder+ for social housing

For the social housing sector, the school has launched Skills Builder+, a range of online Level 4 qualifications designed to address technical skills gaps and help build capable, competent teams. These qualifications have received official recognition from the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) for supporting competence across the social housing sector. The school presents them as stackable online qualifications.

Free continuing professional development

The school provides free technical resources for residential surveyors and other housing professionals. These include the Property EDGE webinars, described as a series of live and on-demand sessions on topics relevant to housing professionals, and the Sava EDGE digital article library. The site also mentions a fortnightly webinar schedule and a Housing Technical Bulletin; the July 2026 edition covers modern prefab homes, Awaab's Principle, retrofit wall insulation, the General Binding Rules and restrictive covenants in residential property.

Events and sector engagement

The school organises a Residential Surveying Expo. The 2026 edition is scheduled for Tuesday 6 October in Coventry, and delegate registration was open at the time of writing. The event is presented as an opportunity to meet recruiting firms and gain technical CPD.

The case for better homes

The organisation frames its activity around the quality of the UK housing stock. It cites 29 million residential properties in the UK with a combined worth of over £9.1 trillion, and notes that 14% of homes in England are considered non-decent due to condition hazards such as damp. It identifies challenges including affordability, adequate supply, energy efficiency and climate impact, the cost of keeping warm, safety and hazard prevention, and adaptation to increased summertime overheating. The school positions its qualifications and training as a contribution to addressing these issues by raising skills and knowledge in the housing sector.

Organisation and history

The school has undergone a rebrand and now operates under the name Sava School of Surveying. Its published history is divided into periods from 1983 onwards, covering the rise of energy ratings, combatting fuel poverty, energy saving, the home buying process and, from 2016, new ownership and strategy. The managing director is Austin Baggett. The organisation also states that it seeks to reduce its environmental footprint, enhance employee wellbeing and make a positive social impact through its work.