Who am I?
It’s probably a good idea to start by introducing myself, so you know who it is that’s writing this.
My name is Oliver Wright, and I run my own firm, Oliver Wright Building Surveying. I’ve been working as an expert witness since 2015 and, in that time, I’ve been instructed in well over a thousand different cases. Over the years, I’ve become increasingly alarmed and, frankly, disgusted at the state of our industry. By industry, I mean both surveying and professionals acting as expert witnesses.
This blog is an attempt to put some of those thoughts down. Partly as an aide-mémoire for myself, but also in the hope that it sparks some honest discussion.
Why “Grumpy Blog”?
If you’re wondering about the name, and the cat in the logo, there is a story behind it.
A few weeks ago, my cat Reginald had a bit of a sniffle. Nothing serious, but enough to leave him plodding around the house looking thoroughly miserable. He’s not normally like that at all, so it was obvious that something had put him in a bad mood.
It got me thinking that we can all be a bit grumpy sometimes, especially when things aren’t quite right.
Over time, I’ve found myself becoming increasingly grumpy and intolerant. Like Reginald, that’s not my natural state. But the change hasn’t come from nowhere. It’s been driven by the type of work that I do and an industry that’s both toxic and hostile.
What’s worse is the growing sense of disgust at what people are getting away with, and the complete lack of regulation that allows it to continue.
How did we get here?
And no, I’m not imagining things.
Consider the following practice alerts issued by RICS:
- February 2024, Practice Alert for Expert Witnesses
- December 2024, Practice Alert for use of designations
- April 2025, Second Practice Alert for Expert Witnesses
- February 2026, Second Practice Alert for use of designations
If you haven’t read them, don’t worry, you’re not missing anything groundbreaking.
In essence, they say this. Expert witnesses should only accept instructions if they are genuinely experts in that area. They should not lie about qualifications, fabricate degrees, or distort their experience. Pretty simply, really.
I find it astonishing that a professional body has had to send out multiple alerts to their members to remind them of this.
And yet, this behaviour continues. Constantly.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve come across it, and it seems to be getting worse. Meanwhile, the so-called regulators, those tasked with policing the industry, sit back and do nothing.
That inaction is creating the perfect environment for this sort of conduct to thrive.
Something has to change.
The reality of fraud
There’s a narrative that fraud, particularly among white collar professionals, is rare.
It isn’t.
The data tells a very different story. Research from CIFAS found that in the UK:
- Falsifying CV qualifications is the second most common type of first party fraud
- Nearly 18% of people in the UK have lied on a CV, or know someone who has, in the last 12 months
- 1 in 7 people believe it’s reasonable to claim a 2:1 degree when in reality they had failed their final year at university
- Most people would not report a dishonest colleague
- 48% of adults believe it’s reasonable to commit first party fraud
- 1 in 10 admit to committing it, or knowing someone who has, within the last year
This behaviour isn’t rare. It’s widespread. But it has no place in our industry.
What now?
So what now?
I’m going to start documenting what I see. The behaviour, the patterns, and where appropriate, the individuals I report.
This blog won’t be polished or diplomatic. It is not meant to be. It’s a record of what is actually happening, from someone who sees it firsthand.
If nothing else, it might make a few people think twice.
And if it starts a conversation, even better.
Welcome to Grumpy Blog.