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Membership Appeal Procedure

The RTPI manages a robust membership assessment process and takes several steps to ensure your application is assessed to a high standard. However, if an applicant feels that the correct procedure has not been followed, they have the right to appeal the outcome of their assessment in accordance with the RTPI’s Membership Appeal Procedure.

The Membership Appeal Procedure applies to applicants to the following RTPI membership classes:

  • Chartered membership (all Assessments of Professional Competence)
  • Associate
  • Legal Associate

Before making an appeal, candidates are encouraged to contact the Membership Team to discuss their circumstances. The Membership Team can be contacted directly on +44(0)20 7929 9462 or [email protected].

Candidates wishing to lodge an appeal against the assessment of an application for RTPI membership must read the Membership Appeal Procedure below: 

Membership Appeal Procedure


Procedure for lodging an appeal against the assessment of an application for RTPI Chartered membership, Associate and Legal Associate classes

As adopted by the Board of Trustees on 20 December 2016

 

  1. An unsuccessful candidate may make a formal appeal in writing against the decision reached by assessors on the outcome of their membership This candidate would then be known as the “appellant”.

  2. There is no right of appeal against a deferral of a first-time application as this is a request for further information. A candidate must revise their application in light of the assessors’ feedback and resubmit their documentation.

  3. If a candidate has been deferred for a second time or the outcome is a rejection, the candidate may make a formal appeal in writing against this decision.

  4. The only grounds on which an appeal may be made are that:
    1. The application was not assessed in accordance with the relevant guidance;
    2. The determination was wrong in that insufficient weight was given to, or incorrect conclusions were made from the candidate’s application.
  5. A candidate cannot appeal against the judgement of the assessors based solely on the outcome of the assessment. Candidates must provide evidence to demonstrate the grounds for appeal as set out in clause 4. 

  6. The appeal statement must set out the grounds for appeal, cross referenced to the submission and state the facts or matters relied on in support of the appeal. There is no word limit for an appeal statement.

  7. Additional information should not be provided as part of the appeal statement, this will not be taken into account by the Panel. If a candidate wishes to provide further information to address the feedback from the assessors, then a formal resubmission must be made.

  8. Any such notice of appeal must be made in writing to the RTPI Head of Membership within 21 days of the date of the outcome letter. An appeal can take up to three months to process.

  9. A resubmission or new application cannot be submitted at the same time as an appeal. The outcome of the appeal will be determined before a further resubmission or new submission can be made.

  10. Appeals are considered by an Appeal Panel, which was not involved in the assessment of the appellant’s application. 

  11. The Appeal Panel will review the submission anew and will be provided with all the documentation that was available to the assessors as well as the feedback from the assessors to the candidate and the additional appeal statement. 

  12. The Appeal Panel shall make determinations based on the grounds of the appeal on stating at least one of the following:
    1. Confirm the finding of the assessors and recommend that the appeal be dismissed;
    2. Rescind the findings of the assessors and recommend that the appeal be allowed; or
    3. Alter any recommendation of the assessors in favour of the appellant and specify which specific elements of the appeal are allowed.
  1. The decision of the Appeal Panel shall be final and notice of the decision and the reasons therefore will be sent to the appellant in writing.

  2. If the appellant is unsuccessful on an element of the submission which has not been included within the appeal and the Appeal Panel allow the appeal, the appellant will be notified that they need to formally resubmit any elements of the submission which are still not considered successful. This will also apply to appeals which are part allowed.

  3. The Membership and Ethics Committee and Membership Assessment Advisory Panel will be notified of all decisions of the Appeal Panel. 

  4. The assessors of the appellant’s application will be notified of the decision of the Appeal Panel, should the appeal be allowed or part allowed. The assessors will not be notified if the appeal is dismissed. 

  5. Before making an appeal, candidates are encouraged to contact the Membership Team to discuss their circumstances. The Membership Team can be contacted directly on +44(0)20 7929 9462. 

  6. Appeals must be sent for the attention of the Head of Membership and emailed to [email protected]