3 - Client Care Flashcards
You mention fee structures, how do you calculate fees ?
Dependant on client, options include : Fixed fee, Percentage based, hourly rate
What is your company complaint handling procedure ?
2 stages in-line with the RICS’s,:
First stage is to acknowledge within 7 days, and attempt to reach solution in 28 days total, if unable to resolve pass the complaint to third party redress panel, such as the ombudsman.
Where does the requirement for a complaints handling procedure come from ?
Rules 7 of the rules for firms and the RIX Guidance note - Complaints Handling 1st Edition July 2016
What are the timescales attached to a CHP ?
28 days - TBC
You mention third party support, where do your competence end ?
Dependant on the work, Competence is defined by skills, knowledge, attitude, training, experience
You mention a refurbishment and demolition survey, what is this and where does the requirement for this come from ?
Requirement comes from Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. Refurbishment and demolition surveys will be necessary when the building (or part of it) is to be upgraded, refurbished or demolished and should be carried out before any refurbishment or demolition work commences.
What is a conflict of interest check ?
A check to highlight any potential conflicts of a property or client
What are the type of conflicts of interest ?
A ‘party conflict’ – a situation in which the duty to act in the interests of a client or other party in a professional assignment conflicts with a duty owed to another client or party in relation to the same or a related professional assignment.
An ‘own interest conflict’ – a situation in which the duty to act in the interests of a client in a professional assignment conflicts with the interests of that same RICS member/firm.
A ‘confidential information conflict’ – a conflict between the duty of an RICS member to provide material information to one client, and the duty of that RICS member to another client to keep that same information confidential.
How could you proceed even in a COI is present ?
Informed consent - Informed consent occurs when a party who might be adversely affected by a conflict of interest acknowledges the existence of that risk but still agrees to instruct an RICS- regulated firm or RICS member to proceed with the assignment.
What advice would you give your client if there was a conflict of interest ?
The details of what the conflict is prior to engagement
What was included in your client brief ?
any details of what is expected, what the client want, timescales, quality, amount of involvement
Can you expand on what a complaints handling procedure is and why a compony should have one ?
A CHP is required as rules 7 for rules for firms. It is a procedure to protect the client in the scenario of a dispute. Must be two stage and include a sperate third party redress panel.
How do you establish a client objectives or brief ?
With a client meeting and a prepared plan per works
Grove Park Square, what was included within your appointment document?
Address, client details, scope of involvement, fee basis, details of the complains handling procedure, any exclusion, inspection date
How did you generate the fee? what other methods could you use?
hourly charge, % of project value, fixed fee
How would this feedback have been dealt with if the feedback was negative?
discuss initially with the client
Consider in reflection what could be done differently
implent these into future project and share with the team as lessons learnt
How do you protect your client when you are advising them, but they don’t know what they want?
Discuss their requirements with them if there is a brief this may require some development. For example, they may request a building survey of a premises they are about to take a new lease on and after discussing with them, a Schedule of Condition may be more beneficial as this can be appended to the lease and limit a dilapidations claim at determination. Their objectives and goals will need to be reviewed so the right service agreement is prepared.
How do you protect yourself?
Ensure that all correspondence is documented, phone calls, emails and messages.
Ensure there is a service agreement in place which is clear, transpiration and understood by myself and the client.
I will need to ensure I am competent to do the work and have suitable PII cover.
Agree any limitations for the survey, agree timescales, a break down of the fee so its clear (fee proposal) and reference my firm operates a complaint handling procedure.
Give me some examples of the subject areas of the RICS guidance on Complaints Handling.
CHP Procedures,
Record Keeping, Initial responses to a claimant,
why do clients complain ?
Give me some examples of the subject areas of the RICS guidance on Conflicts of Interest.
Record keeping
Party conflicts
Informed consent
Information barriers
Who deals with complaints for your employer?
The Responsible Principal - A named partner
Who deals with escalated complaints for your employer?
Property Ombudsman
How would a sole trader deal with escalated complaints given there is no one else in the company to refer the complaint to?
They would have a named third party to initial manage this, this could fall under the locum agreement
What do you understand is the role of a locum in respect of surveying practices and give me an example of when one might be appointed?
In line with rule 12 for Rules for firms arrangements to cover the incapacity or death of a sole practitioner. Specifically, it requires ‘a Firm which has a sole principal (i.e. a sole practitioner or a sole director in a corporate practice) to have in place appropriate arrangements in the event of that sole principal’s death or incapacity or other extended absences’.
A locum is effectively another professional who is appointed to ‘stand in’ for the surveyor if they are unable to work, e.g. in the event of an accident/illness, unforeseen circumstances, prolonged absence (e.g. holiday or a sabbatical) or death.
