3 - Client Care

Question 1

You mention fee structures, how do you calculate fees ?

Answer 1

Dependant on client, options include : Fixed fee, Percentage based, hourly rate

Question 2

What is your company complaint handling procedure ?

Answer 2

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.

Question 3

Where does the requirement for a complaints handling procedure come from ?

Answer 3

Rules 7 of the rules for firms and the RIX Guidance note - Complaints Handling 1st Edition July 2016

Question 4

What are the timescales attached to a CHP ?

Answer 4

28 days - TBC

Question 5

You mention third party support, where do your competence end ?

Answer 5

Dependant on the work, Competence is defined by skills, knowledge, attitude, training, experience

Question 6

You mention a refurbishment and demolition survey, what is this and where does the requirement for this come from ?

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

What is a conflict of interest check ?

Answer 7

A check to highlight any potential conflicts of a property or client

Question 8

What are the type of conflicts of interest ?

Answer 8

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.

Question 9

How could you proceed even in a COI is present ?

Answer 9

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.

Question 10

What advice would you give your client if there was a conflict of interest ?

Answer 10

The details of what the conflict is prior to engagement

Question 11

What was included in your client brief ?

Answer 11

any details of what is expected, what the client want, timescales, quality, amount of involvement

Question 12

Can you expand on what a complaints handling procedure is and why a compony should have one ?

Answer 12

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.

Question 13

How do you establish a client objectives or brief ?

Answer 13

With a client meeting and a prepared plan per works

Question 14

Grove Park Square, what was included within your appointment document?

Answer 14

Address, client details, scope of involvement, fee basis, details of the complains handling procedure, any exclusion, inspection date

Question 15

How did you generate the fee? what other methods could you use?

Answer 15

hourly charge, % of project value, fixed fee

Question 16

How would this feedback have been dealt with if the feedback was negative?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

How do you protect your client when you are advising them, but they don’t know what they want?

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

How do you protect yourself?

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

Give me some examples of the subject areas of the RICS guidance on Complaints Handling.

Answer 19

CHP Procedures,
Record Keeping, Initial responses to a claimant,
why do clients complain ?

Question 20

Give me some examples of the subject areas of the RICS guidance on Conflicts of Interest.

Answer 20

Record keeping
Party conflicts
Informed consent
Information barriers

Question 21

Who deals with complaints for your employer?

Answer 21

The Responsible Principal - A named partner

Question 22

Who deals with escalated complaints for your employer?

Answer 22

Property Ombudsman

Question 23

How would a sole trader deal with escalated complaints given there is no one else in the company to refer the complaint to?

Answer 23

They would have a named third party to initial manage this, this could fall under the locum agreement

Question 24

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?

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

What current challenges is Covid and/or Brexit bringing to Client Care?

Answer 25

Face to face lacking, harder to discuss without being on site and in person etc

Question 26

Explain how your employer deals with Freedom of Information requests

Answer 26

Freedom of information (FOI) gives you the right to ask any public sector organisation for information they hold. Anyone can request information. You can also ask for information about yourself under data protection legislation.

Question 27

Q. what advice did you provide for the demolition of the multi storey office block?

Answer 27

A. ensuring that the dust mitigation measure is appropriate for the adjoining building by installing dust detectors on the roof of the building (as well as others methods water sprays and tall scaffolds).

Question 28

Q. how does this differ from your day to day work?

Answer 28

A. the feedback I received from the stakeholder was the additional detectors heads worked really well to avoid false alarms and potential fines from the fire department.

Question 29

Q. how does your organisation gather post project feedback?

Answer 29

A. we hold project evaluation sessions with the client, and following this hold lessons learned workshops.