Ethics Flashcards
How many Rules are there?
5
What are the 5 Rules of Conduct?
- Members and firms must be Honest, act with Integrity and comply with their professional obligations, including obligations to RICS
- Members and firms must maintain their professional competence and ensure that services are provided by competent individuals who have the necessary expertise
- Members and firms must provide good quality and diligent service
- Members and firms must treat others with respect and encourage diversity and inclusion
- Members and firms must act in the public interest, take responsibility for their actions and act to prevent harm and maintain public confidence in the profession
5 rules in short
1. Honesty
2. Competence
3. Service
4. Respect
5. Public interest
What are the five Principles underpinned by the Rules of Conduct?
- Proportionality
- Accountability
- Consistency
- Targeting
- Transparency
PACTT - Proportionality, Accountability, Consistency, Targeting, Transparency
How many professional obligations are there?
3 for members
7 for firms
10 in total
What are the professional obligations for Members?
- Members must comply with CPD requirements (20 hours) set by RICS
- Members must cooperate with RICS
- Members must promptly provide all information reasonably requested by the Standards and Regulation Board, or those exercising delegated authority on its behalf
What are the professional obligations for Firms?
- Firms must publish a complaints-handling procedure, which includes an alternative dispute resolution provider approved by RICS, and maintain a complaints log
- Firms must ensure that all previous and current professional work is covered by adequate and appropriate professional indemnity cover that meets the standards approved by RICS
- Firms with a sole principle must amend appropriate arrangements for their professional work to continue in the event of their incapacity, death, absence from or inability to work
- Firms must cooperate with RICS
- Firms must promptly provide all information reasonably requested by the Standards and Regulation Board, or those exercising delegated authority on its behalf
- Firms must display on their business literature, in accordance with RICS’ published policy on designations, a designation to denote that they are regulated by RICS
- Firms must report to RICS any matter that they required to report under the Rules of the Registration of Firms.
What are bye Laws? and How many are there?
These are the enabling principles underpinning rules and regulations
THERE ARE 10 BYE-LAWS
What are regulations?
These build on the bye-laws with details about things like fees and membership.
THERE ARE 10 REGULATIONS
What is the Royal Charter?
This means RICS has a seat on the privy council to advise the Crown (His Majesties Government)
Royal charter requires members to promote the profession for the Public Benefit
- Self Regulation
- ‘Gold Standard of excellence’
RICS members need to think about ‘public benefit’ that is the Royal Charter difference
Professional Indemnity insurance (PII) what are the run over limits?
100,000 = 250,000 cover
100,001-200,000 = 500,000 cover
200,001 = 1 million cover
- Buy from specialist insurer recommended by RICS
- Assigned Risks Pool - Short term cover provided by RICS for regulated members who are unable to gain cover elsewhere
- On each claim basis
- Retroactive claims made basis
- Run off cover (6 years)
- Full Civil liability
What is indeminty insurance?
- Ensures that the amount of cover purchased is consistent with the nature of your firm’s practice and proportionate to the risk taken by your firm
- always consult specialist insurance brokers in arranging your firms’ PII
VOA? Crown takes the risk
What complaints handling procedure?
- A firm must operate a Complaints Handling Procedure (CHP)
- it must include a redress system
a firm must have a complaints handling officer and a complaints handling log - CHP are free of charge to the complainant initially but some B2B complaints may be part paid if the ADR process is used
- Sole traders can’t deal with complaints themselves
- understand your own CHP and process for dealing with complaints
Complaints Handling Procedure Time limit for RICS Complaint Policy ?
- acknowledge within 7 days
- Substantive reply within a further 21 days (total 28 days)
- 2nd stage redress system if client dissatisfied
Example redress system scheme - The property Redress Scheme (used by agents) or The Proeprty Ombudsman
How do you continue professional development?
- 20 hours min
- 10 must be formal (verifiable learning outcomes)
Record online (or via app)
Every 3 years - Rules and Ethics
How to deal with Clients money?
in a nutshell
- seperate named account
- must be able to identify client
Some detail:
- firms must preserve the security of client’s money entrusted to its care, during, its practice or business
- Money must be clearly linked to a client in the event of insolvency, misappropriation death of sole practitioner or transfer of money to another organisation
- Money held in seperate client accounts, adequate control by competent staff (a principal cannot override these controls)
- a review fee (including the client’s money insurance levy) is payable if a firm holds clients mo0ney
Arrangements for incapacity of Sole Practitioner (Locum)
A locum agreement - ensure cover for:
- Long term absence from illness
- death
- long term holiday
- unseen or unavoidable events
can be another RICS member or another suitably qualified professional e.g. a Solicitor
Money Laundering Regulation 2017
‘illegally obtained money purchasing large items - such as property’
more due dilligence needed from e.g. stringent ID checks, cannot accept large cash payments (over 10,000 euros) , firms must have a money laundering officer, keep up to date records and perform AML check on clients
- found to have assisted in money laundering? 14 years in prison/unlimited fine
found to have tipped the person off about an investigation? 5 years in prison
RICS Regulated Firms - What firms are required to register?
A firm is required to register for regulation by RICS if:
a) the firm provides surveying services to the public
b) the firm is operating in the UK
c) at least 50% of the firm’s principals are RICS members
RICS members who are also Principals of a firm that is required to register under Rule 3 must take all reasonable steps within their power to ensure that an appropriate application to register for regulation by RICS is made on behalf of the firm
RICS Regulated Firms - what firms are eligible to register?
A firm is eligible to register for regulation by the RICS if:
- the firm provides surveying services to the public
- at least 25% of the firms principals are RICS members
RICS Regulated Firms - what do you need to be registered?
- Adequate professional Indemnity insurance
- A complaints handling procedure
- Security of clients money
- Comply with the employment legislation
a training programme for your employees
individual RICS professionals are required to carry out CPD
What are the strengths of Regulated by RICS?
- practise to globally recognised standards
- behave ethically and act with integrity and honesty
- have the required skills and competence to do the job
- manage conflicts of interest transparently
- safeguard the security of client money
- manage its finances appropriately
- provide adequate and approporiate indeminty for its work
- handle complaints and disputes fairly
The RICS monitor via annual returns and occasional visits to ensure compliance. High risk areas (more likely to get a visit) will be:
- valuer registration scheme
- handling client’s money
- PII cover
- Complaints
- CPD monitoring
What are the advantages of being RICS?
- Status
- Recognition
- Knowledge
- Network
- Market advantage
When was RICS Founded?
1868
When was the RICS Royal Charter Granted?
1881
What is the Role of RICS?
- Maintain highest standards of education and training
- Protect consumers through strict regulation of professional standards
- To be leading source of information and independent advice on land, property, construction, and associated environmental issues
What is the RICS UK Structure
- 4 National Associations
- 10 Regional Boards
- Local Associations
What is the RICS Governance Structure?
- Privy Council - Advisory board to Monarch and Ministers
- Governing council provides management and strategic direction - 25 members
- Regulation board, management board and various committees report to governing council
- 17 specialist professional groups covering property, land etc
- Each professional group has elected board and is responsible for outlining standards of competence and practice
- Chair of governing council
- Chief executive
- President
What is the Levitt report
Criticism of RICS governance as a result of poor financial controls. Reputation damage. apologies for wrongful dismissal of 4 non-executives who raised concerns. Review of internal governance, advice to increase board members.
The governing council made a public apology to the 4 non-execs and published a values statement in response to the Levitt Review:
- Integrity
- Transparency
- Inclusion
- Collaboration
- Advisory
- Passion
Lord Bichard to lead an independent review into RICS purpose, governance and strategy
Who was it to lead an independent review into RICS purpose, governance and strategy?
Lord Bichard
What to do if you don’t know if something is ethical?
Refer to the Ethics Decision Tree
What is the Ethical Decision Tree?
Questions to go through when you are asked to act in a potentially manner or situation
What are Disciplinary Procedures?
Levels of disciplinary action:
1. action by head of Regulation
2. Regulation tribunal
3. appeal panel
Most common breaches are ethical/professional behaviour, CPD, and client’s money.
What are the penalties available to Regulatory Panel?
- Compliance order
- Unlimited fine per breach but proportionate
- Conditions on future RICS registration
- Expulsion of member/firm
What are the options for disciplinary action?
- Fixed penalty notice
- Regulatory compliance order
- CPD Sanctions
- Refer matter to Regulatory panel
RICS Hierarchy of publications?
- Rules of Conduct (for firms and members)
- International Standards (Mandatory)
- Professional Statements (Mandatory)
- Practice Statements (Mandatory)
- Guidance Notes (voluntary)
- Codes of Practice (mandatory or Recommended Good practice)
ToE - Consumer Rights Act 2015 give?
14 day cooling off period
Why would you decline work?
- Not competent
- insufficient facts
- Proposed client will not sign ToE
- Conflict of interest
- PII cap cannot be agreed
- Advice on a pro bono basis (charity) and PII will not cover
What is a conflict of interest?
Arises when members independence/impartiality threatened due to existing conflict between clients:
- Financial Interest
- Personal interest
- commercial relationship
- Acting on both sides of transaction