Ethics Flashcards
What are the 5 RICS Rules of Conduct?
1) Members & Firms must be honest, act with integrity, and comply with their professional obligations, including obligations to RICS.
2) Members & Firms must maintain their professional competence and ensure that services are provdided by competetent individuals w+
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ho have the necessary expertise.
3) Members and Firms must provide a good-quality, diligent service.
4) Members and Firms must treat other with respect and encourage diveristy and inclusion.
5) 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.
When did the new Rules of Conduct take effect?
2/2/2022
What are the core professional obligations of firms & members to RICS?
What are the ethical principles that the Rules of Conduct are based on?
1) Honesty
2) Integrity
3) Competence
4) Service
5) Respect
6) Responsibility
Give an example behaviour of each Rule of Conduct.
1) Members do not misuse client money and comply with controls intended to keep it safe.
2) Members & firms only undertake work that they have the knowledge skills and resources to carry out competently.
3) Members & firms agree with the scope of the service to be provided and its limitations and timescales for the work.
4) Members & firms develop an inclusive culture in their workplaces and support equal access and opportunity for all.
5) Members & firms respond to complaints made against them promptly openly and professionally.
What is a Conflict of Interest?
Arises where there may be an actual, perceived or potential risk that the professional judgmement of an RICS member/firm will be compromised when an undertaking an assignment.
What is the RICS professional statement on Conflicts?
RICS Conflict of Interest Global 1st Edition Effective March 208
What are the 3 types of Conflict of Interest?
Confidential Information, Own Interest, Party Conflict
What should you do if you identify a Conflict of Interest?
Members must not advise or represent a client where there is a Conflict or significant risk of one without Informed Consent (unless doing so would break the law).
What is a Confidential Information Conflict?
Where a members duty is to provide information to one client, that conflicts with the duty to keep that information confidential on behalf of another client.
What is a Party Conflict?
Where acting/advising a client conflicts with with the duty owed to another client on the same/related professional assignment.
What is an Own Interest Conflict?
Where the RICS member acting for a client on a professional assignment conflicts with the interests of that RICS member.
What is meant by ‘Informed Consent’?
Where the part(ies) who are affected by the Conflict give consent willingly to continue, despite a risk/conflict arising. As long as they can prove they understand the Conflict and the potential risk of the Member not being able to provide the full service to the best of their ability.
When should Conflicts of Interest be checked for?
Upon initial instruction and throughout an assignment.
Who is the current President of the RICS?
Tina Paillet
When did they become President?
January 2024.
What 4 types of professional documentation are published by the RICS?
1) Codes of Practice
2) Guidance Notes
3) Practice Statements
4) Information Papers
What are the level of compliance required for each professional documentation published by the RICS?
1) Code of Practice - Mandatory or Best Practice (will be stated in the document)
2) Guidance Notes - recommended best practice
3) Practice Statements - Mandatory
4) Information Papers - information/explanatory comments
What are the benefits of RICS Regulation for firms?
1) Quality assured competence through adherence to the Rules of Conduct.
2) Enhancement of members professional status by providing confidence to consumers
3) Providers guidance supoort and advice for members
What firms are required to register for regulation by RICS?
1) The firm provides surverying services to the public
2) the firm is operation in regulated area A (the UK)
3) At least 50% of the firms principals are RICS Members.
Name some obligations when registring a firm?
1) Comply with Rules of Conduct and rules of Registration of Firms
2) Inform Head of Regulations of any finding against it by any disciplinary or regulatory body, court or statutory authority.
3) inform Head of Regulations of any finding of insolvency againt the firm
4) notify Head of Regulaions of any material change in the firm.
What is the procedure for setting up a RICS registered firm?
1) Contact RICS for guidance & pbtain company start-up pack
2) Inform RICS & Register for regulation
3) Appoint contact office for all RICS communications
4) Prepare a Complaints Handling Procedure
5) Obtain PII
6) Abide by the rules of conduct
7) Use the designation ‘regulated by RICS’ on all practice material.
What insurances should firms have?
PII (prof. indemnity insurance)
Public Liability Insurance
Employers Liability Insurance
Building/Contents Insurance
What are the PII Insurance required by firms?
Firms Turnover / Indemnity Required:
£100k or less - £250k
£100k-£200k - £500k
£200k or more - £1million
What are the annual returns required by RICS for firms?
1) Type of Business & Staffing
2) Nature of client
3) Training provision
4) Complaints handling procedure, details & records
5) PII Details
6) Whether the firm handles client money
What is the purpose of PII?
‘To provide financial cover in the event a client suffers financial loss as a result of professional duty e.g. neglect, errors, emmissions
What is a notoroious case about PII?
Merrit v Babb
What are the requirements of PII?
1) Policy must be made on an each and every claim basis
2) RICS set out minimum levels of imdemnity
3) RICS set out maximum level of uninsured excess
4) Policy should cover post & present employees
When did the UK PII Version 9 come into effect and what did it introduce?
1st April 2022
- No maximum limit of uninsured excess for companies with a turnover of £10mil/annum
- Companies with a turnover or less than £10mil is the greater of £10,000 or 2.5% of insured sum.
What is the minimum required complaints handling procedure?
Stage 1 - Where there needs to be a consideration of the complaint by a senior member of the firm or the complaints handling officer.
Stage 2 - If the issue isn’t resolved the complaint is referred to an independent third party with the authority to award redress. The complainant may be expected to contibure towards costs at this stage.
What can you tell me about complaints handling procedure requirements?
- RICS provide a model form
- Process must include redress mechanism
- Details of policy must be issued to all clients with the Terms of Business
- Must be clear, quick, transparent & impartial and free of charge at 1st Stage.
- Name & contact details of investigating person must be stated
- Complaint must be investigated within 28 days
- All complaints, their progress & outcomes must be recorded
- Must notify PI Insurers of the Complaint
What rules must RICS registered firms follow when operating a client account?
- Clear segregation of duties for emplyees
- Principal officer oversees the client money functions
- Principals can’t override controls
- Competent & knowledgeable staff to process client money
- Accounting systems must be secure
- Client money must be kept seperate & clearly identifiable with the word client in the account name
- Clients must always have access to funds
- Agree terms & advise clients of bank details
- Account must not be over drawn
- Must maintain client ledgers & provide runnning balance
What is the RICS futures report?
Launched in 2015, it highlighted key trenders e.g urbanisatioin, disruption of big data & the climate crisis as presenting key challenges to the property and construction industries.
it found:
- construction industry produces 2nd largest amount of data and 95% of it is wasted.
- increase in the use of Drones presents challenges in compliance and regulation
What is the RICS Levitt Report?
- Commissioned by RICS folloowing a treasury audit in 2018.
- Prior to the audit RICS had to extend its overdraft facility by £3mil due to inaccurate cash flow forecasting.
- Report concluded a power struggle was at fault between Management and Executive Boards
- More transparency and involvement by boards required.
Who is the CEO of the RICS?
Justin Young
What are the changes to the Rules of Conduct in 2021?
Incoroporation of several documents.
What is the role of the RICS?
Protect consumers and businesses and to promote the usefulness of the profession for the public good.
What is a royal charter?
A document issued by the monarch that gives an organisation independent legal standing.F
What are they key functions of the RICS?
1) Advancing the highest ethical and technical standards for professional in land, property and the built environment
2) Protecting and providing benefits to consumers by enforcing standards and codes of best practice
3) Providing expert impartial advice to governments, business and the public
4) Equipping RICS members with leading edge advice, market insight and professional training
5) Promoting RICS status and standards in key worldwide markets as the mark of property professionalism
What do you understand by the term ‘self-regulation’?
In terms of the RICS it means that they operate under the within its own published regulatory framework, rather than being governed by the the government.
What is a Bye-Law?
RICS Bye-laws provide power to the Head of Regulation and Regulatory Tribunal to make disciplincary and regulatory decisions including disciplinary penalties and costs. Decisions are made in line with the Rules/Guidance set by the Standards and Regulation Board
Give an example of one of the RICS Bye-laws.
- Procedure for Annual General Meeting
- Composition of the governing council, officers & staff
- Contribution to funds (i.e. subscriptions)
- Membership & Registraiton (i.e. registration of firms)
Can you tell me what is meant by the Principles of Better Regulation?
A framework provided by the government to ensure that regulation is proportionate and effective and includes 5 main principles:
- Proportionality
- Accountability
- Consistency
- Transparency
- Targeting
What measures can the RICS disciplinary procedures impose?
- Caution
- Reprimand
- Undertakings as to future conducts
- Fines
- Condititons of the members continuted membership of RICS
- Conditions on the firms registration to RICS
- Expulsion of the member from the RICS
- Removal of a firms registration for regulation.
In what circumstances can disciplinary procedures been imposed?
- Failure to comply with the RICS code of Conduct
- Failure to comply with the RICS Obligations for Members & Firms
- Failure to comply with Rules of Registration for Firms
When did the RICS Disciplinary Panel last update their Rules?
1st October 2019
What do you understand by the term professional practice?
Balancing interests and using values and ethical to come to a decision about what is the right thing to do. The 5 RICS rules of conduct help members to do this.
What money laundering regulations or legislation are you aware of?
Money laundering, terrorist financing and Transfer of Funds (information on the buyer) regulations 2017 - Ammened 2022
Criminal finances act 2017
What is a red flag of money laundering?
- Unusual/non-market value sale price.
- Third-party involvement
- Unusual fund source
- Complex Trusts
- Quick re-sales
What bribery legislation are you aware of?
The Bribery Act 2010
What is a bribe?
The offer, promise, giving, demanding or acceptance of an advantage as an inducement for an action that is illegal, unethical, or a breach of trust.
What are the penalties for accepting a bribe?
Fine or imprisonment of up to 10 years.
What are the penalties for being involved in money-laundering?
Fine or imprisonment.
What constitues an offence under the Bribery Act 2010?
If a person offers, if they offer, promise or give an advantage, directly or indrectly to another person intending that a person is rewarded for, or induced to, performa relevamt funciton or activity improperly.
What constitutes an offence under the Money Laundering Regulations?
- Concealing criminmal property
- Possessing, acquiring or using criminal property
- Failure to disclose
How long should you keep anti-money laundering records for?
5 years
What is a Professional Indemnity Insurance?
Protects against claims from clients or third parties for loss or damage from negligent services or advice.
What does ‘claims made’ mean in terms of PII?
Describes a policy that only provides cover for claims which are notified during the term of the policy.
Is a PII excess usually paid per claim?
Yes.
What is a PII aggregation clause?
Clause included in policy that either allows or requires a number of, usually linked or similar claims to be treated as a singular claim.
In a negligence claim, what would help show you acted with consideration and due process?
- Duty of Care
- Breach of Duty
- Damage
- Foreseeability
- Proximity
- Fairness, justice and reasonableness
Can good record keeping help to provide a defence in a PII claim?
Yes