RICS Flashcards
What are the 2021 Rules of Conduct
Rule 1 - Members and firms must be honest, act with integrity and comply with their professional obligations, including obligations to RICS.
Rule 2 - Members and firms must maintain their professional competence and ensure that services are provided by competent individuals who have the necessary expertise.
Rule 3 - Members and firms must provide good-quality and diligent service
Rule 4 - Members and firms must treat others with respect and encourage diversity and inclusion.
Rule 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.
Name 3 professional obligations for RICS members?
- Members must comply with the CPD requirements set by RICS (20 hours a year – 50% formal).
- 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.
Name 7 obligations for RICS regulated 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 principal must make 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 are required to report under the Rules for the Registration of Firms.
Name legislation and guidance that you would reference in relation to H&S for your work.
- Health and Safety for Residential Property Managers, 1st edition (2016)
- Building Safety Bill
- Fire Safety Bill
- Health Safety at Work Act 1974
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
- RICS Surveying Safely (2nd ed. - 2019)
Explain your understanding of the term HSE?
▪ HSE stands for the Health & Safety Executive
▪ The HSE is the UK national authority for managing work related health, safety and illness issues
▪ They act in the public interest to reduce work related injuries and incidents
▪ Their aim is to protect people’s health and safety by ensuring that risks are properly managed
▪ They also support businesses to change and adapt in order to remain compliant with occupational health and safety legislation
What are the requirements of a complaints handling procedure?
- Be fit for purpose (it should reflect the size and structure of the business made available to all staff
- Be understood by all staff
- Readily be shared with complainants or potential complainants – supplying them with a copy should be routine
- Be regularly reviewed at a senior level – record evidence of review, to include reviewer details and review date
- Be agreed with PII brokers/provider(s) – the CHP should reflect processes that do not compromise PII cover and
- Provide details of access to independent redress if the firm cannot resolve the complaint.
List the 6 RICS Ethical Standards (CHRIS R)
- Competence
- Honesty
- Respect
- Integrity
- Service
- Responsibility
What 9 steps must be taken to form an RICS Regulated firm?
- Inform the RICS
- Apply with the RICS Registration Board
- Nominate a responsible person / RICS contact
- Put in place adequate PI cover
- Create and provide a complaints handling procedure
- If a sole operator, put in place procedures in the event of incapacity or death
- Ensure correct use of the RICS logo kit
- Put in place a CPD management system
- Submit an annual return and end of year audit
Name 5 pieces of legislation that must be adhered to when starting a new company
- Bribery Act
- Business Names Act
- H&S at Work Act
- Equality Act
- Financial Services Act
Name 5 steps that must be taken when closing down an RICS Regulated practice
- Inform the RICS
- Return client money
- Inform the PI insurers
- Ensure adequate run off cover is in place (6-15 years @ £1m)
- Retain client files
Name 5 benefits of RICS membership
- Status
- Recognition
- Market advantage
- Knowledge
- Network
Name 3 key roles of the RICS as an organisation
- Maintain professional standards
- Retain public confidence in the profession
- Provide information and advice
What is the minimum PI cover required of RICS firms
£100k revenue (or less) - £250,000
£100-200k revenue - £500,000
£200k (or more) - £1m
Name 3 key stages of conflict avoidance
- Avoidance
- Written advice
- Manage conflict
Name the 6 principles firms must follow in relation to the Bribery Act 2010
- Proportionality (procedures to prevent bribery are proportionate to the bribery risks it faces and to the nature, scale and complexity of the commercial organisations activities)
- Top-level commitment (the top-level management of a commercial organisation are committed to preventing bribery by persons associated with it)
- Risk Assessment (organisation assesses the nature and extent of its exposure)
- Due diligence (organisation applies due diligence procedures, taking a proportionate and risk based approach)
- Communication (organisation seeks to ensure that its bribery prevention policies and procedures are embedded and understood)
- Monitoring & Review (organisation monitors and reviews procedures)
What document provides the guidance around the PI cover requirements?
RICS Regulation - UK professional indemnity insurance requirements (April 2022)
What is the maximum level of uninsured excess? (PI insurance question)
IF firm’s turnover in the preceding year is £10m or less - the greater of 2.5% of the sum insured or £10k
IF firm’s turnover in the preceding year is more than £10m - no limit
Provide some examples of complying with Code of Conduct Rule 1
Honesty & Integrity
- Don’t accept gifts
- Identify & manage conflicts of interest
- Open & Honest to clients about services
Provide some examples of complying with Code of Conduct Rule 2
Professional competence
- Firms only accept work they are qualified to do
- Firms ensure the ongoing supervision of junior team members to ensure compliance
Provide some examples of complying with Code of Conduct Rule 3
- Agree with clients the scope of the service to be provided and its limitations, and timescales for the work
- Promptly agree any changes to fees or service
- Have effective quality assurance processes for work
Provide some examples of complying with Code of Conduct Rule 3
Good & Diligent Service
- Agree with clients the scope of the service to be provided and its limitations, and timescales for the work
- Promptly agree any changes to fees or service
- Have effective quality assurance processes for work
Provide some examples of complying with Code of Conduct Rule 4
Diversity & Inclusion
- Treat everyone fairly and do not discriminate against anyone
- Check that supply chains do not involve modern slavery
- Develop an inclusive culture in their workplaces and address unconscious bias
Provide some examples of complying with Code of Conduct Rule 5
Maintain public confidence in the profession
- Support directors, partners, employees, colleagues or clients who have acted in good faith to report concerns
- Respond to complaints made against them promptly, openly and professionally
- Do not dissuade complainants from approaching an alternative dispute resolution provider