Client Care (L3 only)

Question 1

What are some key acts associated with Client Care

Answer 1

• The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008
• Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA).
• Business protection from misleading marketing regulations 2008
• Consumer rights act 2015
• Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing regulations 2022
• RICS Guidance: Stakeholder Management

Question 2

What are the principles of stakeholder management?

Answer 2

1. Communication
2. Consult early and often
3. They are only human
4. Plan it
5. Establish relationships
6. Simple not easy
7. Manage risk
8. Compromise
9. What success is
10. Take responsibility

Question 3

What would you need to do to have a client account ?

Answer 3

• Separate accounts (discrete account)
• Provide client with a statement of account
• cannot be overdrawn
• Interest payable to client
• client should always be able to have access
• provide regular statements for transparency

Question 4

How to avoid PI claims?

Answer 4

• Keep full and detailed records of meetings and conversations
• don’t advise outside specialisms
• use proper terms of engagement

Question 5

What is the RICS client money protection scheme ?

Answer 5

Any member of the public to be reimbursed their direct loss of funds

It is split into residential agency and general principles

Question 6

When would you decline an instruction ?

Answer 6

1. COI
2. Illegal
3. No resource to do it
4. Outside professional competence

Question 7

What makes up a fee proposal?

Answer 7

Exec summary, clients needs , project issues, benefits for clients, conditions of engagement, methodology, proposed fees

Question 8

What is a duty of care ?

Answer 8

To ensure that another party does not suffer harm or loss that can arise as a result of a breach of contractual obligations or Tort of Negligence - you have a duty of care to perform with competence in your field

Question 9

How would you calculate your fee?

Answer 9

Understand scope and client requirements, budget, timescales

Confirm the number of meetings, inspections, seniority of resource, apply daily and hourly rates

Question 10

Difference between client and customer?

Answer 10

A customer is an individual who is purchasing goods and devices from a company. Typically one time transactions

A client is a person who looks for professional service from the business. Ongoing relationship with long term goals.

Question 11

What is client care?

Answer 11

Looking after the clients best interests and providing an appropriate service that satisfies client needs

Question 12

How are fees established?

Answer 12

Surveying fees are established based on a variety of factors, including the complexity of the project, the time required, the surveyor’s experience and location, and the type of survey being conducted. Fees can be calculated on an hourly rate, a fixed price, or a percentage of the project cost, depending on the nature of the work and the agreement between the surveyor and client.

Question 13

What are standard forms of appointment?

Answer 13

a document that outlines the terms and conditions for engaging a specific consultant or contractor on a single project.

e.g. insurances, liabilities, health and safety, client’s obligations, dispute resolution

Question 14

What is the difference between standard forms of appointment and a framework agreement?

Answer 14

A standard form of appointment is a document that outlines the terms and conditions for engaging a specific consultant or contractor on a single project.

A framework agreement, on the other hand, is a broader, long-term agreement that establishes the general terms for future contracts or “call-offs” between a buyer and one or more suppliers.

Question 15

What happens if insurances are unavailable or not agreeable between a client and their contractor?

Answer 15

The Consultant notifies the Client immediately and the parties discuss the best way to protect their respective positions, having regard to the provisions of the RICS Appointment and the status of the Project at the time.

Question 16

Do surveying firms need PII?

Answer 16

there is no general legal obligation for all surveying firms to have professional indemnity (PI) insurance.

However, if they are RICS regulated, then they will require it.

Question 17

What data might be gathered in the client briefing process?

Answer 17

project’s purpose, scope, and desired outcomes, as well as the client’s broader business goals, budget, and timeline. Additionally, data about the site’s characteristics, user requirements, and potential constraints is gathered.

Question 18

What is a client brief?

Answer 18

A client brief is a document that outlines the requirements and scope of a project, as defined by the client

Question 19

What is an options appraisal?

Answer 19

A structured process for evaluating different courses of action to achieve a specific objective.

e.g. DCO optioneering

Question 20

How would you do your due diligence as a surveyor to ensure that insurances are in place?

Answer 20

First identify all relevant policies, then verify their existence and validity through document review and communication with the insurer, and finally, assess the adequacy of coverage against identified risks

Question 21

what is ISO 9001?

Answer 21

The ISO 9000 family is a set of international standards for quality management systems.

e.g. QMP 1: Customer focus
QMP 2: Leadership
QMP 3: Engagement of people
QMP 4: Process approach
QMP 5: Improvement
QMP 6: Evidence-based decision making
QMP 7: Relationship management

Question 22

What is contained within RICS standard forms of appointment ?

Answer 22

Definitions
Obligations
Payment
Insurance
Termination
Dispute resolution

Question 23

What types of charging structures are there?

Answer 23

Hourly rate
Fixed percentage
Fixed fee
Performance based

Question 24

What communication factors should be considered?

Answer 24

Day to day contact - who will this be
Information management
Escalation points
Confidentiality

Question 25

What should a client brief be based on?

Answer 25

The surveyors due diligence and research

Question 26

What should follow a client brief?

Answer 26

Terms of engagement

Question 27

Following the end of a business transaction, how long must documentation be kept on record?

Answer 27

5 years, but most would do 6 years in case of some form of claim.

Question 28

What is a stakeholder?

Answer 28

Individuals or groups who have an interest in project or instruction because they are involved in, or affected by the outcomes

Question 29

With clients, how do you avoid complaints?

Answer 29

Seeking regular feedback and ensuring effective communication with clients

Question 30

What are the 3 objectives of handling client money?

Answer 30

1. To Keep it Safe 2. To ensure it is used for the correct purposes 3. To ensure the firm has correct procedures in place.

Question 31

Is there ever a situation where your client care may be conflicted?

Answer 31

Potentially if my clients instructions conflict with my sustainability principles e.g. unnecessary meetings/travel : but good client care would be to advise that this meeting is not necessary and elect to conduct it on teams.

Question 32

What is stakeholder 'engagement'?

Answer 32

‘Engagement’ signifies all the things we might do with stakeholders: consult, listen, understand, communicate, influence, negotiate, etc., with the broader objectives of satisfying their needs, gaining approval and support, or at least minimising their opposition or obstruction.

Question 33

What are the positives of having good client care?

Answer 33

- Repeat business - Avoids complaints - Maintains good relationships