RICS Rules of Conduct?
Oct-21. Effective Feb-22.
- Honesty and integrity
- Competency
- Good Quality & Diligent Service
- Respect, Diversity & Inclusion
- Take responsibility for actions and maintain public confidence
Complaints Handling?
RICS Professional Standard: Complaints Handling 2016
- CHP must be approved by RICS
- Notify PII insurers asap if there’s a complaint that could lead to negligence claim
- CHP details issued to client at same time as terms of business
- CHP must include RICS-approved ADR mechanism
- Sole practitioner - nominate surveyor in another firm to act as Complaints Handling Officer
Health & Safety - key legislation?
Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
- Duty of employers to ensure health, safety and welfare of employees
- Policed by Health & Safety Executive
Health & Safety - RICS?
RICS Professional Standard: Surveying Safely - Health and Safety Principles for Property Professionals 2018
Good practice principles for management of H&S for RICS-regulated firms and members.
Key sections:
1. Personal responsibility (safe person)
2. Assessing hazards and risks (risk assessment)
3. Workplace H&S (provide safe environment)
4. Visiting premises and sites (lone working, condition of property)
5. Fire safety (training, evacuation plan)
Conflicts of Interest?
RICS Professional Standard: Conflicts of Interest 2017
- Cannot advise where conflict of interest present, except where informed consent is provided
- Informed consent = best interests of all parties, transparent, client understands what they are doing
- RICS-regulated firms must have adequate system in place to check conflict of interest
Conflict avoidance?
RICS Guidance Note: Conflicts of Interest for Members Acting as Dispute Resolvers 2020
- Must act impartially
Data management - key legislation?
UK GDPR 2016 (replaced the EU GDPR in the UK post-Brexit)
* 8 rights (informed, erasure, restrict processing)
* Data security breaches - report to ICO 72 hours
* Breach = 4% turnover or £17.5m
Data Protection Act 2018 (supplements UK GDPR 2016)
Inclusive Environments - Equality Act 2010?
Equality Act 2010
- 9 protected characteristics (sex, age, disability)
- 4 types of illegal discrimination (direct, indirect, harassment, victimisation)
- Requirement to make reasonable adjustments
- Reasonableness test: effectiveness and financial resource
Inclusive Environments - Part M of the Building Act 1984?
Covers the access and use of buildings (updated 2015).
Split into two volumes (1) dwellings (2) non-dwellings
