Ethics, Rules of Conduct and Professionalism

• Rules of Conduct


  Ethical principles of honesty, integrity, competence, service, respect and responsibility
• Rules of Conduct (effective 2nd February 2022)

  • 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
• Compliance with Rule 1


  • Members and firms do not mislead others by their actions or omissions, or by being complicit in the actions or practices of others
  • Members and firms must be open and transparent with clients about their fees and services
  • Members and firms do not take unfair advantage of others
• Compliance with Rule 2

  • Members and firms only undertake work that they have the knowledge, skills and resources to carry out competently
  • Members and firms ensure any employees undertaking work for them have the satisfactory knowledge, skills and resources to do their tasks competently
  • Members and firms reflect on the work they have undertaken and its impacts, and consider how they might apply what they have learned to their future work
  • Members retain and develop their knowledge and skills throughout their careers, identify learning needs, plan and undertake continuing professional development (CPD) activities to address these and are able to demonstrate they have done so
  • Members and firms comply with relevant legislation, codes of practice and other professional and technical standards
• Compliance with Rule 3

  • Members and firms understand their clients' needs and objectives before accepting any professional work
  • Members and firms agree with clients the scope of the service to be provided and its limitations, and record this for the work
• Compliance with Rule 4


  • Members and firms respect the rights of others and treat others with courtesy
  • Members and firms do not bully, victimise or harass anyone
  • Firms check that supply chains do not involve modern slavery or other abuses of the workforce
  • Members and firms work cooperatively with others
  • Members and firms develop an inclusive culture in their workplaces, support equal access and opportunity for all, and identify and address unconscious bias
• Compliance with Rule 5


  • Members and firms support directors, partners, employees, colleagues or clients who have acted in good faith to report concerns
  • Members and firms respond to complaints made against them promptly, openly and professionally
  • Members and firms do not dissuade complainants from approaching an alternative dispute resolution provider, RICS or any other regulatory body
  • Members and firms manage their professional finances responsibly
  • Members and firms take appropriate action when they consider that the rules have been breached, and report suspected significant breaches of the Rules of Conduct by themselves or others to RICS
• Mandatory professional obligations for RICS members

  • Comply with the CPD requirements set by RICS
  • Cooperate with RICS
  • Promptly provide all information reasonably requested by the Standards and Regulation Board, or those exercising delegated authority on its behalf
• Mandatory professional obligations for RICS-regulated firms

  • Publish a complaints handling procedure, which includes an alternative dispute resolution provider approved by RICS and maintain a complaints log
  • 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
  • Cooperate with RICS
  • Promptly provide all information reasonably requested by the Standards and Regulation Board, or those exercising delegated authority on its behalf
  • Display on their business literature, in accordance with RICS published policy on designations, a designation to denote that they are regulated by RICS
  • Report to RICS any matter that they are required to report under the Rules for the Registration of Firms
• RICS has guidance on the use of social media by members
• RICS publishes guidance notes to provide clarity for members on regulatory or disciplinary proceedings, so they can evidence they acted with reasonable competence
• Professional Standards


  • Mandatory requirements that surveyors must follow, where the word 'must' is used
  • Best practice that surveyors should follow, where the word 'should' is used. In these instances, there may be alternative approaches or methods that may achieve a better overall outcome, which will be up to the individual surveyor to decide upon.
• Practice Information


  Supplementary guidance to support surveyors in delivering specific services or working in specific areas of practice. The guidance is not mandatory and does not provide explicit recommendations.
• Integrity


  • Being trustworthy in all that I do
  • Being open and transparent in the way I work
  • Respecting confidential information
  • Not taking unfair advantage
  • Not allowing bias, conflict of interest or the undue influence of others to override my decisions
  • Not offering or accepting gifts, hospitality, or services, which might suggest an improper obligation
• Professional competence


  To ensure I do not advise my clients incorrectly which could lead to a complaint or claim of negligence
• Responsibility


  • Being accountable for all my actions
  • Always acting with skill, care and diligence
  • Ensuring an appropriate complaint handling procedure is in place in the event somebody makes a complaint about me
  • If I think something is not right, I am prepared to respectfully challenge and raise the matter with appropriate parties
• High standard of service

  • Ensuring my client, or others to whom I have a professional responsibility, receive the best possible advice and support
  • Always acting and advising within my scope of competence
  • Being transparent about fees and any other costs or payments such as referral fees or commissions
  • Communicating with my client in a way that will allow them to make informed decisions
• Promoting trust in the profession

  • Understanding how my actions will affect others and the environment
  • Fulfilling my professional obligations
  • Acting as a role model in both my professional and private life
• Maintaining high ethical standards

  • Keeping my own actions under review, inside and outside of work
  • Maintaining CPD appropriate in my area of work (for example, applicable law and regulations)
  • Following advice given by professional bodies on ethical behaviour
  • Helping my own organisation to develop ethical ways of working
  • Noting any unethical behaviour by others and acting appropriately
• Ethics


  Your personal code of conduct that governs how we behave and conduct ourselves personally and professionally
• Integrity


  Applies to an organisation's regulations and organisational code of ethics that have been created to allow employees to work following moral principles
• RICS have produced an ethical decision tree which can be used to consider any ethical matter or dilemma
• A firm is required to register for regulation by RICS if:

  1. The firm provides surveying services to the public
  2. The firm is operating in a Regulated Area (United Kingdom)
  3. At least 50% of the firm's Principals are RICS Members
• A firm is eligible to register for regulation by RICS if:

  1. The firm provides surveying services to the public
  2. At least 25% of the firm's Principals are RICS Members
• Locum


  Another professional who is appointed to 'stand in' for a surveyor if they are unable to work
• Locums need to be covered for any work undertaken whilst the sole practitioner is unavailable, either under their own professional indemnity insurance cover or under the firm's policy
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD)


  Ongoing professional development to maintain and improve knowledge and skills
• Chartered Surveyors must undertake a minimum of 20 hours CPD each calendar year, with at least 10 hours being formal CPD
• Examples of professional development during training period

  • In-house training courses
  • External training courses
  • Personal reading of relevant articles
  • Mock final assessment interviews
  • Seminars and lectures
• Formal CPD


  Structured learning with clear learning objectives and outcomes, e.g. professional training courses, structured online training, learning that includes an assessment measure
• Informal CPD


  Self-directed learning relevant to professional role, e.g. private study, on-the-job training, attendance at informal seminars or events
• Any CPD activity that does not have a clear learning purpose or does not relate to a member's role and/or specialism cannot be considered as appropriate CPD
• CPD can be recorded on the RICS website or by using the RICS app
• Factors to consider when selecting CPD subjects

  • Developing weak or listed areas of knowledge
  • Industry hot topics relevant for the next 12-18 months
  • Knowledge needed for future projects and professional appointments
• Ways to keep up to date with industry hot topics and developments

  • Regularly review RICS website and journals
  • Engage with key CPD providers for updates
  • Liaise with employer's research & development team and read their publications
• Conflict of interest


  A situation where there may be an actual, perceived or potential risk that the professional judgment of an RICS-regulated firm or member will be compromised when undertaking an assignment
• Types of conflict of interest

  • Duty conflict - acting in the interests of one client that conflicts with the interests of another client
  • Own interest conflict - acting in the interests of a client that conflicts with the interests of the RICS member
  • Confidential information conflict - a conflict between the duty to provide material information to one client and the duty to keep that information confidential from another client
• Potential conflicts of interest

  • Acting for both the developer and contractor on the same project
  • Having other obligations or pressures that affect your relationship with the client (e.g. acting as an expert witness where your firm has an interest in the outcome)
• Informed consent


  When a party who might be adversely affected by a conflict of interest acknowledges the existence of that risk but still agrees to instruct an RICS-regulated firm or RICS member to proceed with the assignment
• If a conflict of interest situation (or potential situation) arises, you should disclose it to the client in writing and detail the nature of the conflict