TOPIC 14:

ROYAL INSTITUTION OF
CHARTERED SURVEYORS
The RICS..
 The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
(RICS) is a UK-based professional body for
surveyors, founded in London in 1868.
 It works at a cross-governmental level, and
aims to promote and enforce the highest
international standards in the valuation,
management and development of land, real
estate, construction and infrastructure.
 The RICS..
 Founded as the Institution of Surveyors, it received a royal charter in 1881,
and in 1947 became the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
 With a London HQ and regional offices across the United Kingdom, plus
international offices, it serves a 134,000-strong membership distributed over
nearly 150 countries.
 They have offices and employees
around the world in order to assist
surveyors with upholding the standards
expected of an RICS professional
regardless of their location.
 Purpose of RICS
 RICS’s purpose as a professional body, are:
a) a global professional, standards and regulatory body
b) existing to secure the advancement and usefulness of the profession for
the public advantage
c) focused on setting standards and assuring these standards are in the
public interest
d) delivering support that is valued by RICS members and their employers
e) developing members’ professional skills and knowledge and
f) expanding opportunities for members to apply those professional skills.
 Purpose of RICS
 RICS’s purpose as a professional body, are:
a) a global professional, standards and regulatory body
b) existing to secure the advancement and usefulness of the profession for
the public advantage
c) focused on setting standards and assuring these standards are in the
public interest
d) delivering support that is valued by RICS members and their employers
e) developing members’ professional skills and knowledge and
f) expanding opportunities for members to apply those professional skills.
 Qualification and Entry to the profession
 Entry standards and processes for all grades of membership is critical to
maintain trust and confidence in the competence and standards of our
professionals. Therefore, the RICS has to ensure;
i. skills and competencies are relevant to industry, employers, and the
public
ii. routes to entry are attractive and accessible
iii. assessment standards are fair, transparent, rigorous, and properly
controlled, and
iv. education and training supports competencies required at entry and
for lifelong learning.
 Membership
 Entry to membership of the RICS is possible via four routes:
i. Graduate: for young graduates of one of the accredited RICS
programmes
ii. Adaptation route: for candidates who studied another but accredited
RICS program, in some cases a former qualification is admitted by RICS
iii. Senior Professional route: for qualified professionals in leading positions
with technical education and corresponding experience
iv. Academic route: for academicians with pedagogical or research activities
within the accredited courses
 Membership
 Student Status
Being a RICS student is free and can help students realize the potential by
working to the highest standards of education at college or university. RICS
provides a wide range of knowledge, information services and
consultations to help students with their course work or thesis. Also, RICS
offers a valuable consultancy to students on careers in surveying and
provides great conditions for networking. After being at student status it is
just few steps to become chartered.
 Membership
 AssocRICS
 It is the entry-level RICS qualification and offers the chance to progress to full chartered
status. The RICS Associate (AssocRICS) qualification recognizes the skills of individuals
with relevant work experience and vocational qualifications.
One can enroll at any time in your career but must meet one of the following before
applying for assessment:
 1 year of relevant experience and a relevant bachelor’s degree
 2 years of relevant experience and a relevant higher/advanced/foundation
qualification
 4 years of relevant experience (no qualifications required).
 Membership
 MRICS
One can enroll at any time in your career but must meet one of the following before
applying for assessment:
 Relevant experience and an RICS-accredited degree
 5 years of relevant experience and any bachelor’s degree
 10 years of relevant experience operating at an advanced level by seniority,
specialisation, or in academia.
An Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) must be undertaken to achieve
MRICS. The level of assessment depends on professional work experience and
education. “MRICS” can be used as a title after the name.
 Membership
FRICS
Fellowship at RICS (FRICS) is awarded to individuals who can demonstrate
their significant contribution in their profession. “FRICS” can be used as a
title after the name

HonRICS
Honorary members of RICS (HonRICS) can be awarded by RICS for
their extraordinary achievements in one of the fields RICS dedicates
to.
The RICS Rules of
Conduct (Global)
 The Rules of Conduct
 The RICS Rules of Conduct support positive change in the built and natural environments,
through promoting and enforcing the highest ethical standards in valuation, the
development and management of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure. The
Rules of Conduct are based on ethical principles of honesty, integrity, competence,
service, respect and responsibility.
 Under its Royal Charter, RICS is required to maintain the usefulness of the profession for
the public advantage, and the practice of surveying is defined as including ‘securing the
optimal use of land and its associated resources to meet social and economic needs’.
Professional ethical practice by RICS members and firms provides a foundation for
effective markets, pioneers better places to live and work, and is a force for positive social
impact.
 The Rules of Conduct
 There are five rules under the RICS Rules of Conduct. The five rules provide a structure for
making ethical decisions about how to behave as a professional. Members must use their
professional judgement in applying these principles to the situations they face in practice
and firms must support individuals working for them to do so. The rules are primarily
about professional conduct, but personal conduct may be relevant to the rules where it
may damage public confidence in the profession.
 Rules 1
 Members and firms must be honest, act with integrity and comply with their
professional obligations, including obligations to RICS.
 Example behaviours:
Members and firms do not mislead others by their actions or omissions, or by
being complicit in the actions or omissions of others.
Members and firms do not allow themselves to be influenced improperly by
others (as a result of, for example, giving or receiving work referrals, gifts,
hospitality or payments) or by their own self interest.
 Rules 1
 Example behaviours (Cont’s):
Members and firms identify actual and potential conflicts of interest
throughout a professional assignment and do not provide advice or services
where a conflict of interest or a significant risk of one arises, unless they do so
in accordance with the current edition of Conflicts of interest, RICS professional
statement.
Firms have effective processes to identify actual and potential conflicts of
interest, to enable appropriate decisions to be made on whether to accept
work, and to keep records of decisions made about actual and potential
conflicts of interest.
 Rule 1
 Example behaviours (Cont’s):
Members and firms providing advice and opinion in a professional context do
so honestly and objectively based on relevant and reliable evidence, and firms
have processes to ensure that directors, partners and employees do so.
Members and firms are open and transparent with clients about their fees and
services.
Members and firms act to prevent others being misled about their professional
opinion.
Members and firms do not take unfair advantage of others.
 Rule 1
 Example behaviours (Cont’s):
Members and firms protect confidential information and only use or disclose it
for the purposes for which it was provided, where they have the necessary
consent to do so or where required or permitted by law.
Firms keep client money safe and have appropriate accounting controls.
Members do not misuse client money and comply with controls intended to
keep it safe.
Members and firms do not facilitate any financial crime including money
laundering, tax evasion, bribery or corruption. Firms have effective processes
to prevent directors, partners or employees from doing so.
 Rule 2
 Members and firms must maintain their professional competence and ensure
that services are provided by competent individuals who have the necessary
expertise.
 Example behaviours:
Members and firms only undertake work that they have the knowledge, skills
and resources to carry out competently.
Members and firms supervise any employees undertaking work for them and
ensure that these employees have the necessary knowledge, skills and
resources to do their tasks competently.
 Rule 2
 Example behaviours:
Members and firms check that subcontractors have the necessary 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 maintain and develop their knowledge and skills throughout their careers. They
identify development needs, plan and undertake continuing professional development
(CPD) activities to address them and are able to demonstrate they have done so. Firms
encourage and support directors, partners and employees to maintain and develop their
knowledge and skills, and check that they are complying with CPD requirements set by
RICS.
 Rule 2
 Example behaviours:
Members and firms stay up to date and comply with relevant legislation,
codes of practice and other professional and relevant technical standards.
Firms ensure that their directors, partners and employees do so.
 Rule 3
 Members and firms must provide good-quality and diligent service.
 Example behaviours:
Members and firms understand 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 timescales for the work.
Firms inform clients that they are regulated by RICS and that they may need to
disclose records to RICS where required for regulatory purposes.
 Rule 3
 Example behaviours:
Members and firms inform clients promptly and seek their agreement if it is
proposed that any of the terms of engagement or estimated fees or costs be
changed.
Members and firms undertake their work in a timely manner; with due care,
skill and diligence and in accordance with RICS technical standards.
Members and firms communicate to clients the material information on which
their professional advice and opinion is based.
Members and firms communicate with clients and others clearly and in a way
they can understand.
 Rule 3
 Example behaviours:
Members and firms ensure that any referral or introduction they make for a
client is in the best interests of the client and inform clients about any financial
or other benefits to the member or their firm from a referral or introduction.
Members and firms keep proper records of their work and decisions in
enough detail to allow them to answer questions from clients and to allow
their work to be audited for quality assurance or regulatory purposes.
Members and firms, when advising clients about projects, encourage solutions
that are sustainable in that they minimise harm and deliver balanced
economic, social and environmental benefits.
 Rule 3
 Example behaviours:
Members and firms understand the risks and benefits of using relevant
technology.
Members and firms check that all data used is accurate and up to date, is kept
securely, and that they have proper legal rights to use it and, where required,
share it.
Firms have effective quality assurance processes for their work.
 Rule 4
 Members and firms must treat others with respect and encourage diversity
and inclusion.
 Example behaviours:
Members and firms respect the rights of others and treat others with
courtesy.
Members and firms treat everyone fairly and do not discriminate against
anyone on any improper grounds, including age, disability, gender
reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race,
religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
 Rule 4
 Example behaviours:
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 report abusive labour practices to proper and recognised
authorities if they become aware of, or suspect, them.
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.
 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.
 Example behaviours:
Members and firms question practices and decisions that they suspect are not right,
and raise concerns with colleagues, senior management, clients, RICS or any other
appropriate person, body or organisation where they believe in good faith that it is
necessary to do so. Firms provide processes to allow and support individuals within
the firm to raise concerns with senior management.
Members and firms support directors, partners, employees, colleagues or clients
who have acted in good faith to report concerns.
 Rule 5
 Example behaviours:
Members and firms ensure that public statements made by the firm, or in which
members are (or could be) identified as members of the profession, do not
undermine public confidence in the profession.
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 cooperate with investigations into complaints or concerns, and
provide information where it is reasonably requested and they can do so lawfully.
 Rule 5
 Example behaviours:
Members consider the effect that any health conditions may have on their
competence or ability to undertake professional work, and inform management or
clients where they require reasonable adjustments or are unable to continue to
undertake work competently.
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.