CLP Sales and Business Ethics 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A prospect with a disability requests a reasonable accommodation to keep an emotional support animal in a no-pet community. What must the leasing professional do?
- Deny the request because the no-pet policy applies to all residents equally
- Require the prospect to pay a pet deposit before approving the request
- Engage in an interactive process and consider the request on its merits under Fair Housing guidelines (Correct answer)
- Approve or deny the request based on the animal's breed and size
Correct answer: Engage in an interactive process and consider the request on its merits under Fair Housing guidelines
Fair Housing law requires properties to engage in an interactive process and make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, including allowing emotional support animals.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the 'assumptive close' technique in leasing?
- Assuming the prospect will not qualify and declining to show units
- Proceeding as though the prospect has already decided to lease, moving toward paperwork (Correct answer)
- Assuming the competitor's price is lower and offering a concession
- Asking the prospect directly if they are ready to sign the lease today
Correct answer: Proceeding as though the prospect has already decided to lease, moving toward paperwork
The assumptive close guides the conversation forward by treating the prospect's decision to lease as already made, reducing hesitation.
Question 3: A leasing professional receives a gift from a vendor in exchange for recommending their services to residents. This situation most likely represents:
- A standard business courtesy with no ethical implications
- A conflict of interest that should be disclosed to management (Correct answer)
- An acceptable practice as long as the gift is under $50 in value
- A violation only if the vendor provides inferior services
Correct answer: A conflict of interest that should be disclosed to management
Accepting gifts from vendors in exchange for referrals creates a conflict of interest and must be disclosed to management per ethical business standards.
Question 4: During a guest card follow-up, a prospect says they found a cheaper apartment nearby. What is the most effective response?
- Tell them the cheaper apartment is of inferior quality
- Offer to immediately match the competitor's price without management approval
- Acknowledge their finding and reinforce your community's unique value over price alone (Correct answer)
- Stop following up since they have made their decision
Correct answer: Acknowledge their finding and reinforce your community's unique value over price alone
Refocusing on value rather than competing solely on price preserves the community's positioning and may still convert the prospect.
Question 5: A leasing professional is asked by a current resident to falsify their rental history when speaking with another property on their behalf. The correct action is to:
- Provide an accurate and honest reference regardless of the resident's request (Correct answer)
- Comply with the request to maintain a good relationship with the resident
- Decline to provide any reference at all to avoid the issue
- Provide only positive information and omit negatives without technically lying
Correct answer: Provide an accurate and honest reference regardless of the resident's request
Falsifying a rental history reference is dishonest and potentially fraudulent; leasing professionals must provide truthful information.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of a guest card in the leasing process?
- To provide prospects with a key to tour the model unit independently
- To capture prospect contact information and needs for follow-up and traffic tracking (Correct answer)
- To document that the prospect has signed the lease agreement
- To record maintenance requests from current residents
Correct answer: To capture prospect contact information and needs for follow-up and traffic tracking
A guest card captures prospect information, housing needs, and contact details, enabling follow-up and helping track marketing effectiveness.
Question 7: Which ethical principle requires leasing professionals to keep prospect and resident information confidential?
- Fiduciary duty
- Duty of confidentiality and privacy (Correct answer)
- Duty of care
- Duty of loyalty
Correct answer: Duty of confidentiality and privacy
The duty of confidentiality requires leasing professionals to protect personal and financial information provided by prospects and residents.
CLP Sales and Business Ethics 3
A prospect with a disability requests a reasonable accommodation to keep an emotional support animal in a no-pet community.
What must the leasing professional do?