RICS APC Professional Practice — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What are the RICS 'Rules of Conduct' designed to ensure?
- Maximum profitability for surveyors
- That RICS members and firms maintain the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct (Correct answer)
- That surveyors only work on large projects
- That all surveyors charge the same fees
Correct answer: That RICS members and firms maintain the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct
The RICS Rules of Conduct set out the professional and ethical standards that all RICS members and regulated firms must adhere to, ensuring public trust and confidence in the profession.
Question 2: What does the RICS ethical principle of 'acting with integrity' require of a surveyor?
- Always agreeing with clients
- Being honest, open, and transparent in all professional dealings, and not misleading others (Correct answer)
- Only working for reputable clients
- Charging the highest fees possible
Correct answer: Being honest, open, and transparent in all professional dealings, and not misleading others
Acting with integrity requires RICS members to be honest, open, and transparent in their professional dealings, avoiding conflicts of interest and never deliberately misleading clients or third parties.
Question 3: What is the purpose of Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) for RICS members?
- To insure the surveyor's office building
- To provide financial protection against claims arising from negligent professional advice or services (Correct answer)
- To fund the surveyor's retirement
- To cover employee salaries
Correct answer: To provide financial protection against claims arising from negligent professional advice or services
PII protects RICS members against claims for damages resulting from acts of negligence, errors, or omissions in their professional work. RICS requires all regulated firms to maintain adequate PII.
Question 4: Under RICS standards, what must a surveyor do if they identify a conflict of interest?
- Ignore it and continue working
- Disclose the conflict to all affected parties and either manage it appropriately with informed consent or decline the instruction (Correct answer)
- Only disclose it if asked
- Charge a higher fee to compensate
Correct answer: Disclose the conflict to all affected parties and either manage it appropriately with informed consent or decline the instruction
RICS requires members to identify, disclose, and manage conflicts of interest transparently. If the conflict cannot be managed, the surveyor must decline or withdraw from the instruction.
Question 5: What is a 'competency' in the context of the RICS APC?
- A legal qualification
- A defined area of knowledge, skill, or expertise that candidates must demonstrate at specified levels (Correct answer)
- A type of building survey
- A financial audit requirement
Correct answer: A defined area of knowledge, skill, or expertise that candidates must demonstrate at specified levels
In the APC, competencies are defined areas that candidates must demonstrate at specified levels (1 = knowledge, 2 = application, 3 = reasoned advice). They are pathway-specific and mandatory or optional.
Question 6: What is RICS' complaints handling procedure designed to achieve?
- To penalise surveyors automatically
- To provide a fair and transparent process for resolving disputes between RICS members/firms and their clients (Correct answer)
- To increase RICS membership fees
- To promote specific surveying firms
Correct answer: To provide a fair and transparent process for resolving disputes between RICS members/firms and their clients
The RICS complaints handling procedure ensures that clients have access to a fair, transparent, and independent process for resolving complaints about the service provided by RICS-regulated firms.
RICS APC Professional Practice
What are the RICS 'Rules of Conduct' designed to ensure?