APC: Rules of Conduct

What every candidate must know

25 June 2010

Andrew D Thompson on the importance of the RICS Rules of Conduct - especially how to identify the ethics interview question

Anyone can call themselves a 'surveyor' so what makes an RICS member different? Practising in an ethical manner and being voluntarily bound by a set of principle-based rules is at the very core of elevating a person to a 'Chartered Surveyor'.


A classic error by candidates is to fail to spot the M005 question used to probe their depth of knowledge

M005 is a mandatory element of assessment for every ATC and APC candidate as this allows them to prove their understanding of the RICS Rules of Conduct and the ethics necessary to work in professional practice.

It is the only element of the assessment that has an automatic referral should a candidate fail to demonstrate the required level of competency. However, a classic error by candidates is to fail to spot the question used to probe their depth of knowledge.

How to spot the M005 question

While a holistic consideration of M005 is given to the whole APC assessment, the competency has a specific section in the interview. Most questions will have been from the two Assessors but in the final 10 minutes the questions will come from the APC Chairman who will probe your knowledge of ethics, rules of conduct and professional practice.

A common opening vehicle used by the Chairman to start the M005 discussion is "Consider that you have been successful in the interview today and on receipt of your pass result you decide to set up in private practice. What does the RICS expect of you?"

Every Chairman expects a candidate to have read and understood:

A candidate should understand the term 'Regulated by RICS', and know the role and responsibilities of their firm's Contact Officer. The rules are split into two major areas - Member and Firm - and a candidate must understand the reason for this split and the impact on them as an RICS member.

However, the APC is not about remembering lists or memorising facts as this would only confirm a Level 1 understanding. An APC Chairman will seek a deeper, Level 3 understanding of the principles and how you implement them in your daily working life. I strongly encourage candidates to learn the RICS Rules well in advance of the interview to allow time to reflect on the impact of them.

Keep your clients happy

A candidate should be able to discuss a potential complaint from a client. Every RICS member might have to deal with these and, when handled correctly, many potentially unhappy clients can be saved and nurtured into long-term relationships. Therefore the emphasis is not on the extreme of being sued for negligence; however, a candidate must be able to take the panel through the stages and options available should a complaint arise. This might range from a minor misunderstanding on a point of service to a full insurance claim.

Conflicts of interest do happen in practice and candidates need to understand how to spot a conflict and how to avoid or manage the situation. Ethical (Chinese) walls are a common way for organisations to deal with potential conflicts; candidates are expected to understand how these work not only in their own organisation but also if they are reporting into another body that has established an ethical wall.

While not as common as in other branches of the profession, Chartered Building Surveyors can hold or control client money; for example, as covered by the 'Security for expenses' section of the Party Walls etc. Act 1996. Candidates must therefore understand how these accounts work and their responsibilities under any separate legislation and the relationship with the RICS Rules.

Andrew D Thompson is Head of Surveying at BLDA Consultancy, is an APC Chairman of Assessors and presents the RICS Ethics and Rules of Conduct lecture at the It's Your APC event

Further information

Download a complete “APC: Rules of Conduct” PDF