Ethical dilemmas

Your client has not yet had the time to ensure that their properties comply with

new legislation. They instruct you to act in conflict with legal requirements by

using delaying tactics to defer implementation. Your refusal to do so may harm

your lucrative business relationship, leading to financial loss. However, to comply

with the client's wishes may endanger the lives of their tenants. What should you

do?

• The client is always right ? I would act on their instruction to

  maintain our professional relationship.

• Ignore the client's wishes ? They should have known better than to

  ask me.

• Explain to the client that acting on their instruction would lead to

  illegal activity. If they still wish to proceed then advise them that you

  cannot continue to act in this matter for them.

You misquoted for a job and find that you significantly underestimated the work

involved. Half way through the job you have concerns that you may not

satisfactorily be able to carry out the job for this fee. What should you do?

• Complete the job competently, despite incurring a loss and

  recognise that you must be more careful in future.

• Back out of the job.

• Try to renegotiate with your client.

A client for whom you have worked on many jobs approaches you to undertake a

project that will involve work in which you have no knowledge or experience. You

don't want to let the client down as they have been an excellent source of fees

but you could not get training or supervision for this work in their timescales.

What should you do?

• Take on the work and read up on the subject.

• Advise your client that this is not your area of expertise and

  recommend another surveyor who you know will do a good job.

• Refuse the commission with no explanation as you do not want

  your client to feel you are not able to do this job.

You are selling land for a client/tendering a contract for a client and obtain an

offer/tender bid from a company in which you are a major shareholder. What

should you do?

• Sell the land/accept the tender if this is the best bid.

• Advise your client that you are unable to continue with the work.

• Advise all parties of your shareholding interest and your

  involvement with the client, seek written acceptance to continuing

  and take appropriate steps to get a colleague to advise on the bids.

You are selling land/tendering a contract for a client and one of the developers

promises you that if they buy the site/gain the contract they will instruct you to

undertake work for them. What should you do?

• Encourage your client to sell/let the contract to this developer.

• Continue the sale/tender making no reference to this approach from

  the developer.

• Advise your client accordingly and seek their approval to you

  continuing with the sale/tender.

You are aware that properties you manage/are contract managing the build for

do not/will not comply with recently introduced fire safety legislation. New tenants

are about to move in. Your client has asked you not to advise them of the

discrepancy. What should you do?

• Let your client know that you are not prepared to endanger lives

  and explain that they must ensure the properties comply with the

  legislation.

• Accept the client's instruction as you are there to act on their behalf.

• Try to deter the tenants from moving in and encourage them to look

  for alternative accommodation.