Roundup: RICS turns judge and jury on members’ misdemeanours

The RICS made nearly £140,000 last year from its members in disciplinary hearing fines and legal costs relating to offences that were often unrelated to professional competence, reported Building.

The list of crimes and misdemeanours included plagiarism, poor accounts, fraud, drink driving, sexual harassment and even growing cannabis, the magazine reported.

But members have questioned whether some of the disciplinary action was appropriate.

Richard Steer, chairman of Gleeds Worldwide, said: “As a percentage of the institution’s £50m income, it is not a great deal of money. The fact that drink driving is also included is particularly intriguing.”

The body brought 32 misconduct cases in 2010, fined members £24,000 and imposed costs of £113,842.

Eleven members were expelled over the course of the year for failing to comply with RICS professional regulations, financial mismanagement and not having correct insurance.

These include Christopher Manning, fined £5000 plus £4354.50 in costs for “reckless” surveying.

Two members were found guilty of plagiarism on texts submitted as part of their professional competence, with one having to pay over £5,500 in costs after unsuccessfully appealing against expulsion.

But other cases fell into the category of misdemeanours that had already been taken up in the courts or employment tribunals.

A hearing in August 2010 cautioned a member, Michael Rutter, after he was given 60 hours community service for the cultivation of cannabis and non-compliance with shot gun and firearms certificates. He was also had to pay £1,750 to cover the costs of the RICS hearing.

A fellow of the RICS was fined £500, plus more than £3,000 in costs, after a conviction for drink driving.

Andrew Ferrier was expelled from the RICS and order to pay £4054.50 in costs by the after an employment tribunal found him guilty of sexual harassment.

RICS member Christopher Grinter was expelled in July 2009 and told to pay £3,060 in costs after being sentenced to five years in prison for grooming girls and amassing indecent images and videos.

Diane Telford, director of global regulatory operations at the RICS, said that the organisation takes disciplinary action over any conviction carrying a custodial sentence. She said the bill for costs covers solicitors, panel attendance fees and transport.