Professional Conduct and Ethical Practice Policy

Purpose. Sets the standard of honesty, fairness and disclosure expected of everyone at Vantage when dealing with clients, tenants, residents, contractors and the public.

1.Purpose

Vantage's licences depend on the conduct of its people. This policy applies the conduct requirements of the Property Occupations Act 2014, the strata legislation and the Security Providers Act 1993 to every role in the business, including cleaning and surveying staff who enter people's homes and workplaces.

2.Honesty and disclosure

Staff must not make false or misleading statements about a property, a price, a scheme's finances or a service. Salespeople must disclose any benefit they or a related person will receive from a transaction and any relationship with a buyer. Strata managers must disclose commissions on insurance and contracts to the committee in writing.

3.Conflicts of interest

A staff member must not buy, sell, lease or bid on a property the agency is acting for, or recommend a contractor in which they have an interest, without written disclosure to the client and approval from the Licensee. Gifts over a nominal value from contractors or clients must be declared on the gifts register.

• Declare any interest in a property or a contractor in writing
• Do not accept gifts over nominal value from contractors
• Do not use client information for personal advantage
• Refer any doubt to the Licensee before acting

4.Fair treatment

Applicants for tenancies and services must be assessed on lawful criteria only. Discrimination on grounds protected by anti-discrimination law is prohibited. Security officers must apply access and behaviour controls consistently and without profiling. Cleaners and surveyors must respect the homes and workplaces they enter and must not touch or move personal belongings beyond what the task requires.

5.Money and property

Staff must never accept cash from tenants, buyers or residents outside the trust accounting system. Keys, access cards and codes are held under the Key and Access Register and must never be copied or given to a third party without authority.

6.Breaches

A suspected breach must be reported to the department manager or the Licensee. Breaches will be investigated and will lead to disciplinary action, which for licensed roles will include reporting to the regulator where the law requires.