1. Purpose
    2. 1. VBAS Assessors shall be fully committed to the principle of honesty, integrity and fair play in the conduct during his/her assessment under VBAS. To uphold public trust and protect public interest, it is important for all VBAS Assessors to conduct assessment in a just and impartial manner so that the reputation of VBAS will not be tarnished by dishonesty, impropriety or corruption. To this end, this Code of Conduct (the Code) incorporating appropriate legal and ethical requirements sets out the principles to guide the behavior of, and the standards of conduct and professionalism expected from the VBAS Assessors.
  2. Conflict of Interest
    3. 2. VBAS Assessors shall exercise their own professional judgment and be abided by the Code given hereinafter to avoid any conflict of interest in the course of performance of their duties as VBAS Assessor and to declare any conflict as and when it arises.
    3. Although Registered Inspectors are not required by law to declare conflict of interest when they accept appointments offered by their clients, all VBAS Assessors registered under the VBAS will be required to sign and submit a “Declaration of Interest” Form (Form No. VBAS-VA-02) to the Panel Secretariat after they have been formally appointed by the building owners to act as VBAS Assessors under the VBAS.  The completed Declaration shall be submitted to the Panel Secretariat together with the “Notice of Appointment of VBAS Assessors” (Form No. VBAS-VA-10). 
    4. VBAS Assessors must not use their positions or any information made available to them in the course of their execution of duties to benefit themselves, their relations or any other persons with whom they have personal or social ties.
    5. To avoid conflict of interests, VBAS Assessors are not allowed to carry out assessment on those records undertaken by them that are required for assessment under the Building Management Category.
    6. A VBAS Assessor must avoid placing himself/herself in a position that creates, leads to, or could give rise to a perception of conflict between his/her duties as a VBAS Assessor and the interests of himself/herself, his/her relations, the people with whom he/she has personal/social ties, or the associations to which he/she belongs, etc.
    7. When a VBAS Assessor encounters any situation which may lead to conflict of interest, he/she should temporarily suspend the assessment work and promptly report to the Panel Secretariat for an advice on the way forward.
  3. Integrity
    4. 8. A VBAS Assessor must perform his/her duties with competence, integrity, fairness and responsibility.  He/she should not place himself/herself under any financial or other obligation to other individuals or organizations that may influence him/her in the performance of his/her duty as a VBAS Assessor.
    9. A VBAS Assessor must conform to the Code of Conduct of his/her own professional body which requires him/her to observe the principles of objectivity, independence and of due care.
  4. Relations with Clients
    5. 10. A VBAS Assessor must perform his/her duties diligently, conscientiously, without favour and with regard to the interests of his/her clients.
    11. A VBAS Assessor must, in his/her professional capacity, give opinions or put forth recommendations or endorsements that are objective, reliable and honest and to the best of his/her ability and knowledge.
    12. A VBAS Assessor must act in a timely manner to complete the building assessment within reasonable time.  A VBAS Assessor who is unable or not willing to continue with his/her assignment must give reasonable notice of termination to his/her client.
    13. A VBAS Assessor must inform his/her clients immediately his/her incapability to act as a VBAS Assessor in case his/her name has been suspended or removed from the VBAS Assessors’ List.
    14. The selection and appointment of VBAS Assessors is purely a private matter between the clients and the VBAS Assessors.  The charges of building assessment fees collected by the VBAS Assessors shall be agreed between the clients and the VBAS Assessors.
    15. The VBAS Assessor shall respect the direct contractual relationship with his/her client and strictly observe the contractual requirements set by his/her client in delivering services as VBAS Assessor for the building(s).
  5. Relations with the Panel and the Panel Secretariat
    6. 16. A VBAS Assessor must observe strictly the instructions stipulated in the VBAS Assessment Manual and other related documents issued by the Panel and any alterations or amendments made from time to time.
    17. A VBAS Assessor must not do, say or omit to do anything which might bring the Panel into disrepute, be incompatible with or detrimental to its objectives and interests.
    18. In communicating with, or providing information to the Panel, a VBAS Assessor must not seek to mislead or deceive the Panel, whether directly or by withholding relevant information.
    19. A VBAS Assessor must not claim or imply that he/she is representing the official views of the Panel when presenting his/her personal views.
    20. A VBAS Assessor must have a correspondence address and contact telephone number where he/she can be contacted by the Panel Secretariat.  He/she must notify the Panel Secretariat in writing, within reasonable time, of any changes in his/her corresponding address and telephone number.
    21. A VBAS Assessor must inform the Panel Secretariat in writing, within reasonable time, of any criminal convictions or disciplinary actions imposed on / taken against him/her by the relevant professional/statutory bodies or changes in his/her qualification or professional membership status, both of which may affect his/her registration as a VBAS Assessor.
  6. Relations among VBAS Assessors
    7. 22. A VBAS Assessor must not defame, explicitly or implicitly, the professional reputation of other VBAS Assessors.
    23. A VBAS Assessor must act with fairness, honesty and courtesy when dealing with other VBAS Assessors.
    24. A VBAS Assessor must work with other VBAS Assessors, if required, to the best of his/her abilities.
  7. Handling Information and Records
    8. 25. A VBAS Assessor must not disclose any confidential information or records (including electronic information/records) entrusted to him/her by the Panel to any party without prior authorization/permission by the Panel.
    26. Except to the Panel, a VBAS Assessor must not disclose any client’s information or records (including electronic information/records) to anybody without the consent of his/her client.
    27. A VBAS Assessor shall at all times provide adequate safeguards to prevent abuse, misuse or unauthorized use of confidential information or records in return for personal interest/gain.
  8. Acceptance of Advantage and Entertainment
    9. 28. The Panel prohibits all VBAS Assessors from soliciting or accepting any advantages, gifts or entertainment from his/her clients or any persons having dealings with his/her clients and the Panel.
    29. A VBAS Assessor should decline the offer of advantages, gifts or entertainment by any party if the acceptance could affect his/her objectivity in conducting the building assessment, or induce him/her to act against the interest of the Panel, or lead to perception or complaints of bias or impropriety.
    30. After declining the offer of advantages, gifts or entertainment, the VBAS Assessor shall report to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) promptly after declining such offers.
  9. Offering of Advantage and Entertainment
    10. 31. VBAS Assessors are prohibited from offering advantages and entertainment to any building owners, staff of management companies, Panel Members, Panel Secretariat staff or any other relevant parties, for the purpose of influencing such person(s) or party(ies) in any dealings related to the assessment under VBAS, whether directly or indirectly or through a third party.
  10. Compliance with the Code
    11. 32. The Code applies to all VBAS Assessors.  All assessors are required to abide by the rules, procedures and requirements as stipulated in the Code.  The Code and any alterations or amendments made from time to time are automatically applicable to all VBAS Assessors without the need to give separate notification.
    33. All VBAS Assessors must exhibit the highest ethical standards in carrying out their duties so as to maintain the integrity of the building assessment system.  The Code is a key mechanism to ensure the VBAS Assessors are acting honestly, ethically, responsibly and with accountability.
    34. To ensure compliance with the Code, the Panel may impose regulatory/disciplinary action(s) if a breach of the Code is found to have occurred.  Regulatory/disciplinary action(s) may range from a warning, suspension of registration for a certain period or removal from registration.  
    35. Any violation of the Code by a VBAS Assessor will be reported to the VBAS Assessors’ professional bodies or Buildings Authority, as appropriate.  In cases of suspected corruption or other criminal offences, a report will be made to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) or the appropriate authorities.
    36. Any problems encountered as well as any suggestions should be channeled to the Panel Secretariat for advice and consideration.