Tony Chenier, PLS – Vancouver, BC – 2023 Past LSAW President
tchenier@mackaysposito.com – 360.957.0272 – 2/26/2026 8:31 AM
Professional ethics are the standards that guide our decisions and behavior when no one is forcing us to do the right thing.
- Ethics guide decisions
- Laws set the floor, ethics set the bar
- Ethical decisions often live in the gray area
Important for Surveyors “to protect the public.”
“ETHICS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL SURVEYOR – Second Edition.”
– Dennis Mouland, pls
Question 1. – “To Stamp or Not to Stamp” … Is it even a question?
If the real property had been surveyed by someone in your office before and they are deemed to be trustworthy, but have retired … should you yet be able to certify their previous work?
Mixed answers, in which there was an initial thought that you want to measure the land, the standards may have been different at the time, so don’t do it.
Others said, this is a “it depends” type situation, but you want to be clear as to whether it was done properly. One way would be to put language in the notes that speak to any concerns or the fact that it is being surveyed previously and that there may have been some minor discrepancies.
Basically, this is a question of when one should go out and remeasure.
Considerations:
- What does your seal represent?
- Liability and accountability
- Oversight and responsibility charge
- Public trust and professional credibility
Note that the language should on any narrative be written for understanding by the public … not other professional surveyors.
Question 2. – “Fiends, Family … and Fences”
If there are pins on the ground and the neighbors are generally in good standing, but the neighbor of your father-in-law has had a boundary dispute with another neighbor, would you do the survey.
There is the “appearance of impropriety” … but that can be overcome by doing the job in good stead.
Go ahead and advise your father, and if you actually do the job though, make sure that it is done impeccably.
Considerations:
- Conflict of interest (real or perceived)
- Objectivity and professional distance
- Pressure and exceptions
- Public perception
Question 3. – Hey Pay, I’d like to Buy This Job
Should you take a cut in the price of a job to help take care of your people by keeping them employed. When you allow the price to go down, then it will drive the overall costs down for everyone.
The discussion ranged here from this is a business decision and an ethical decision which in a downturned economy are juxtaposed to one another.
Considerations:
- Long-term impacts on the profession
- Sustainability vs. short-term survival
- Fair competition
- Professional responsibility
Question 4. – The Little Bird
Your church is seeking to have some survey work done – by someone other than you – and a bid came in that is lowest by a crew that is not all that good. Do you indicate that the low-ball bidder should be pointed out.
Considerations:
- Professional courtesy
- Harm to public confidence
- Accuracy vs. gossip
- Reputation of the profession
Question 5. – The Budget Shuffle
The breakdown from the original bid is different in specific areas … where in some areas the price on some segments is underbudget and another segment is overbudgeted … can the budget just be switched around to make sure that the overall compensation still makes out properly.
“Good contracts make for good projects.”
It was suggested that there be a clause which allows for this sort of switching the budget around.
It is not helpful to have the engineering division walking over and seeking to put hours in to the surveyors budget … UNLESS you speak to the client.
The question is basically do you need to do better accounting for the job.
Considerations:
- Contractual obligations
- Transparency with clients
- Internal integrity
- Professional honesty
Question 6. – Airplane Mode – i.e. you stop taking their call.
The neighbor starts to call you about information you put into a survey. How much time should you be willing to speak with that person about the survey.
We have a right to defend our own mental health, put them on notice that you have answered questions and continued conversation is not going to be productive BUT they can hire them for more information.
The Ethics Board member says that they get some people that make a complaint without ever even sought to speak with the surveyor … and others in which the surveyor refused to speak with the neighbor.
Considerations:
- Duty to communicate
- Community trust
- Escalation risks
- Professional image
Question 7. – The Game Warden
You are at a conference, and you find out that someone at your competitor is not satisfied
and because you have swapped business cards, you decide to approach them about
coming over to your company.
Does this cross the line as to poaching someone else.
Personal observation: This question wouldn’t even be considered in the legal arena.
Considerations
- Fair competition within the profession
- Respect for colleagues and firms
- Intent vs. impact of recruitment practices
- Long-term health of the professional community
Question 8. The Super Surveyor
Someone wants to have you do a job that is well beyond your abilities. Do you want to take it on or do you refer it away. Notably, you must specify to your client your ability to perform the work. The example that was given was hydrographic surveying … because this is difficult work that most people don’t do.
An example is now bringing on drones.
Considerations:
- Competency and expertise
- Risk to public Safety
- Knowing Professional Limits
- Responsibility to the Public
Question 9 – ALTAs: The Gift that Keeps on Giving?
If you are approached to certify an ALTA Survey that has been done previously, do you charge the client again at full price, a deminimus amount, or a fair price that reflects that you already have much of the information.
Look at adding value, but make sure that it is reasonable … both to you, the client, and the profession.
Considerations:
- Fair value for services
- Transpareny in billing
- Client trust
- Market power vs. ethics
Final Thoughts … Before you make the call – i.e. the decision.
- Would I be comfortable explaining this decision publicly?
- Would I stand by it if it went viral?
- Does this decision protect the public?
2/26/2026 10:00 AM – Concluded on the dot.