By Pat Davitt, CEO, IPAV
2017 ended on a very high note for IPAV with the awarding of the contract from the Property Services Regulator to provide Continuous Professional Development (CPD) to all licensed Auctioneers, Estate Agents and Property Service providers. This is very good news for IPAV and represents yet another significant milestone in the Institute’s ongoing development, and notably recognises the strides IPAV has made in education and professional development for its members over the past years.
The award followed the offering of a tender by the Regulator to supply their CPD modules to all 4,600 licensed property service providers throughout Ireland. IPAV tendered a bid which was accepted and was granted the contract along with one other provider, the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI). The requirement for the provision of the mandatory Professional Competence Scheme is enshrined in the Property Services Regulation Act 2011.
All licensees of the PSRA will be required to undertake a minimum of 5 verifiable hours annually. There are two categories of courses, Category A – General/Management and Category B – Legislation. A minimum of 2 hours CPD must be completed annually in each Category i.e. a minimum of 2 hours CPD undertaken in Category A and 2 hours CPD undertaken in Category B. The final 1 hour CPD can be selected from either category.
Annually, under the category Legislation/Regulation, each licensee must complete 1 hour CPD relating to the Property Services (Regulation) Act, 2011 and related Regulations. In addition, one half hour CPD must be completed relating to Anti Money Laundering legislation.
Every licence holder will be required to complete all 5 hours. Each year the CPD cycle ends on 31 December of that year. At inspections by the Regulator, CPD Certificates will have to be produced, when required, to prove the licensee has completed the required hours. The CPD can contain two (2) hours maximum online and the other three (3) hours will have to be undertaken in a classroom setting. The offline modules will be delivered by IPAV at selected centres by the regulator throughout the country, including Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Mullingar and Kilkenny.
Currently all TEGoVA Valuers in IPAV are required to complete 20 hours of CPD annually. IPAV is now negotiating with TEGoVA to see if agreement can be reached whereby the 5 hours required for the Property Services Regulator can be included in the 20 hours of Valuation CPD required by TEGoVA. IPAV will keep Valuers informed of developments.
IPAV is looking forward to hearing from all licensees across the country who wish to complete their CPD at IPAV-organised events. The cost of the CPD will be approximately €15 per hour.
CPD is now increasingly recognised as the way to keep all professionals including Valuers and Estate Agents up to date with changes and important issues in the property services and valuation market. In addition, it also affords licensees a great opportunity of networking with colleagues in the industry.
Further details on the first modules will issue from IPAV Head Office shortly and I look forward to engaging with members on this new and exciting project in the months ahead.
There are two categories, A and B:
Category A: General/Management Modules: Ethics; Customer care/management; Complaints management,; Health and Safety; Sectoral related matters; Office management; Staff management; Licence renewal administration; Business skills; Financial management; Risk management; Professional indemnity insurance and Owner management company and agent relationship.
Category B: Legislation Modules: Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011 and its secondary legislation; Multi-Unit Development Act 2011;Residential Tenancies Act 2004 and Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015; Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003; Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010.
