• Members will conduct their business honestly and responsibly, so as to bring credit to themselves, their Association and their industry.
• Members will understand and comply with the Residential Tenancy Act and the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association.
• Members will manage and mantain their properties so as to provide safe, secure and healthy residences for their tenants.
• Members will enter into written and signed residential tenancy agreements with their tenants and will conduct and record incoming and, where possible, outgoing inspections of rental accommodations with their tenants.
• Members will endeavour to establish and maintain relationships with their tenants which are based on mutual respect as well as recognition and acceptance of the rights and responsibilities of both tenants and landlords.
• Members will promptly and fairly respond to all legitimate complaints or concerns raised by their tenants or the Association.
• Members will continually improve their professional and managerial skills through education, training and information exchange.
• A member will immediately be informed of the substance of any complaint received by the Association and directed against the Member. Such complaint will then promptly be investigated by the Association, with the member and the complainant being apprised of the Associations's findings.
• A member who violates this Code of Ethics may be reprimanded, suspended or expelled from the Association by resolution of the Board of Directors, but no such disciplinary action will be taken until a complete investigation has been conducted by the Association and the member has been given the opportunity to be heard and, where appropriate, to correct the violation, but has failed to do so.

Personal Information Protection Policy of the Rental Owners and Managers Society of BC

Policy Statement

It is the policy of ROMS Rental Owners and Managers Society of BC (“ROMS BC”) to comply with the Personal Information Protection Act, SBC 2003 c.63, and to protect the information under its control pertaining to members, tenancy applicants, employees and Directors. Such information will be stored securely and not released to any person unless the Personal Information Protection Act permits or requires such release.

ROMS BC subscribes to the ten principles of fair information practice, contained in the Canadian Standards Association’s Model Code for Protection of Personal Information.  They are:

1.   Be accountable for protecting personal information and following the law.

2.   Identify the purpose for collecting, using or disclosing personal information.

3.   Obtain consent to collect, use or disclose personal information.

4.   Limit collection only to the information you need.

5.   Limit use, disclosure and retention of personal information to its original purpose.

6.   Be accurate.

7.   Use appropriate safeguards to protect personal information.

8.   Be open with your policy on personal information.

9.   Give individuals access to their personal information and how it is being used.

10.   Challenging compliance – have a procedure for handling and answering any  requests for access or complaints.

ROMS BC will continue to educate and require its members to obtain completed, written application forms from tenancy applicants. Such forms require the applicant’s written consent to disclose and obtain information relative to the decision on whether to accept that applicant.

ROMS BC’s designated Privacy Officer is the Chief Executive Officer who is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Act by all ROMS BC staff and for advising the Board of Directors to ensure compliance relative to their responsibilities as ROMS BC Directors.

Any complaints registered in writing with ROMS BC will be investigated by the CEO who will report to the Board of Directors on the complaint and/or the results of the investigation. Such report shall be made no later than at the next scheduled Board meeting following receipt of the complaint and/or completion of the investigation.

Practices

Credit Reports and related documents obtained on behalf of ROMS BC members will be retained in secure storage within the alarmed offices of ROMS BC for at least three years following issuance of the report. At least once annually, ROMS BC will destroy reports older than three years through a commercial shredding company. 

A credit report and the information contained therein will be released only to the ROMS BC Member or authorized representative requesting the report.

ROMS BC maintains a confidential database, containing information pertaining to its members and their business in the residential rental industry. Such information will only be used for relevant purposes internal to ROMS BC, for compiling mailing lists to be used by ROMS BC and its mailing agent(s), or for meeting federal or provincial government statutory reporting requirements or requirements associated with the annual ROMS BC audit. 

A separate mailing list will be maintained and available only to Associate Members of ROMS BC to communicate directly with ROMS BC members. ROMS BC will delete any member’s name from this latter list upon receiving a written request from the member to do so.

The Board of Directors adopted and approved this Policy and Practices Statement at its regular meeting held February 18, 2004.