Websites

[PLS7393]

I received a complaint from a private land surveyor stating he received communication from another surveyor (one involved with a group of individuals, non-CLSA, non-BPELS) that states his website is in violation of the PLS Act. No reference was given to a potential violation.

Is this what surveyors do when times are slow, or are they looking to tear into other surveyors business in hopes to get some of their future potential clients? Is it even a surveyors duty to look at other surveyors website and make negative comments about it?

I mentioned to review the Surveyors Code of Conduct. Under Board Rules, Section 476 (10), it states "A licensee shall not falsely or maliciously injure or attempt to injure the reputation or business of others".

I was shocked to hear the story about a surveyor doing this, and the two surveyors don't even have their business located near one another from what I understand.

[JasonCamit]

How is his website in violation? Do you believe it is in violoation? Need specifics.

[Anthony Maffia]

IMO it is too easy to be in violation, e.g. describing your company as employing "surveyors" but only the principal is licensed.

[PLS7393]

How is his website in violation? Do you believe it is in violoation? Need specifics.

Specifics were not given to me, and I didn't ask.

I have better things to do then chase after other professionals and critisize one on how they want to run their business. Critisizing one's business could put my opinion in violation with Board Rule 476 (10), as stated above.

If a friend wants my opinion I may visit a website and tell them what I think, but it is not my practice, nor am I in a position to tell another professional their website is in violation.

[PLS7393]

IMO it is too easy to be in violation, e.g. describing your company as employing "surveyors" but only the principal is licensed.

How would your example be in violation Anthony? The statement is valid, and the company employs "surveyors", even if there happens to only be one on the payroll at this time. Once that surveyor leaves and another becomes employed, your talking plural, and the company employs "surveyors". A surveyor can also sub out any work to other surveyors at anytime, be it a new project, or hiring additional help for a second opinion.

I think you need to re-think your opinion on your statement, and keep to the topic please.

[pls7809]

Tell the friend to send a the link to the board for review and get their opinion. If there's something wrong, hopefully they will notify him so he can correct it. Otherwise, I would tell anyone calling me to go pound sand.

[E_Page]

It's hard to give an opinion without knowing what the alleged violation is and how the code section was supposedly violated.

If the surveyor was contacted directly about his alleged violation and the other surveyor did not make the allegation to other colleagues or potential clients, §476(10) does not apply. One cannot damage another's business by stating a concern to that business owner.

If another surveyor thought I was in violation of something, I hope that I would be contacted first so that we could discuss it. That's not something to complain about. It's called professional courtesy. In making an allegation, the surveyor making the call should be able to cite the code section(s) allegedly violated and explain why he thinks it/they were violated. Without that, the allegations have little merit.