According to the RICS Rules of Conduct, all members are required to carry out their work with 'due skill, care and diligence and with proper regard for the technical standards expected of them'. , In addition to upholding the professional standards expected of them, all surveyors are required to maintain their professional competence by staying up to date with developments in their industry. Surveyors have a duty of care to both the lender and the homebuyer, regardless of if the owner has attempted to hide the infestation. Whether or not a surveyor is deemed to have properly performed their duty of care will depend on the context of the given case, including the type of survey that was ordered and the nature of the property.