Codes of Conduct & Consumer Law
The code that governs the work — and the law that backs it
For an unlicensed profession the code of conduct is the whole of your standing. This unit sets out the IIID code and scale of charges; the mechanics of a fair project — units and mode of measurement, the clerk of works, inspection, certificates of payment, the BOQ and the schedule of rates; and the consumer law that governs the work, above all the Consumer Protection Act 2019 and deficiency in service.
Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to — mapped to the course outcomes for Professional Practice:
Describe the code of professional conduct and the scale of charges.
Explain the units and mode of measurement, the clerk of works, inspection and certificates of payment.
Explain the bill of quantities, the schedule of rates and the tender documents.
State how the Consumer Protection Act 2019 and related law apply to an interior designer.
The code & the mechanics
The IIID code of conduct — integrity, confidentiality, no secret commissions, honest claims — is the backbone of the profession, and a scale of charges keeps fees fair. The mechanics keep a project honest: measure by a standard method (IS 1200), the clerk of works watches site, and the designer issues honest certificates of payment against the BOQ and schedule of rates.[1, 2]
The profession's backbone
The IIID CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT sets out how a member must behave: act with integrity and in the client's interest; keep confidentiality; take NO secret commissions or kickbacks and disclose any discount or interest; avoid conflicts of interest; compete and advertise honestly; deal fairly with colleagues, contractors and consultants; and never claim work, credit or competence that is not yours. A SCALE OF CHARGES gives members guidance on reasonable fees for stages of work, so that fees reflect the service rather than a race to the bottom. This is not decoration on the profession — it IS the profession. A licence can be granted or withheld by law; a reputation for conduct is granted or withheld by every client, contractor and colleague you deal with, and for an unlicensed profession it is the whole of your standing.[1, 3]
The consumer law around the work
The client is also a consumer. Under the Consumer Protection Act 2019 a designer providing a service is not a ‘product seller’, but IS liable for a deficiency in service — so professionals are not exempt. Know the surrounding law too — the Contract Act, the Arbitration Act, GST and RERA — and take advice beyond your competence.[4, 2]
Professionals are not exempt
The client is also a CONSUMER, and the CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT, 2019 — which replaced the 1986 Act, with its product-liability provisions in force from 20 July 2020 — gives them the right to act against a DEFICIENCY IN SERVICE and against defective products. Here is the nuance that matters for a designer: a provider of professional SERVICES, where the skill is the essence of the transaction and any product is incidental, is NOT a 'product seller' under the Act, so pure product-liability may not attach. But the designer IS answerable for a DEFICIENCY IN SERVICE — service that is faulty, imperfect or below the standard required by law or promised in the contract. So professionals are NOT exempt from consumer law, and 'I only advised' is not a shield for negligent work. The real defence is simple and professional: define the scope, do the work to the standard promised, document decisions, and keep the client informed — the same discipline the whole course teaches.[4]
At a glance
| Aspect | The fact | The folklore |
|---|---|---|
| The code of conduct | The backbone of an unlicensed profession — integrity, confidentiality, no secret commissions | Optional good manners |
| A certificate of payment | An honest professional certification that work is properly done — never a favour | A rubber stamp to release money |
| Quantities are measured | By a standard method (IS 1200) so everyone measures the same way | However each person likes |
| Are professionals exempt from consumer law? | No — not a 'product seller', but LIABLE for deficiency in service (CP Act 2019) | Yes — 'I only advised' is a full defence |
| Knowing the law | Know which act governs which part; take legal advice beyond your competence | Ignore it — that's the lawyer's job |
Key terms
The voluntary code members hold to: integrity, confidentiality, no secret commissions, no conflicts of interest, honest competition, fair dealing, no false claims of credit or competence.
Guidance on reasonable fees for stages of work, so fees reflect the service rather than a race to the bottom.
The client's on-site representative who watches quality and progress day to day and reports — the designer's eyes on site between visits.
The designer's honest certification that a stage of work is properly complete, so the client can pay the contractor that amount (less retention).
The bill of quantities lists every item, quantity, rate and amount; the schedule of rates (e.g. CPWD DSR) provides standard rates; together with the drawings and conditions they form the tender documents.
Replaced the 1986 Act; lets a consumer act against deficiency in service and defective products. A service provider is not a 'product seller' but IS liable for deficiency in service.
Study task
Write a short code-of-conduct pledge for your own future practice — six to eight lines covering integrity, confidentiality, disclosure of any commission or interest, honest certification, and staying within your competence. Then take one realistic scenario — a client alleges a deficiency in service because a specified finish is failing — and write how the Consumer Protection Act 2019 would view it, and, crucially, how a clear scope, work done to the promised standard, and good documentation would be your defence. The goal is to see conduct and consumer law not as threats but as the discipline that protects a professional.
Self-assessment
1. A vendor offers a secret commission to specify their product. Under the code of conduct, you:
2. What is a certificate of payment?
3. Are interior designers exempt from the Consumer Protection Act 2019?
4. Why measure quantities by IS 1200 (a standard method)?
Recap
References & further reading
- [1]IIID (Institute of Indian Interior Designers) — code of professional conduct and scale of charges (member guidance). https://iiid.net.in/
- [2]IS 1200 (method of measurement of building and civil engineering works) and the CPWD Delhi Schedule of Rates — measurement, BOQ and rates. https://www.bis.gov.in/
- [3]Christine M. Piotrowski, Professional Practice for Interior Designers, Wiley — conduct, ethics and contract administration. https://www.wiley.com/
- [4]The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (India) — deficiency in service and product liability; the professional-service distinction. https://ncdrc.nic.in/bare_acts/CPA2019.pdf
Further reading
- Christine M. Piotrowski, Professional Practice for Interior Designers, Wiley.
- H. Roshan Namavati, Professional Practice, Lakshani Book Depot, Bombay.
- B. N. Dutta, Estimating and Costing in Civil Engineering — measurement, BOQ and rate analysis.
Sources gathered and fact-checked June 2026. Published values vary by source, sample and method — treat as indicative and confirm against the cited standard before structural use.
The author
Amogh N P
Architect, interior designer, and creative polymath. Studio Matrx began in his notebooks — his vision of design made honest, useful, and open to everyone. Its Academy is written and taught in his memory, and free, forever.
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