Whether you are a buyer or seller, working with a real estate agent is usually a smooth and straightforward process. Most REALTORS® and other real estate agents conduct their behavior in a professional manner and any disagreements are often the result of an honest mistake or a break in communication versus willfully acting in bad faith.

Frequently, disputes between real estate agents and buyers or sellers can be mitigated with communication or mediation. If the parties cannot come to a resolution, buyers or sellers may be able to file a complaint with the Association of REALTORS® if the agent is a licensed REALTOR®. Below, we discuss how to handle a dispute with your REALTOR® and how to get the legal help you need in the event that you and your real estate agent are involved in a serious disagreement due to their potential violations of ethics codes.

REALTORS® Code of Ethics Defined  

REALTORS® must conduct themselves in a manner which adheres to the Association’s Code of Ethics. There are 17 Articles in the Code, which REALTORS® are expected to understand and abide by when they become licensed by the association. The Code is designed to provide buyers and sellers with a consistently professional experience and to ensure that customers are treated fairly according to the Association’s guidelines.

Real estate agents who are not REALTORS® are not beholden to the same ethics guidelines and it may be more difficult to hold these agents accountable for conduct. When a realtor is reported to the Association, the Association must decide if a violation occurred and the appropriate disciplinary action.

How to File an Ethics Complaint With the Association of REALTORS®

If you choose to file an ethics complaint with the Association of REALTORS®, it’s important that you do so as quickly as possible once you decide this is the action you want to take. You only have a finite window of time after the real estate transaction to file a complaint, usually within 180 days. If you do not file within this time frame, you may forfeit your right to file an ethics complaint at all.

Make sure your complaint includes which articles of the Association’s Code of Ethics your real estate agent violated, along with a narrative on how the Article was violated by the REALTOR®.

Call a Palm Beach County Real Estate Litigation Lawyer 

If you’re involved in a real estate dispute, get legal help from a veteran Palm Beach County real estate litigation attorney. Call Feinstein Real Estate Litigation and Business Law at 954-546-7862.