Complaints and Ethics
Not all real estate agents are REALTORS®. REALTORS® abide by the strict standards of the National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics and Standards of Practices. The Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice outline duties that REALTORS® have to clients and customers, the public, and other REALTORS®. For more information about the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, visit https://www.nar.realtor/about-nar/policies/code-of-ethics-and-professional-standards
If a REALTOR® has failed to meet these standards, you can file a complaint. First, you must determine* if the person is a REALTOR® and, thus, bound by the Code of Ethics. Then you have the following options to resolve your dispute:
Contact the Broker
Contact the person's broker to inform him or her what happened. Many problems come from a lack of communication. Speaking directly with the broker could lead to a quick resolution.
Use the Ombudsman Program
A volunteer from the Texas REALTORS® Professional Standards Committee will listen to your concerns, explain possible resolutions, and answer questions.
File an Ethics Complaint
If contacting the broker and talking to an ombudsman doesn't resolve the problem, you can file a formal complaint.
File an Anonymous Complaint
For certain types of Code of Ethics violations, you can submit an anonymous complaint.
Arbitration
This process is used when you think you're owed money based on an agreement.
*If your agent is not a REALTOR®, you will need to contact the Texas Real Estate Commission.
West Texas Commercial Information Exchange
The West Texas CIE is the best place to find commercial, farm and ranch and land listings! Visit www.WestTexasCIE.com
Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice
All REALTORS® must abide by NAR's Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. The Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice outline duties that REALTORS® have to clients and customers, the public, and other REALTORS®. While the Code of Ethics establishes obligations that may be higher than those mandated by law, in any instance where the Code of Ethics and the law conflict, the obligations of the law must take precedence.
The Code of Ethics can be found here http://www.realtor.org/about-nar/governing-documents/the-code-of-ethics
