Members of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of REALTORS® must adhere to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) Code of Ethics and Standard of Business Practice.
The Code establishes a standard of conduct to protect the rights and interests of consumers of real estate services. As a condition of membership in both NLAR and CREA, all REALTORS® agree to abide by the Code. NLAR members understand adherence to the Code protects and promotes the continued trust and positive relations which REALTORS® have with their clients.
To ensure compliance, REALTORS® enforce their Code through procedures established in NLAR By-Laws and enforced by the Professional Standards Committee. The Committee addresses all written complaints and has the authority to discipline a Member who has been found to be in contravention of the Code.
The Professional Standards Committee first determines if the complaint falls within its jurisdiction. It will only make decisions based on the evidence before it and will advise the complainant of the results of its investigation along with an explanation of the decision.
The Committee does not have the jurisdiction to make decisions regarding monetary concerns or legal matters. These claims should be taken to a lawyer for assistance.
The Committee will not accept any third-party complaints. That is, the Committee may only address complaints from parties directly involved. Every year in Newfoundland and Labrador, thousands of properties change ownership, often with the help of a REALTOR®.
Sometimes, problems occur.
If you have issues with the service that you have received from an NLAR member, please take the following steps:
1. Talk to your REALTOR®. Often, issues about service quality, expectations, and so on can be best addressed directly with your REALTOR®. Make them aware of your concerns and explain how you would like to see the matter resolved.
2. Talk to the Manager or Broker. Salespeople are licenced by the Governent of Newfoundland and Labrador in the name of a broker, who is responsible for everyone licenced in that office. If your REALTOR® cannnot solve the problem to your satisfaction, you may ask the manager or broker to mediate the issue.
3. Contact NLAR. If the broker is not able to resolve your concern, contact NLAR. We may be able to help find a resolution. Some issues may be serious enough to address through NLAR’s formal complaints system. Call our Professional Standards department at 1-855-726-5110 Ext 103.
4. Written Complaint to NLAR. NLAR investigates written complaints about the conduct of its members that does not meet NLAR By-laws or the CREA Code of Ethics and Rules of Cooperation.
Written complaints are referred to our Professional Standards Committee for review and investigation. This quasi-judicial process is based on the principles of natural justice, to ensure fairness, independence, confidentiality, and equal treatment.
5. Written Complaint to the Regulator. REALTORS® are licensed by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. For issues related to licensing, Service NL has a complaints process outlined on its website at here.