It can be stressful and unsettling when you learn that a complaint has been filed against you, but CREB^® is here to support you as you go through the process.

At any point, you can contact the case manager on your file, and while they can’t provide any speculation on the outcome of the file, we can answer questions about the process so you know more about what to expect. 

Recap: 

Scooping Sellers 

• Syed’s clients got a card from Trey, another member; Syed is concerned Trey is trying to poach his clients. 
• Sadie, Syed’s broker, brought the issue up to Trey’s broker, Aron. 
• Sadie and Syed decided to file a complaint with CREB^®. 
• CREB^® has sent Aron and Trey a copy of the complaint, and they have provided their response and documents to CREB^®. 

Supervision Shortage 

• Marren’s client came home to find an inspector left alone in her house without her permission.  
• Marren and her Broker, Evelynn, learned more about the issue after speaking with Quinn, the buyer agent’s Broker (who talked with Ryerson, the buyer’s agent). 
• Marren decides to file a complaint with Evelynn’s support. 
• Quinn and Ryerson have been given the chance to send their version of the events to CREB^®.

It’s important that Sadie & Syed get to review Aron & Trey’s response and Marren & Evelynn see Quinn and Ryerson’s information they submitted. This information swapping is important because sometimes, more details are shared that weren’t discussed when the brokers tried to resolve the issue. It is also vital to have this information, so Sadie & Syed and Marren & Evelynn can decide whether they want to have the matter investigated further. 

Scooping Sellers 

Once Sadie & Syed reviewed Trey’s reasoning behind sending the card, they learned he was advised by a ‘mentor’ that this was a good lead generation strategy; it’s not his fault, and the mentor should be held responsible.

Syed was not surprised by this; he had heard that this was happening ‘out there,’ and while his clients have shared they aren’t going to relist with someone else, he knows other agents might not be so lucky if Trey targeted their clients. 

Syed tells CREB^® that he wants the issue to be investigated. 

Supervision Shortage 

Marren has learned that Ryerson is blaming his assistant, who wasn’t supposed to leave the inspector alone. After Sadie and Marren discuss this, they decide to proceed with the investigation because REALTORS^® are responsible for what their assistants are doing and shouldn’t ask their teammates to break the rules, like letting the inspector into the home. 

Some members might think this part, asking the REALTOR^® who filed the complaint if they want it investigated, of the complaint process is redundant- isn’t the whole reason they filed the complaint because they want an investigation conducted? Isn’t their complaint proof that something happened, a rule was broken? These are reasonable questions! 

We get that, sometimes, no new information is shared in the response, and the question about whether they still want the issue investigated is pointless. But periodically, other details come out which suggest a rule wasn’t broken. In those cases, an investigation might not be warranted. Either way, the person who filed the complaint decides whether the issue needs a deeper dive via investigation. 

Don’t let the word investigation cause too much anxiety. We’ll take a closer look at the investigation experience for Syed, Sadie, Trey & Aron and Marren, Evelynn, Ryerson & Quinn in the next issue of CREB^®Talk- follow along!