Complaints About Real Estate Agents

There actually is a list. RECO has compiled a list of complaints made to it about real estate agents.

Here’s an excerpt from the 2022 Annual Report:

“TOP COMPLAINTS

Registrants are required to provide ethical, competent and professional service to consumers. Of the complaints that were closed with some administrative action (such as a warning or an order for the registrant to take a course) or sent for prosecution, 58 per cent included an element of failing to act with fairness, honesty or integrity; 37 per cent included an element of unprofessional conduct; 19 per cent included an error or misrepresentation; and 18 per cent included an element of failing to provide conscientious or competent services. Note that a single complaint may include multiple categories.

“Top complaint categories (2022)

(% complaints closed with action)

Competing offers                              5%

False advertising                                5%

Nature of relationship                        6%

Inaccurate representations                7%

Duty to client                                     8%

Advertising                                        14%

Conscientious & competent service  18%

Error and misrepresentation              19%

Unprofessional conduct                     37%

Fairness, honesty, integrity                 58% ”

Comment

Many of the complaints are quite serious. That, in my opinion, arises by reason of the fact that the individuals are untrained, and unsupervised. They either didn’t know that they were making a serious blunder, or they actually did it deliberately regardless of the consequences.

However, when the penalties are “light”, they will do it again.

The system requires improvement.

If the Brokerages were held responsible as well, things would change “overnight”.

Brokerages are supposed to supervise registrants under the Act, but, they don’t.

Brian Madigan LL.B., Broker

www.OntarioRealEstateSource.com