As a REALTOR®, you agree to follow the National Association of REALTORS®’s (NAR) Code of Ethics. If you believe a fellow REALTOR® has violated one or more of the Articles of the Code of Ethics, you may submit a formal complaint to our state association, Idaho REALTORS® (IR).
Who can file a complaint?
Any person, whether a member or not, may file a complaint against a REALTOR® alleging a violation of the Code of Ethics, provided the complaint:
- is in writing
- is signed by the complainant
- states the facts surrounding the case
- is filed within 180 days after the facts became known
When should I file a complaint?
Before you file an official ethics complaint, consider the following:
- Is the person you want to file the complaint against a REALTOR®? Only those who are members of NAR are subject to the Code of Ethics.
- Is your complaint about an ethics violation or has someone broken the law/real estate regulations? The state association will only address Code violations. If you believe someone has broken the law or regulations, you will need to reach out to the proper authorities. It is possible a complaint could be both an ethics and legal violation.
- For legal complaints, talk with your broker and consider reaching out to IR’s Legal Hotline
- For concerns over real estate regulations, reach out to our licensing authority, the Idaho Real Estate Commission (IREC)
- Would mediation be a better solution to the problem? Talk with your broker about mediation options prior to submitting an ethics complaint. Solving the issue outside of the official ethics violation process can save time and money.
- IR offers ombudsman and mediation services to its members. You can learn more about this service here.
- Should you file an ethics complaint or request arbitration? An ethics complaint charges that a REALTOR® has violated the Code of Ethics while arbitration is a means of resolving a monetary dispute arising from a real estate transaction that the parties have been unable to solve themselves.
- To learn more about filing an arbitration request, check out this guide from IR.
If, after considering all of the factors listed above, you still believe that filing an ethics complaint is the best course of action, you should move forward with submitting your complaint to IR.
What will I need to file a complaint?
As you prepare to file your complaint, you will need to gather the following:
- A detailed description citing what Article(s) of the Code have been violated and an explanation of the situation surrounding the complaint.
- All documents pertinent to your complaint, such as listing agreements, purchase and sales agreements, addendums, etc.
- Notarized statements from witnesses or clients.
- Any other evidence that supports your claim (e.g., video recordings, voicemails, texts, emails, etc.).
- A signed ethics complaint form.
What happens next?
Once you have submitted your complaint, an IR Grievance Committee will review your documentation. Based on their decision, your complaint will either move ahead to a hearing or be dismissed.
Additional Resources
- REALTOR® Code of Ethics – NAR
- Ethics Complaints, Arbitration Requests, and Related Information – NAR
- File a Complaint – Idaho REALTORS®
- Guidelines for Filing an Ethics Complaint – Idaho REALTORS®
- Ethics Form 1 & Requirements – Idaho REALTORS®
