Filing an Ethics Complaint

 REALTORS® are different from other real estate licensees in that they voluntarily pledge to abide by a strict code of professional conduct beyond the licensing laws of the state. This conduct is outlined in the National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice which is comprised of 17 Articles. 

Ethics Complaints

• May be filed by a member of the public or another REALTOR® member who alleges a violation of one or more of the Articles of the Code of Ethics by a REALTOR® member.
• Must be submitted within 180 days from the time the complainant knew, or reasonably should have known, that potentially unethical conduct took place.
• Must be submitted in writing using the Ethics Complaint Form E-1 included in the Alaska REALTORS® Ethics Complaint Package.
• Review the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
• Cite at least one of the articles which you feel have been violated on the form.
• Include a narrative description, or summary of events that occurred leading you to believe the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice may have been violated.
• Submit the completed form to the Alaska REALTORS®.
  

When Alaska REALTORS® receives a complaint, the Grievance Committee reviews it. The job of the Grievance Committee is to determine if the allegations made, if taken as true might support a violation of the Article(s) cited in the complaint. The Grievance Committee, based on specific guidelines, determines if a case should be referred to hearing or dismissed. If the Grievance Committee forwards the complaint to hearing, the Professional Standards Hearing Panel will hear the case.

The Hearing Panel makes the determination if the Code of Ethics has or has not been violated. The Hearing Panel may discipline a REALTOR® found to have violated the Code of Ethics. Disciplinary action may include requiring education, a fine, letters of warning or reprimand, and suspension or termination of membership.