Ethics Complaints

If you have a complaint against the real estate licensee you are working with, you should first make an attempt to talk to the broker to see if the issue can be resolved. If those efforts are unsuccessful, two avenues exist for making a formal filing regarding a licensee's behavior.

The first avenue is only available if the real estate licensee is a member of a REALTOR® organization. REALTORS® subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics, and REALTOR® associations are charged with ensuring its enforcement. When a consumer complaint is received, the Grievance Committee, composed of REALTOR® members, reviews the allegations to determine whether an article of the Code has been violated. This group does not investigate the truth of the complaint, but rather assumes the information contained therein to be true. If the Committee finds an Article (or Articles) has been violated, the Complaint is then forwarded to a Hearing Panel. REALTOR®  associations DO NOT determine whether the license law or regulations have been broken. Sanctions from the association tend to be educational in nature, but can include fines and suspension from the association. For more information on the Ethics Complaint and Hearing Panel process, please read the "Before You File An Ethics Complaint" article.

National Association of REALTORS® - Code of Ethics/Professional Standards Resources.

The Ethics complaint is processed by the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS®.  For additional information click here or you are welcome to call 800.555.3390 and talk with the professional standards administrator.

The second avenue is to file a complaint with the State Real Estate Commission. The Commission is the government agency that issues and maintains licenses and writes the Rules and Regulations to which all Pennsylvania licensees must subscribe. The Commission will investigate the complaint and, if violations against the license law are found, can impose sanctions ranging from fines to license revocation. Click here for more information on the Commission's complaint process and a link to the complaint form.