Concerns or Questions?

What happens in the unlikely event you have an issue with the service provided to you by your real estate licensee or if you have an issue with the seller’s real estate licensee?

If the issue is with your real estate licensee, your first step should be to contact their broker. The broker is responsible for licensees registered with the brokerage. The broker may be able to explain the licensees’ conduct or may find a way to resolve the issue you brought forward.

If you don’t feel the broker satisfactorily addressed your concerns, your next step should be to contact the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA). As the governing body for Alberta’s real estate brokerage, mortgage brokerage and property management licensees, RECA is committed to the public interest. RECA sets, regulates, and enforces standards for licensees, which promotes the integrity of the industry and protects consumers.

If a consumer feels their real estate representative behaved inappropriately, they can file a complaint with RECA. RECA’s first step is to review a complaint to determine if it falls within its jurisdiction and if there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing. If so, RECA will begin the formal conduct review (investigation) process.

If RECA determines there has been misconduct, it can issue a financial penalty to the licensee, and issue other forms of discipline, but it will not be able to get any compensation for you. To receive compensation, you would need to proceed with action through the courts or apply to the Consumer Protection Fund. The Consumer Protection Fund is available to consumers in the event they suffer financial resulting from fraud or breach of trust, or a failure by a licensee to disburse or account for money held in trust.

An additional protection in place for consumers is errors and omission insurance (E&O). E&O insurance is business liability insurance intended to cover damages resulting from errors, omissions, and negligence by licensed industry professionals that occurred in the course of providing their services. All licensed real estate and mortgage brokerage licensees in Alberta carry some form of E&O insurance, which provides additional protection to consumers.