Ethics Complaint Procedures
The following information will provide you with the procedures, which will be followed upon filing an Ethics Complaint with the Flint Area Association of REALTORS®.
I. Upon receipt of your complaint the Association will immediately forward a copy of the complaint to the respondent for their written response within fifteen (15) days.
II. Upon receipt of the response, the complaint and response will be reviewed by our Grievance Committee. This Committee will take one of three actions: 1) Dismiss: for one of two reasons: a)When, even if the facts were true, the activities for which the complaint was brought are not a violation of the National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics, or b) the complaint must be filed within one hundred eighty (180) days after the facts constituting the matter complained of could have been known in the exercise of reasonable diligence and the time limit has expired 2) assign to a member(s) of the committee for further investigation and report back at the next meeting or 3) forward it to a Hearing Panel of the Professional Standards Committee.
III. Should the Grievance Committee dismiss said complaint, you, the complainant, have the right to appeal this decision to the Board of Directors within twenty (21) days. However, only the information which was available to the Committee shall be presented to the Board of Directors and neither the complainant nor the respondent may attend.
IV. Should the Grievance Committee forward it to a Hearing Panel, all parties, upon a minimum of twenty one (20) days notice will be required to appear before the Hearing Panel. All parties may bring witnesses and legal counsel. The hearing will be tape recorded with all parties provided the opportunity to present their side of the case, cross-examination and present a closing statement. The Hearing Panel shall then adjourn the hearing and go into executive session to render a decision.
V. After the file has been completely reviewed by legal counsel the decision will be forwarded by certified mail to all parties. The complainant shall have the right to appeal within twenty (20) days based on a lack of procedural due process and the respondent may also appeal within twenty (20) days based on a lack of procedural due process.
Should you have further questions please feel free to contact Doris Nurenberg, Chief Executive Officer of the Flint Area Association of REALTORS® at 810-767-6330.
Note: The Flint Area Association of REALTORS® does not have the jurisdiction to enforce the laws of Michigan, but enforces the Code of Ethics of the National Association of REALTORS®.