Standards and Enforcement

The purpose of this Code of Conduct and Ethics is as follows:

• To enable accredited estate agencies and any person associated with the accredited estate agencies (AA) to develop a sense of commitment and professional responsibilities when dealing with their clients and the public
• To inform and promote realistic expectations of the estate agency service, and
• To provide norms where unprofessional agency conduct can be assessed.

All accredited estate agencies and any person associated with the accredited estate agencies (AA) are required to comply with the following Code of Practice:

• Terms and Conditions of Service Agreement
• Pricing and Payment
• Confidentiality
• Advertising and Promotion
• Service Delivery
• Feedback Management and Dispute Resolution
• Knowledge and Performance

Demerit point(s) will be issued to the accredited agency and accredited agent depending on the severity of the breach. A warning (reprimand) is issued if an agent of an accredited agency breaches the code of conduct or engages in unprofessional practice. Suspension of the agent will only be imposed if the defaulting agent has been given 3 previous warnings. Defaulting accredited agents will have the accreditation status suspended for 3 months until the deficiencies have been rectified. An agent who has been suspended twice will be expelled and may appeal to the Accreditation Board whose decision shall be final. An agent may apply to rejoin the accreditation scheme after 1 year of expulsion. An agent who has been expelled twice will not be considered for the accreditation scheme. No counsel will be allowed to be present at the closed-door hearing.

Purpose

1) Accredited estate agencies and any person associated with the agencies (AA) providing real estate agent services must do so to the standard of professionalism and skill required by and which are consistent with their accreditation with SAEA Ltd and in compliance with the law.

2) These Guidance Notes are intended to be an integral part of ‘Professional Practice’ and serves as a reference of the level of performance expected of an AA.

Purpose

1) The purpose of this Guidance Notes are to provide a general reference to preparing real estate for sale and lease. It addresses the steps taken in preparing property for sale prior to the actual commencement of marketing proper. It covers the period of preparation of the physical state of the property for sale together with any required financial or technical information bought together in a marketing document prior to the placement of the property on the open market.

2) This Guidance Notes are applicable to credited estate agencies and any person associated with the accredited estate agencies (AA) involved with most forms of real estate. However, they should be aware of particularities which may apply to specialised property and other properties of a specialised nature but which are not necessarily addressed in these Guidance Notes.