The Grievance Committee is a dedicated group of volunteers in good standing with KCRAR.  Service on this committee is a great opportunity to give back to our association as well as a wonderful learning experience.

Our duties are tightly defined by the National Association of REALTORS,^® as follows:

The Grievance Committee receives ethics complaints and arbitration requests.  Ethics complaints do with members’ behavior and arbitration requests deal with “money;” they’re better know as commission disputes.  These complaints and requests are reviewed and if taken at face value, it is the committee’s job to determine if a hearing is to be warranted.

The committee makes only such preliminary evaluation as is necessary to make these decisions.  While the Grievance Committee has meetings, it does not hold hearings, and it does not decide whether members have violated the Code of Ethics or who gets the money.  It does not mediate or arbitrate business disputes.

We are REALTORS^®; we adhere to a strict Code of Ethics.  The public puts their trust in the fact that we are professionals, and that we are held to a higher standard.  In the preamble of the Code of Ethics, one thing that stands out above all is the Golden Rule - “Whatsoever ye would that others should do to you, do ye even so to them.”

Our committee members are dedicated to these ideals and to the work that we do.  We are unbiased, open-minded and fair when we consider the variety of cases submitted to our committee.

Last year, that included a total of 29 cases.  While I can’t be specific about the cases themselves, you may find it interesting to know that in most of them, one of the following three Articles from the Code of Ethics was looked at:

§         Article 1 - When representing a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant, or other client as an

      agent, Realtors^® pledge themselves to protect and promote the interests of their client. This obligation to the client is primary, but it does not relieve Realtors^® of their obligation to treat all parties honestly. When serving a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant or other party in a non-agency capacity, Realtors^® remain obligated to treat all parties honestly. (Amended 1/01)

§         Article 3 - Realtors^® shall cooperate with other brokers except when cooperation is not in the client’s best interest. The obligation to cooperate does not include the obligation to share commissions, fees, or to otherwise compensate another broker. (Amended 1/95)

§         Article 16 - Realtors^® shall not engage in any practice or take any action inconsistent with exclusive representation or exclusive brokerage relationship agreements that other Realtors^® have with clients. (Amended 1/04)

I encourage you to volunteer on this committee in the future and, of course, to always adhere to the Code of Ethics.