Professional courtesy is part of the job

Most registrants know that professional courtesy is essential to earning the respect of colleagues, and building a positive reputation for the industry.

Still, too often the Real Estate Council of Ontario receives complaints about registrants who don’t show up for appointments, or otherwise demonstrate a lack of professionalism. For example, recently RECO has received complaints about snow being tracked through properties, lights being left on, and doors not being locked.

Although the majority of registrants conduct themselves correctly in this regard, we continue to get complaints, which means that a reminder is in order.

If circumstances require a registrant to cancel an appointment, it’s critical that they contact their client (or customer), and the other party’s sales representative as soon as possible.

And whenever any registrant shows a property to an interested buyer, it’s important that they keep in mind that they are a guest in somebody’s home and act accordingly.

Under Section 3 of the Code of Ethics, registrants have a responsibility to treat everyone involved in a real estate transaction with fairness, honesty and integrity. A registrant who repeatedly shrugs off appointments without informing the other parties, or continually neglects their duty to treat a home with the utmost of respect, could face disciplinary action.