Often decried by consumers and real estate brokers for its lack of efficiency, the Organisme d’autoréglementation du courtage immobilier du Québec (OACIQ) opened its doors to the public on Sunday during a first public discussion forum in its premises in Brossard.
Mini-conferences, interactive sessions, simulation of a disciplinary hearing, some thirty OACIQ employees were on hand to answer questions from buyers, sellers, the curious or real estate enthusiasts. Transparency was indeed there when La Presse questioned OACIQ employees without identifying themselves.
On site, consumers even had the option of filing a complaint against a real estate broker and verifying their recourses with OACIQ staff.
Some consumers, who have had mishaps with real estate brokers, sometimes feel that the OACIQ will not be able to defend them, because they are convinced that the organization will plead in favor of the brokers. “It may indeed be a perception,” agrees Me Sandra Barrette, director of the Info OACIQ information center and the Certification Service, “but we are working precisely to really change that perception, because we is really there for the protection of the public. There may have been some confusion in the past with the roles of professional orders versus our role. »
By the end of the day, some sixty consumers had taken part in OACIQ activities, including Alain, owner of income properties. “I want to sell them for my retirement and I come to find out about the regulations,” says the resident of Brossard, who saw the announcement of the event on the CORPIQ website. “If the realtor makes a mistake and I don’t know the regulations, I won’t know he made a mistake. »
Jérémie Picard, from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, was watching the simulation of a disciplinary hearing in one of the OACIQ premises when La Presse arrested him. The young owner, who saw the announcement of the event on Facebook, plans to sell his property in order to acquire a new one. “I want to know what’s going on behind the scenes of a real estate transaction,” he says. I want to know the exact role of the broker and his responsibilities during a transaction to be well prepared. »
In a room where OACIQ employees were explaining how to check online if a broker has complaints on file, consumers were discussing the dual representation of brokers, which has not been authorized since June 2022.
Contrary to what we may have understood when the law came into force, a broker who represents a seller with a brokerage contract of sale can no longer advise the buyer who presents himself without a broker to buy the said property, but the broker representing the seller can still act for the buyer by providing what is known in the jargon as fair treatment.
“He’s only going to give him objective information. He cannot represent it. This may be where there is misunderstanding, ”says Me Sandra Barrette, of the OACIQ.
Me Barrette specifies that it is preferable to choose your own real estate broker yourself and to avoid opting for the one recommended by the broker selling the property that interests you, especially if the broker in question is part of the same real estate agency.
The organization, whose mission is to protect the public who uses the services of real estate brokers, also launched its first podcasts on Sunday to guide buyers and sellers during a real estate transaction.
The next OACIQ discussion forum will take place on June 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Complexe Desjardins in Montreal.
