The Rules Roundup provides a monthly accounting of RMLS rules violations and courtesy notifications. Our Data Accuracy team manages all reports of property listing errors, tracking 34 specific issues outlined in the RMLS Rules and Regulations, and is responsible for addressing subscriber questions and concerns regarding listing accuracy whether those are submitted via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, through email, or by phone. When there are increases in specific violation types, we often place notifications on RMLSweb in order to alert subscribers so that they can avoid violations.

MAY HIGHLIGHTS

We have seen a rise in the number of listings not being made available for showing. As a reminder, rule 3.27 of the RMLS Rules and Regulations states:

Availability for Showing. With the exception of Commercial Lease, Auction, and Coming Soon-No Showing listings, all active listings shall be available for showing immediately upon entry into the RMLS system, excluding listings which require all offers to be made contingent on interior inspection. Listings cannot restrict showing until a future date.

There are reasons your client may wish to restrict showings. Maybe there is a renter, or the house is unsafe. In cases like this you should add a statement to the remarks that explains that all offers are contingent upon an interior inspection. It may also be helpful to provide a brief explanation as to why showings are unavailable. If a home is simply not ready to be shown but you want to let people know it will available soon then publishing as CSN would be appropriate. This allows other RMLS subscribers the chance to know about your listing so that they can share it with their clients while still affording your client up to 21 days to finish getting their home ready for showings.

FORMAL VIOLATIONS

The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee reviews all formal complaints which allege a violation of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. The committee has the power to impose sanctions.

The committee did not review any cases in May 2021.

INFORMAL VIOLATIONS & COURTESY NOTICES

In May 2021, the RMLS Data Accuracy staff reviewed 32,556 listings in addition to the 539 notices sent through the “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,397 violation notices and 1,458 courtesy notices were sent out. In addition, our team handled 401 phone calls.

The following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS subscribers in May 2021:

Questions about RMLS Rules and Regulations or the accuracy of specific listings can be directed to the RMLS Data Accuracy department at dataaccuracy@rmls.com or 503.395.1916.