Ethics Concerns

If you have an issue with a REALTOR®, you may want to speak with them or with a principal broker (managing broker/owner) in the firm. Open, constructive discussion often resolves questions or differences, eliminating the need for further action. If, after discussing matters with the REALTOR® or their principal broker, you are still not satisfied, Mainstreet has a formal dispute process that can be started by filing an ethics complaint.

The Process - How to File an Ethics Complaint

After reading the 2022 Code of Ethics and the 2023 Code of Ethics, if you feel that someone has violated a specific Article of the Code, you may file a complaint.

Some violations of the Code of Ethics are provable by providing supporting documentation (i.e. advertising).  These types of complaints could be filed anonymously provided they meet the program’s standards. This process, called the Citation Program, is an expedited ethics complaint process.  To see if the allegation applies, view the qualifying violations. To file a citation complaint, follow this link. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION MUST BE PROVIDED IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED.  A decision is made on citation complaints based solely on the information provided. Unsupported complaints will be dismissed. Respondents are provided with the opportunity to request a full hearing so that their response to the allegations may be heard before the Professional Standards Committee.

Best Practices When Dealing with Multiple Offers

Presenting and negotiating multiple offers

Buyers and sellers guide to multiple offer negotiations


When filing an ethics complaint, you are the complainant and the person you're filing against is the respondent. Your charge would be against an article of the Code of Ethics; a standard of practice can only be cited in support of the charge (i.e. 1, (1-6, 1-7, 1-15) & 3 (3-6)). You will also note that your signature is required.

You can file your ethics complaint electronically through Simple Online Standards. You will be asked to cite the article(s) of the Code of Ethics you feel have been violated and provide a narrative and any additional information that supports your case. An ethics hearing panel is instructed to base their decisions on clear, strong, and convincing evidence. To this end, you will want to include as much information as possible to support your charge.

We recommend you review the filing an ethics complaint flowchart before you proceed. Please note that you must file your ethics complaint within 180 days from the time you realized that the unethical activity took place.

There is no fee to file an ethics complaint.