Legal
Filing An Ethics Complaint
CODE OF ETHICS
NAR's Code of Ethics, adopted in 1913, was one of the first codifications of ethical duties adopted by any business group. The Code ensures that consumers are served by requiring REALTORS® to cooperate with each other in furthering clients' best interests.
Filing An Ethics Complaint
Step 1: Determine if the real estate licensee is a REALTOR® Member
Search our Member Directory to determine if the real estate licensee is a REALTOR® member.
Why does it matter if the Licensee is a REALTOR®?Ethics complaints can only be filed against real estate professionals who are fully licensed REALTOR®. As members of Iowa Realtors® and the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), they must abide by NAR’s Code of Ethics. The Code imposes duties beyond those enforced by laws and regulations. Learn more by visiting NAR’s Code of Ethics and Professional Standards web page.
Step 2: Before filing, try working it out with the REALTOR® or their Broker
Many difficulties between REALTORS® and their clients result from misunderstanding or lack of adequate communication.
If you have not done so already, express your concerns to the REALTOR® or contact the principal broker or office manager.
You may also utilize the Iowa REALTORS® ombudsman program, which provides informal telephone mediation to help resolve minor complaints from the public and address REALTOR®-to-REALTOR® conflicts before they escalate.
To get started, email our Professional Standards Administrator, Olga at prostandards@iowarealtors.com with a brief description of the issue. Once your email is received, an Ombudsman will reach out to help resolve the misunderstanding or disagreement. Don’t forget to include your phone number for them to contact you directly. If the matter remains unsolved, you still have the option to file an ethics complaint or request arbitration.
Step 3: If you can’t work it out, file a complaint
When negotiations break down, if you have determined that you would like to file an ethics complaint, please read How to File an Ethics Complaint page for specific steps and more about the process.
How to File an Ethics Complaint
- Consult the Code of Ethics (COE) to define which Articles may have been violated
- Write a detailed narrative providing specific reasons for each violation
- Gather supporting documentation, including listing agreements, purchase agreements, representation contracts, or disclosure forms
- Complete the Iowa Association of Realtors® online Ethics Complaint form
You must file your complaint within 180 days of the date you discovered the facts constituting the violation or closing of the transaction, whichever is later.
Incomplete Ethics Forms Will Be Delayed or Discarded
You must complete all the information requested in the form. This includes:
- Filling in your name and contact information
- Citing each specific Code of Ethics (COE) Article that may have been violated
- Providing specific details about each violation
- Attaching supporting documents that help explain the case
If a request is not properly filed, the 180-day filing timeline continues running until it is resubmitted correctly. Anonymous complaints will not be processed.
For any questions, please email prostandards@iowarealtors.com.