If you have a complaint against the real estate licensee, you should first make an attempt to talk to the broker to see if the issue can be resolved. If those efforts are unsuccessful, two avenues exist for making a formal filing regarding a licensee's behavior.
You may file a complaint with the New Jersey Real Estate Commission if you feel the licensee has violated the New Jersey Real Estate Licensing Law. The Commission is the government agency that issues and maintains licenses and writes the Rules and Regulations to which all New Jersey licensees must subscribe. The Commission will investigate the complaint and, if violations of the license law are found, can impose sanctions ranging from fines to license revocation. If you feel you have a complaint against a real estate licensee that falls within the jurisdiction of the Real Estate Commission, there is a complaint process by which you can bring the matter to the Commission’s attention. The complaint must be put in writing. For more informatioin on filing a complaint with the New Jersey Real Estate Commission, go to: https://www.state.nj.us/dobi/division_rec/complaintprocess.html.
The other avenue is only available if the real estate licensee is a member of the REALTOR® organization. REALTORS® subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics, and local associations are charged with ensuring its enforcement. When a consumer complaint is received, the Grievance Committee, composed of REALTOR® members, reviews the allegations to determine whether an article of the Code has been violated. This groupdoes not investigate the truth of the complaint, but rather assumes the information contained therein to be true. If the Committee finds an Article (or Articles) has been violated, the Complaint is then forwarded to a Hearing Panel. Local associations DO NOT determine whether the license law or regulations have been broken. Sanctions from the association tend to be educational in nature, but can include fines and suspension from the association. For more information on the Ethics Complaint and Hearing Panel process, click here http://www.metrocentrerealtors.com/complaint.cfm.