Sellers & buyers · Template
REA complaint skeleton
Structured skeleton for a complaint to the Real Estate Authority. REA 2024/25 data: only ~9% of licensees complained about receive an adverse finding. Complaints that cite specific rule breaches and attach documentary evidence perform substantially better than complaints that describe a general grievance. This skeleton is organised around what succeeds at the CAC stage.
Before filing
- Read REA complaints: the realistic outcome for what a complaint can and cannot deliver.
- A complaint produces professional discipline (findings against the licensee), not financial compensation. For damages, consider a separate Disputes Tribunal claim under CGA s.28.
- Gather documentary evidence before writing the complaint. The complaint is only as strong as the evidence supporting it.
The skeleton
1. Parties
Complainant: [Your full name, contact details]
Licensee: [Full name, licence number if known]
Agency: [Agency name, branch]
Property: [Address]
2. Period of conduct
From [start date] to [end date of conduct being complained about].
3. Specific rule breaches alleged
[Cite each breach separately. For each:]
- Rule [X.Y] of the Professional Conduct and Client Care Rules 2012 — [quote the rule verbatim] — breached by [specific conduct] on [date].
Common rules invoked:
- Rule 5 — skill, care, competence, diligence.
- Rule 9.1 — act in the best interests of the client.
- Rule 9.2 — misleading or deceptive conduct.
- Rules 6.2, 6.4, and 9.1 — fair dealing, not-withholding, and best interests (PCCC 2012 contains no single referral-disclosure rule; the combination applies).
- Rule 10.7 — disclosure of known defects.
4. Factual basis for each breach
For each alleged breach:
- The specific conduct: what was done or not done, when, by whom.
- The evidence: emails, documents, contract versions, dates.
- The rule's text and how the conduct failed to meet the rule.
5. Consequences to the complainant
- Financial: [specific amounts lost, costs incurred, price reductions].
- Transactional: [delays, cancelled sales, conditional contracts lost].
- Reputational or emotional: [where directly attributable].
6. Documentary evidence attached
- [Email thread with agent — date range]
- [Agency agreement — signed date]
- [Disclosure document versions — each dated]
- [Invoices — dates and amounts]
- [Any other supporting documents]
7. Outcome sought
- A finding of unsatisfactory conduct or misconduct.
- [Any specific remedies: order to rectify, cost orders, training orders.]
- [Publication of the outcome on the REA public record.]
8. Parallel proceedings (if any)
[Disclose any related civil claim, Disputes Tribunal application, or other REA complaint. Transparency here strengthens the complaint.]
What makes a complaint succeed
- Specific rule citations. Not "the agent was unprofessional." Cite: "Rule 9.1 — failed to act in best interests of client." "Rules 6.2, 6.4, and 9.1 together — failed to disclose referral benefit where fiduciary, fair dealing, and best-interest duties required it."
- Documentary evidence for every allegation. Written records prevail over recollection. Email, text, contracts, invoices, photos.
- Dated chronology. A clear timeline showing the pattern, not just the final incident.
- Measurable consequence. "I paid $X in unnecessary legal fees." "The sale price was reduced by $Y because of Z." Specific numbers strengthen the case for adverse finding.
- Restrained tone throughout. The strongest complaints describe conduct factually. Accusatory or speculative language reduces credibility.
Legal basis
Real Estate Agents Act 2008, Part 4 (Complaints and Discipline). Professional Conduct and Client Care Rules 2012. REA Annual Report 2024/25 for outcome statistics. See REA complaints: the realistic outcome.