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.
JULY HIGHLIGHTS
When a listing is input into RMLS it is important to remember that personal promotion is not allowed in the public remarks, on the photos, or in the virtual/video tours. Rule 3.25 of the RMLS Rules and Regulations states:
Listings submitted to RMLS may be used to provide information pertinent to the listed property only and may not be used to provide broker, seller or lessor contact information, or to advertise a Subscriber’s services to the public by way of direct or indirect advertising or “branding” of the listing data (through linking or otherwise.)
This rule is why we don’t allow links in the public remarks as well as why video tours must not lead to a site that contains contact information. We do review video tours to ensure that they are unbranded. In addition, we review the site where the video is hosted to make sure that it is also free from personal promotion.
Some personal promotion examples to avoid are using your name, your firm’s name, or having an email or phone number on the host site. One example of a hosting site would be YouTube. If the hosting site requires a name to be displayed our recommendation would be to use the property address, a generic phrase like “property for sale,” or a description from the public remarks.
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 meet in July as there were no cases to review.
INFORMAL VIOLATIONS & COURTESY NOTICES
In July 2021, the RMLS Data Accuracy staff reviewed 32,693 listings in addition to the 435 notices sent through the “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,284 violation notices and 1,994 courtesy notices were sent out. In addition, our team handled 322 phone calls.
| Category | July |
| Missing Tax ID | 418 |
| Personal Promotion | 184 |
| Missing School | 153 |
| Incorrect or Missing Information | 109 |
| No Showings | 62 |
| Property Condition | 56 |
| Missing Owner Name | 42 |
| Duplicate Listing | 39 |
| Incorrect Status | 39 |
| Is Property a Condo | 38 |
| Incorrect First Photo | 32 |
| Incorrect Property Type | 26 |
| Conditions to Compensation | 20 |
| Listing Input in Incorrect MLS area | 18 |
| Inaccurate Lot Size | 11 |
| Missing Condo Unit Number | 10 |
| City Unknown | 9 |
| Partial Bathrooms 5+ | 7 |
| Duplicate Listing in Different Categories | 5 |
| HUD | 2 |
| Address Issues | 2 |
| Missing SQFT by Level | 2 |
The following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS subscribers in July 2021:
| Category | July |
| Listing Still Pending | 618 |
| Listing is Set to Expire | 515 |
| Multiple Owner Names in First Field | 397 |
| Listing Status Changed from PEN to SLD > 24 hours | 289 |
| Listing Still in OMS, Public Records Indicate SLD | 89 |
| New Listing Input Over 24 Hours | 86 |
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.