BC to eliminate “double ending”?

As far as I can tell so far, Treat Hull & Associates may be the only full-service brokerage in Ontario representing buyers only, but there could be more, at least in BC.

Vancouver.jpg

In response to the outrageous abuse of public trust on the part of some unscrupulous BC real estate agents, the Independent Advisory Group reporting to the Financial Institutions Commission could recommend eliminating dual representation (where the same brokerage represents both buyer and seller on the same deal):

According to the latest IAG letter: “Real estate licensees are expected to act at all times, solely in their client’s best interest. It is difficult for most people to understand how this advice and this obligation can co-exist with rules that allow a licensee to represent the interests of a buyer and a seller in the same transaction given the inherent conflicts between those parties’ interests. We acknowledge there may be circumstances where this practice does not create a clear conflict of interest, but we consider those to be very rare and potentially outweighed by the risk that advantage may be taken of some consumers. I expect the IAG will make recommendations in this regard.”