TITLE 54

PROFESSIONS, VOCATIONS, AND BUSINESSES

CHAPTER 20

IDAHO REAL ESTATE LICENSE LAW

54-2088.  Limited dual agency and assigned agency permitted. (1) A brokerage may represent both the buyer and the seller in the same transaction only as a limited dual agent and only with the express written consent of all other clients involved in the transaction.

(2)  A brokerage acting as a limited dual agent may, at the option of the brokerage and with the express written consent of the other clients involved in the transaction, assign separate sales associates to each client to act on behalf of and represent that client solely. The designated broker shall not act as an assigned agent of the brokerage.

(3)  The express written consent to limited dual agency shall contain separate signatures of all clients involved in the transaction and shall contain the following language:

CONSENT TO LIMITED DUAL REPRESENTATION AND ASSIGNED AGENCY

     The undersigned have received, read and understand the Agency Disclosure Brochure. The undersigned understand that the brokerage involved in this transaction may be providing agency representation to both the buyer and the seller. The undersigned each understands that, as an agent for both buyer/client and seller/client, a brokerage will be a limited dual agent of each client and cannot advocate on behalf of one client over another, and cannot legally disclose to either client certain confidential client information concerning price negotiations, terms or factors motivating the buyer/client to buy or the seller/client to sell without specific written permission of the client to whom the information pertains. The specific duties, obligations and limitations of a limited dual agent are contained in the Agency Disclosure Brochure as required by Section 54-2085, Idaho Code. The undersigned each understands that a limited dual agent does not have a duty of undivided loyalty to either client.

     The undersigned further acknowledge that, to the extent the brokerage firm offers assigned agency as a type of agency representation, individual sales associates may be assigned to represent each client to act solely on behalf of the client consistent with applicable duties set forth in Section 54-2087, Idaho Code. In an assigned agency situation, the designated broker (the broker who supervises the sales associates) will remain a limited dual agent of the client and shall have the duty to supervise the assigned agents in the fulfillment of their duties to their respective clients, to refrain from advocating on behalf of any one client over another, and to refrain from disclosing or using, without permission, confidential information of any other client with whom the brokerage has an agency relationship.

(4)  All duties and obligations owed to a buyer/client or a seller/client under section 54-2087, Idaho Code, apply to limited dual agency relationships to the extent they do not unreasonably conflict with duties and obligations owed to the other client, except that:

(a)  A limited dual agent shall not disclose any of the following without express written consent of the client to whom the information pertains:

(i)   That a buyer is willing to pay more than the listing price of the property;

(ii)  That a seller is willing to accept less than the listing price for the property;

(iii) The factors motivating the buyer to buy or the seller to sell;

(iv)  That a buyer or seller will agree to a price or financing terms other than those offered.

(b)  A limited dual agent does not have a duty of undivided loyalty to either buyer/client or seller/client, and by consenting to limited dual agency, the buyer and seller agree to those limitations.

(5)  The following apply whenever a brokerage acting as a limited dual agent assigns separate sales associates to act on behalf of the separate clients:

(a)  Designated broker. The designated broker continues to act as limited dual agent of each client with the duty to:

(i)   Supervise the assigned agents in the fulfillment of their duties to their respective clients;

(ii)  Refrain from advocating on behalf of any one client over another; and

(iii) Refrain from disclosing or using, without permission, confidential information of any other client with whom the brokerage has an agency relationship.

(b)  Imputed knowledge. Knowledge of any fact known to the brokerage, its designated broker, or any other licensee associated with the brokerage, shall not be imputed to an assigned agent of the brokerage so as to create an impermissible conflict of interest. Nothing in this subsection shall diminish a licensee’s duty with respect to facts actually known or that reasonably should have been known to the licensee.

(6)  If a designated broker determines that confidential information of a client has been disclosed to another client in the transaction in violation of this section, the designated broker shall promptly provide written notice of the disclosure to the affected client.

(7)  No cause of action for any buyer or seller shall arise against a limited dual agent for making any required or permitted disclosure under this act, nor does making such disclosure terminate the limited dual agency.

(8)  Receipt of the agency disclosure brochure required by section 54-2085, Idaho Code, and the signed consent to dual representation by buyer and seller agreeing to limited dual agency representation shall be sufficient informed legal consent to dual representation under this act. A consent by the buyer and seller to possible dual representation in the future, such as may be contained in a written marketing or representation agreement between a brokerage and client, shall also be considered effective and informed legal consent to dual representation.

History:

[(54-2088) 54-2066, added 1996, ch. 250, sec. 1, p. 789; am. and redesignated 2000, ch. 285, sec. 10, p. 956; am. 2004, ch. 119, sec. 5, p. 400.]