As the weather warms up, you may be tempted to toss your woollies into the bottom drawer and slap on the Ray-Bans in anticipation of summer. But you might want to get in some spring training for PDP and REP credits first, before policy and regulatory changes come on stream in June. Here are reminders of things you can get done now.
1. Legal Update
As we announced in our February 5 NewsReal post, Council has changed the Legal Update courses in response to the Independent Advisory Group recommendations. All licensees must satisfy the Council’s Relicensing Education Program (REP) requirements by completing a Legal Update course in each licensing cycle. But depending on when your licence expires, you have options about which legal update course and version you need to take.
If your licence is expiring between now and June 30, 2018:
If your licence is expiring between now and June 30, 2018 and you have not yet completed a Legal Update (Residential or Commercial) course, you can choose one of these options:
- Option 1 – 2017 online only courses
- Option 2 – 2018 online and in-class blended courses
NOTE: If you registered for the online Legal Update Course 2017 during the period September 1, 2017 to January 26, 2018, you must complete the course by June 30, 2018 in order to satisfy your REP requirements. Otherwise, you need to take the Legal Updated 2018 blended course.
If your licence is expiring on or after July 1, 2018:
If your licence is expiring on or after July 1, 2018 you must complete the new Legal Update 2018 blended course. This includes two components: an online component (self-paced) which must be completed at least one week before the second classroom component.
Scroll down for more timing tips and upcoming dates for the 2018 Legal Update blended-course.
2. New Member Orientation
If you’re a new Probationary Active Member you will need to fulfill the FVREB’s requirement to attend the first available New Member Orientation. If you fail to complete the New Member Orientation within six months of becoming a member, your board services will be suspended and your brokerage will be fined $250. Obviously it pays to attend earlier rather than later!
3. PDP Courses
What about your usual PDP requirements? Consider taking them now before the new regulations take effect in June, or at least before vacation time rolls around.
- FVREB Education is holding its normal schedule of in-class sessions at the Board office. Click here to see the upcoming class schedule.
- UBC Sauder School of Business> (Real Estate division) has PDP-accredited online courses available; to register, click here.
Note: If you take a course offered by an external vendor, you must send a certificate or letter of completion to the Board’s Education staff to update your PDP profile.
*Get the timing right! Legal Update 2018 blended course*
The new Legal Update 2018 course is blended – there are two components, one online and one in the classroom. The online portion needs to be completed at least five business days prior to the classroom session, otherwise you will not be able to attend and complete the course.
First component | On-line only, self-paced | 5 to 12 hours depending on how fast you complete it |
Second half | In class only | Held at the Board, 5.5 hours from 9 am to 2:30 pm |
Important timelines
- Following the first component, there is a mandatory waiting period of 5 business days during which you are to review the course material.
- The Council strongly recommends that you register for the Legal Update course at least 8 weeks in advance of your licence expiry date, to ensure that you have ample time to complete the course and submit your licence renewal application. It can take up to four weeks for Council to approve your licence renewal application after you have received confirmation that you have completed the course
- Please note that Legal Update is now managed by BCREA. The FVREB only provides classroom space for the course.
- If you have any questions about the courses or the new 2018 RECBC Legal Update, email rep@bcrea.bc.ca or call 1-604-683-7702 ext. 3.
- For technical issues contact support@realestate.ubc.ca. For more information about the upcoming changes to the course, please visit the Real Estate Council of BC’s website at www.recbc.ca
Upcoming sessions
Upcoming in-class sessions of the Legal Update 2018 course will be held at the Board auditorium on: April 19, May 17, May 30, June 7 and June 21. But members must take the online part of the course prior to the in-class session. The course fee is $275, plus GST ($288.75)
At the risk of losing your licence, don’t be caught without having your Legal Update course credit!