Word is going around that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is once again actively pursuing REALTORS® and their respective brokerages alleged to have breached the Do Not Call List (DNCL) which registers consumer telephone numbers of householders who have asked not to receive marketing calls.
Yet the calls keep coming!
If a brokerage fails to abide by the rules of the DNCL or anyone in that broker’s office fails to do so, it can bring significant penalties to that brokerage courtesy of the CRTC. The maximum penalty for each violation is $1,500 for an individual and $15,000 for a corporation.
Note that the DNCL also applies to a brokerages’ service providers. So, be careful when hiring a third party service provider to help with a telemarketing effort. If that service provider breaks the rules of the DNCL list, you can be held responsible if the calls are made on your behalf.
Let’s be clear:
- If a brokerage makes calls or sends faxes to consumers for the purpose of solicitation, the brokerage must register at here.
- If a brokerage signs a contract with a telemarketing service provider to do telemarketing on their behalf, the brokerage must still register with the federal government here.
- If a brokerage or their service provider conducts telemarketing, the brokerage must purchase a subscription for the area codes that will be called.
- It is the responsibility of the brokerage to ensure its office has access to the most up-to-date version of the National DNCL and that those numbers are removed from the calling list.
A full compliance guide is available on REALTOR Link® to help members understand their obligations.For more information about the DNCL and members’ obligations, consult CREA’s FAQs or contact their staff at info@crea.ca.