OREA fought to make sure your services as REALTORS® were deemed essential by the Province. But it’s not business as usual. Real estate was deemed essential so you could continue to serve clients who were closing transactions or who urgently needed to sell or buy property.
We have received many questions from Members about whether or not the essential business designation extends to include photographers, videographers, stagers, cleaners and home inspectors.
To help guide our Members during this incredibly challenging time, OREA has obtained a legal opinion on whether photographers, videographers, stagers, cleaners and home inspectors (referred to as “Service Providers” in this email) can provide services to REALTORS® given that Ontario has ordered all places of business to close, except those on the ‘Essential Business’ list (referred to as the “Order”).
Here’s what you need to know:
Service Providers should generally be able to do what they need to do at the Seller’s home, provided the following:
- The REALTOR® (and not their client) contracts with and retains the Service Provider’s services;
- Especially in the case of videographers, stagers, cleaners, and home inspectors, the REALTOR® has appropriately contracted with their client to provide the client with those services;
- Only people absolutely necessary attend (e. the REALTOR® should probably not); and
- All other Emergency Orders and laws are followed (g. no more than 5 persons on the property etc.),
This is based upon Ontario’s Emergency Orders in place April 9, 2020. As the COVID-19 situation is constantly changing, please note that the rules can change at any time.
Most importantly, because the condition and characteristics of the property, the market and the specific contracts a REALTOR® may have with both the Service Provider and their client are unique and the behaviour of both the Service Provider and REALTOR® are also contributing factors, this document can only act as a ‘general guide’. An absolute answer requires consideration of all of these factors on a case-by-case basis.
Finally, the responsibility rests with the Service Providers to comply with any Emergency Orders and the law when providing their services. A REALTOR® should not instruct the Service Provider to do anything a Service Provider does not consider to be legal.
For more information please see a summary of the detailed analysis here and feel free to email info@orea.com with your questions.
Thank you and stay safe everyone.
Brampton Real Estate Board 