Title 10, Chapter 6A, Section 6
( 10-6A-6)
(a) A broker engaged by a landlord shall: (1) Perform the terms of the brokerage engagement made with the
landlord; (2) Promote the interests of the landlord by: (A) Seeking a tenant at the price and terms stated in the
brokerage engagement or at a price and terms acceptable to the
landlord; provided, however, the broker shall not be obligated
to seek additional offers to lease the property while the
property is subject to a lease, or letter of intent to lease,
unless the brokerage engagement so provides; (B) Timely presenting all offers to and from the landlord, even
when the property is subject to a lease or a letter of intent to
lease; (C) Disclosing to the landlord adverse material facts of which
the broker has actual knowledge concerning the transaction; (D) Advising the landlord to obtain expert advice as to material
matters which are beyond the expertise of the broker; and (E) Timely accounting for all money and property received in
which the landlord has or may have an interest; (3) Exercise ordinary skill and care in performing the duties set
forth in this subsection and such other duties as may be agreed to
by the parties in the brokerage agreement; (4) Comply with all requirements of this chapter and all
applicable statutes and regulations, including but not limited to
fair housing and civil rights statutes; and (5) Keep confidential all information received by the broker
during the course of the engagement which is made confidential by
an express request or instruction from the landlord unless the
landlord permits such disclosure by subsequent word or conduct, or
such disclosure is required by law; provided, however, that
disclosures between a broker and any of the broker's affiliated
licensees assisting the broker in representing the seller shall
not be deemed to breach the duty of confidentiality described
above. (b) A broker engaged by a landlord shall timely disclose to
prospective tenants with whom the broker is working: (1) All adverse material facts pertaining to the physical
condition of the property and improvements located on the property
including, but not limited to, material defects in the property,
environmental contamination, and facts required by statute or
regulation to be disclosed which are actually known by the broker
which could not be discovered by a reasonably diligent inspection
of the property by the tenant; and (2) All material facts pertaining to existing adverse physical
conditions in the immediate neighborhood within one mile of the
property which are actually known to the broker and which could
not be discovered by the tenant upon a diligent inspection of the
neighborhood or through the review of reasonably available
governmental regulations, documents, records, maps, and
statistics. Examples of reasonably available governmental
regulations, documents, records, maps, and statistics shall
include without limitation: land use maps and plans; zoning
ordinances; recorded plats and surveys; transportation maps and
plans; maps of flood plains; tax maps; school district boundary
maps; and maps showing the boundary lines of governmental
jurisdictions. Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to
create any duty on the part of a broker to discover or seek to
discover either adverse material facts pertaining to the physical
condition of the property or existing adverse conditions in the
immediate neighborhood. Brokers shall not knowingly give
prospective tenants false information; provided, however, that a
broker shall not be liable to a tenant for providing false
information to the tenant if the broker did not have actual
knowledge that the information was false and discloses to the
tenant the source of the information. Nothing in this subsection
shall limit any obligation of the landlord under any applicable
law to disclose to prospective tenants all adverse material facts
actually known by the landlord pertaining to the physical
condition of the property nor shall it limit the obligation of
prospective tenants to inspect and to familiarize themselves with
potentially adverse conditions in the physical condition of the
property, any improvements located on the property, and the
surrounding neighborhood. No cause of action shall arise on
behalf of any person against a broker for revealing information in
compliance with this subsection. No broker shall be liable for
failure to disclose any matter other than those matters enumerated
in this subsection. Violations of this subsection shall not
create liability on the part of the broker absent a finding of
fraud on the part of the broker. (c) A broker engaged by a landlord in a real estate transaction may provide assistance to the tenant by performing such ministerial acts of the type described in Code Section 10-6A-14; and performing such ministerial acts shall not be construed to violate the broker's brokerage engagement with the landlord nor shall performing such ministerial acts for the tenant be construed to form a brokerage engagement with the tenant. (d) A broker engaged by a landlord does not breach any duty or
obligation by showing alternative properties to prospective tenants. |