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FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions Are you concerned about Fair Housing liability? If not, read a few case histories.
Q. What should a broker or property manager do to establish a Fair Housing compliance program?
A. Company Requirements for a Superior Fair Housing Compliance Program
1. Requirement: Written Fair Housing Company Policy.
2. Requirement: Acknowledgment from associates that they have read and will follow company policy.
3. Requirement: A Fair Housing training program. Both basic and periodic refreshers.
The mission statement for the FairHousingGuide education program is:
"All courses will use the internet to conveniently and inexpensively blend academic knowledge and the real world experiences of our instructors as a means of preparing students to profitably apply their new skills in an increasingly competitive and litigious environment."
The training course, Fair Housing for the Real World, was developed specifically for this application by the Academy of Continuing Education, an approved continuing education vendor in the state of Louisiana. Certificates for completion of the four hour course, approved for Louisiana Continuing Education credit, will be issued by the Academy of Continuing Education upon completion of the course by any Louisiana real estate licensee.
Occasional sales meeting discussions of the subject and of recently settled cases will demonstrate committment to the law, and a current knowledge of it.
4. Requirement: An equal service model defining how you expect your associates to treat your customers.
5. Requirement: Monitoring system to record contacts with customers in protected classes.
6. Requirement: Action if monitoring system reveals non-compliance.
7. Requirement: Fair Housing posters in offices.
8. Requirement: Fair Housing logo in ads.
9. Requirement: Fair Housing Officer - a staff member who reviews ads and customer statistics so that corrective action can be taken when required.
10. Requirement: develop and distribute to your customers a brochure which explains your company's Fair Housing Policy.
If your company meets all of these requirements, we believe that you will have established a superior program.
FairHousingGuide.com meets each of these with an elegant array of custom documents, an on-line data base, frequent reports to the broker, reminders to the associates, a word checker for safe ads, and much more.
Q. Don't I have insurance for Fair Housing complaints?
A. Probably not. Most Errors & Omissions policies provide no coverage for Fair Housing complaints.
Q. Who is FairHousingGuide.com designed to help?
A. FHG is designed for real estate brokers, sales associates, and property managers. Sales associates and property managers have access to thorough on-line training and a data base where they record vital customer information. Information such as: what did I do for the customer, what did the customer request, and for what loan amount (or rental payment) did the customer qualify. Records such as these are crucial if you are faced with a complaint.
Q. What does the company get?
A. Everything that we can provide to establish a complete Fair Housing Compliance program.
Associate training.
Custom Company Fair Housing Policy Manual
Custom Company Fair Housing Brochure for your customers
Customer data base and data reports for manager and associates
Electronic Fair Housing Officer, includes
Word checker for ads
Email alerts to manager if an associate is not entering customer info
Equal service model
Case studies, sales meeting discussion guides, links and law updates
Q. Why do I need FairHousingGuide.com?
A. Well, you don't necessarily need us, but you do need a Fair Housing compliance program. And, FHG is a simple, inexpensive, and comprehensive way to get one. You could write your own Fair Housing Policy Manual. You could hire a printer to create a customer brochure, and you could develop an equal service model and the data base necessary to monitor its implementation. And you could appoint one of your employees as a Fair Housing Officer. The question is: "why do all of this yourself, when we can do it for you at a fraction of the cost.?"
Q. How much work is it for the broker/manager?
A. Not much. The broker/manager's assistant first enters the company information. Associates are then entered individually - name, email address, and the last 4 digits of their social security number. The associate receives an email from FHG with a password. The associate can then access all of the tools of the site. The broker/manager can access the customer data for the company or for an individual associate. The site provides the broker/manager with ample discussion topic information, and recent Fair Housing case reviews. Sales meetings will never be the same.
Q. How much work is it for the associate?
A. The associate is offered a free an on-line training course. Probably about 4 hours. The associate may enter customer information from day one. The data entry screen is simple, intuitive, and defaults to common values. A typical customer entry takes less than one minute. The information, however, is yours forever.
Q. What can I expect in the way of reports?
A. Associates have access to all of their personal information. The user with security access can check on the activity of either one associate or the entire company. Do you want a report of your associates' on-line training? Would you like to know if an associate is entering his customers? Want a list of the number of customers entered by all of your associates combined? Just click. It will be there.
Q. How does the "ad checker" work?
A. There are certain words that you simply cannot use in ads. The ad checker is programmed to find those words, and warn you before someone makes a BIG mistake. The ad clerk or associate enters the ad into the word checker box, and any taboo words are highlighted. The reason for the word's danger is provided as a training aid.
Q. What about the policy manual?
A. Every real estate company and property management company should have a written Fair Housing Policy. Every associate should be furnished with a copy, and promise to abide by the policy. The manual must make it clear that the company is committed to following Fair Housing laws and is willing to take action if employees and associates are found in non-compliance. Each manual should establish an "equal service model" for your customers.
Your company name is automatically inserted in the FHG Policy Manual, and since Fair Housing laws vary from state to state, your manual is customized for YOUR state. The manual will appear, when printed, to have been written by you for your company alone.
Q. What is an Equal Service Model?
A. It is critical that a company establish written policies which itemize the services that each customer is to receive. When such policies are consistantly followed, it is difficult for a complainant to prove that he was treated with less care than is typical for the company. The equal service model used in the Policy Manual is in use by many brokers and property managers already. For associates who are showing property, it requires typical courtesy, a counseling session, loan prequalification, a list of available properties, the opportunity to view the properties selected by the customer, and assistance in writing an offer. An enormous benefit to the company is that if these services are provided every time, to every customer, your associates will do more business. If the services are documented, you will have an excellent defense if a customer complains of not being provided with equal service.
Of course, the manual is furnished in editable form. You can change it, if you wish. Perhaps you do not think that every customer should be mortgage pre-qualified. Simply omit that item from the manual. The point is that if you adopt a consistent model of service, your chances of being charged with providing less than equal service to a certain customer are greatly reduced. This is your first hint from FHG. Imagine what else we have in store for you.
Q. What is contained in the customer brochure?
A. You are committed to following Fair Housing laws. We know. You know. Your customers should know, and this is your opportunity to tell them. Our brochure is customized for you. Your name. Your phone number. Your address. Even a photo of your Fair Housing Officer.
It is a tri-fold document, with a professional appearance when printed on slick paper with a color printer. Your associates will be proud to give the brochure to your customers because it will provide an opportunity to speak to your customers about the high ethical standards followed by your company. It will also politely discourage those customers who might ask an associate to turn a blind eye to the law.
The biggest advantage of using a company brochure is this: the brochure encourages your customers to bring their concerns to your Fair Housing Officer. Think about THAT. If a customer feels slighted, to whom does he complain? To HUD? Or to YOU?
Q. What is the cost?
A. Company plans start at $300 per year. Individuals may subscribe for $100 per year. Five year subscriptions are priced at $1000 and $300, respectively. NAR Orlando show special $95! (use promo code "conference")
Q. How do I subscribe to FairHousingGuide.com?
A. Click here. Our wizard will guide you through it in minutes. Pay by credit card, and you will be on-line and benefiting from our program within 24 hours.
More questions?
If we did not answer your questions, Click here to email us. We will get an answer to you. If it is urgent, call us toll free at 1-866-568-2145.
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