Mediation

Mediation is a voluntary tool that is useful in resolving the conflicts that arise involving association members and their clients and customers. Mediation can promote amicable resolutions and reduce the number of cases requiring the more formal and complex arbitration procedures of the association, thus reducing the time and effort required of association members serving on the Professional Standards Committee. Mediation is designed to bring the disputing parties together in an informal setting to resolve their differences. If mediation is successful a Resolution Agreement will be signed by all parties and the matter shall be considered resolved. If the mediating parties do not reach an agreement, the parties shall be free to pursue arbitration of the dispute in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual of the National Association of REALTORS®.

How to file a Request for Mediation

Once a request for arbitration is filed with the association by the Complainant, the Professional Standards Administrator will advise the Complainant and Respondent of the voluntary option to participate in the mediation process prior to the Grievance Committee’s review of the arbitration request. If both parties agree to mediation the Complainant must follow the procedures below:

  • Download and fill out the Request for Mediation form found here
  • Download and fill out the Agreement to Mediate form found here
  • Email both completed forms to GPAR’s Professional Standards Administrator, Cheryl Adams at cheryl@gpar.org.

Once the Professional Standards Administrator receives the above-referenced forms they will send the mediation package to the Respondent. The Respondent will send their executed Agreement to Mediate form and the Mediator Officer will contact both parties to set the date, time, and location of the mediation. If an agreement is reached, both parties will sign the Mediation Resolution Agreement, and the case is considered resolved and cannot be refiled. If no agreement is reached between the parties, at the conclusion of the conference, the Mediator Officer may recommend an oral or written solution to the dispute giving the parties 48 hours to accept or reject the solution. If the solution is rejected, the request for arbitration shall be submitted to the Grievance Committee at the next scheduled meeting.

If you have any questions about mediation, please contact Cheryl Adams at 215-423-9381 or via email at cheryl@gpar.org.