Section 185. Maintenance and management of financial records

A. A complete record of financial transactions conducted under authority of the principal broker's Virginia license shall be maintained in the principal broker's place of business, or in a designated branch office. When the principal broker's office is located outside of Virginia and the firm has a branch office in Virginia, a copy of these records shall be maintained in the Virginia office. These records shall show, in addition to any other requirements of the regulations, the following information: from whom money was received; the date of receipt; the place of deposit; the date of deposit; and, after the transaction has been completed, the final disposition of the funds.

B. The principal broker shall maintain a bookkeeping or recordkeeping system which shall accurately and clearly disclose full compliance with the requirements outlined in this section. Accounting records which are in sufficient detail to provide necessary information to determine such compliance shall be maintained.

C. Actions constituting improper recordkeeping by a principal broker or supervising broker include:

1. Failing to retain for a period of three years from the date of execution, each brokerage agreement, each disclosure and consent to dual agency or dual representation, and each disclosure and consent to designated agency or designated representation. Each disclosure of a brokerage relationship to an unrepresented party shall be retained for three years from the date provided to the party;

2. Failing to retain for a period of three years from the date of closing or from ratification, if the transaction fails to close, a complete and legible copy of each executed contract of sale, any executed release from contract, any executed lease agreement, any executed property management agreement, and each settlement statement related to a real estate transaction, in the broker's control or possession unless prohibited by law;

3. Failing to maintain a complete and accurate record of such receipts and their disbursements for moneys received on behalf of others for a period of three years from the date of the closing or termination of the sales transaction or termination of a lease or conclusion of the licensee's involvement in the lease; and

4. Failing to maintain any records required by this section for three years.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 19, Issue 12, eff. April 1, 2003; amended, Virginia Register Volume 31, Issue 26, eff. November 1, 2015.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-2105 of the Code of Virginia.