The Delaware County Board of
REALTORS® (DCBR) has adopted voluntary mediation as an alternative method
for resolving disputes through the Columbus Board of REALTORS® (CBR).
As a voluntary alternative, mediation is strongly encouraged but not mandatory.
Who May Mediate?
Any REALTOR®, client or customer entitled to invoke DCBR’s arbitration
facilities may also use CBR’s mediation service once a dispute has been
determined by the Grievance Committee to be properly the subject of arbitration.
What is Mediation?
Mediation is a form of facilitated negotiation, conducted in a more informal
setting, by which a trained and experienced third party helps the disputing
parties to reach a mutually acceptable resolution.
What are the Advantages of Mediation?
- Mediation enables the parties
to determine promptly whether there is a possibility of settling the dispute.
- Mediation saves time.
- Mediation can salvage relationships.
- Since both parties consent
to the mediation, the ultimate solution is in the hands of the parties -
rather than a hearing panel.
How Can I Obtain CBR’s
Service of Mediation?
Once DCBR’s Grievance Committee has determined that a Request
for Arbitration is properly subject to arbitration, and both parties have
notified DCBR of their willingness to mediate, one of CBR’s mediators
will contact them. The mediator will arrange for a time that is convenient
to both parties to come to the CBR office for the mediation (2700 Airport
Drive, Columbus, OH 43219).
If an agreement is reached through mediation, both parties will be asked to
sign a written agreement, and $200 of each party’s $250 arbitration
fee will be refunded. Failure to reach agreement through mediation will not
be considered by a hearing panel during any subsequent arbitration hearing.
