Section 1322.075. Conflict of interest disclosure regarding referrals

(A) No registrant or licensee or person required to be registered or licensed under sections 1322.01 to 1322.12 of the Revised Code shall refer a buyer to any settlement service provider, including any title insurance company, without providing the buyer with written notice disclosing all of the following:

(1) Any business relationship that exists between the registrant, licensee, or person required to be registered or licensed under sections 1322.01 to 1322.12 of the Revised Code, and the provider to which the buyer is being referred, and any financial benefit that the registrant, licensee, or person may be provided because of the relationship;

(2) The percentage of ownership interest the registrant, licensee, or person required to be registered or licensed under sections 1322.01 to 1322.12 of the Revised Code has in the provider to which the buyer is being referred;

(3) The estimated charge or range of charges for the settlement service listed;

(4) The following statement, printed in boldface type of the minimum size of sixteen points: "There are frequently other settlement service providers available with similar services. You are free to shop around to determine that you are receiving the best services and the best rate for these services."

(B) No registrant or licensee shall refer a buyer to an appraisal company, if the registrant or licensee, a member of the immediate family of an owner of the registrant, or a member of the licensee's immediate family, has either of the following financial relationships with the appraisal company:

(1) An ownership or investment interest in the company, whether through debt, equity, or other means;

(2) Any compensation arrangement involving any remuneration, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind.

(C) No registrant or licensee shall knowingly enter into an arrangement or scheme, including a cross-referral arrangement, that has a principal purpose of assuring referrals by a registrant or licensee to a particular appraisal company that would violate division (B) of this section.

(D) The registrant, licensee, or person required to be registered or licensed under sections 1322.01 to 1322.12 of the Revised Code shall retain proof that the buyer received the written disclosures required by division (A) of this section for four years.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 10/16/2009.

Effective Date: 01-01-2007