e060720 Promotional drawing open to all

Identifier: e060720

Date: 07/20/2006

Question

Is it ethical to include real estate agents who have represented the inspector’s clients in past transactions in a drawing offering a prize worth 200-500 dollars?

Response

Offering prizes to real estate agents would not constitute a violation of the Code of Ethics if the opportunity were equally open to all agents, whether or not they had referred clients to the inspector, and provided that the agents were fully aware that the opportunity to win was open to all.  Such an arrangement would not constitute a payment for referral in violation of 1.C of the Code since the opportunity to win was not enhanced by making a referral