Sec. 20-320a. Referral of any buyer of real property to an attorney or mortgage broker prohibited, when. Suspension or revocation of licenses. Fines. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 20-320a. Referral of any buyer of real property to an attorney or mortgage broker prohibited, when. Suspension or revocation of licenses. Fines. (a) No real estate broker or real estate salesperson, no person affiliated with such broker or salesperson, and no person engaging in the real estate business may receive a fee, commission or other form of referral fee for the referral of any buyer of real property to (1) an attorney-at-law admitted to practice in this state or any person affiliated with such attorney or (2) any mortgage broker, any lender, as defined in subdivision (5) of section 49-31d, or any person affiliated with such mortgage broker or lender.

      (b) The Department of Consumer Protection may, upon the request of the commission or upon the verified complaint in writing of any person, if such complaint, or such complaint together with evidence, documentary or otherwise, presented in connection with such complaint, shall make out a prima facie case, investigate the actions of any real estate broker or real estate salesperson or any person who assumes to act in any of such capacities within this state. The commission may temporarily suspend or permanently revoke any license issued under the provisions of this chapter, and, in addition to or in lieu of such suspension or revocation, may, in its discretion, impose a fine of not more than one thousand dollars for the first offense at any time when, after proceedings as provided in section 20-321, the commission finds that the licensee is guilty of violating any of the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.

      (P.A. 94-240, S. 11; P.A. 96-200, S. 14; P.A. 98-10, S. 17; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(d); P.A. 04-169, S. 17; 04-189, S. 1.)

      History: P.A. 96-200 substituted "salesperson" for "salesman"; P.A. 98-10 made technical changes; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 and P.A. 04-169 replaced Department of Consumer Protection with Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004.