2023 Tennessee Code › Title 62 - PROFESSIONS, BUSINESSES AND TRADES (§§ 62-1-101 — 62-76-203) › Chapter 13 - TENNESSEE REAL ESTATE BROKER LICENSE ACT OF 1973 (§§ 62-13-101 — 62-13-604) › Part 2 - TENNESSEE REAL ESTATE COMMISSION (§§ 62-13-201 — 62-13-209) › Section 62-13-208 - Real estate education and recovery account

(a)
There is established within the general fund a real estate education and recovery account, referred to as the "account" in this section. All funds received by the commission under this section shall be deposited into the account and held solely for the purposes of this section. The commission shall maintain a minimum balance of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) in the account.
(b)
Moneys within the account shall be invested by the state treasurer in accordance with §
9-4-603
for the sole benefit of the account.
(c)
(1)
When any individual applies for an original license as a broker, affiliate broker or time-share salesperson, the applicant shall pay, in addition to the original license fee, a fee in an amount established by the commission for deposit into the account. If the commission refuses to issue a license, this fee shall be returned to the applicant.
(2)
In addition, the commission may assess each individual broker, affiliate broker and time-share salesperson, as a condition for renewal of the individual's license, a fee, in addition to the renewal fee, not to exceed thirty dollars ($30.00), for the purpose of ensuring that the required minimum balance is maintained in the account.
(d)
Any person may recover from the account actual or compensatory damages, not including interest and costs, resulting from any violation of this chapter or of any rule promulgated under this chapter committed by a broker, affiliate broker or time-share salesperson; provided, that:
(1)
The liability of the account shall not exceed fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) per transaction, regardless of the number of persons aggrieved or parcels of real estate involved in the transaction;
(2)
The liability of the account for the acts of a broker, affiliate broker or time-share salesperson, when acting as a broker, affiliate broker or time-share salesperson, shall be terminated upon the issuance of court orders authorizing payments from the account for judgments, or any unsatisfied portion of judgments, in an aggregate amount of thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) on behalf of the broker, affiliate broker or time-share salesperson;
(3)
A broker, affiliate broker or time-share salesperson acting as an agent in a real estate transaction shall have no claim against the account; and
(4)
A bonding company not acting as a principal in a real estate transaction shall have no claim against the account.
(e)
When any aggrieved person commences action for a judgment that may result in collection from the account, the person shall promptly notify the commission to this effect in writing within thirty (30) days of commencement of the action. The commission may, subject to the approval of the attorney general and reporter, take any action it may deem appropriate to protect the integrity of the account.
(f)
[Deleted by 2021 amendment.]
(g)
If the commission pays any amount from the account on behalf of a licensed broker, affiliate broker or time-share salesperson, the license of the broker, affiliate broker or time-share salesperson may, in the discretion of the commission, be suspended or revoked. No broker, affiliate broker or time-share salesperson whose license is revoked under this subsection (g) shall be eligible to apply for a new license until that person has repaid in full the amount paid from the account on that person's behalf, plus interest at the effective earnings rate for the account for the period the claim is unpaid.
(h)
When the commission has paid from the account any sum to a complainant, the commission is subrogated to all the rights of the complainant in the claim that resulted in payment from the account. The commission shall deposit any amount recovered under this section to the account. If the total amount collected by the commission exceeds the amount paid from the account to the complainant, plus interest and the cost of collection, then the commission may elect to pay the coverage or reassign the remaining interest to the complainant. The payment or reassignment to the complainant does not subject the account to further liability for payment to the original complainant based on that transaction or any resulting judgment. Costs incurred by the commission in attempting to collect under this section must be paid from the account.
(i)
If, at any time, the money deposited in the account is insufficient to satisfy any duly authorized claim or portion of the claim, the commission shall, when sufficient money has been deposited in the account, satisfy the unpaid claims or portions of the unpaid claims in the order that they were originally filed, plus interest at the effective earnings rate for the account for the period the claim is unpaid.
(j)
The failure of an aggrieved person to comply with all of the provisions of this section shall constitute a waiver of any rights under this section.
(k)
It is unlawful for any person to file or cause to be filed with the commission any notice, statement or other document required under this section that is false or contains any material misstatement of fact.
(l)
The commission may, in its discretion, utilize any return on investment of the account to cover expenses incurred in the performance of functions authorized by §§
62-13-107
and
62-13-108
or in the preparation and dissemination of information for the benefit of licensees; provided, that the commission shall not expend or commit sums for any such purpose in an amount that would reduce the account to a balance of less than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).
(m)
No state funds shall be expended to effectuate this section other than the fees and charges set forth in this section.
Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 549, Secs.s22, s23, s24, s25 eff. 10/1/2021.
Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 549, s 21, eff. 10/1/2021.
Acts 1973, ch. 181, § 11(b), (c); modified; Acts 1978, ch. 906, § 24; T.C.A., § 62-1322; Acts 1984, ch. 810, § 6; 1989, ch. 89, § 6; 1989, ch. 324, § 2; 1990, ch. 946, §§ 1-4.