790-X-3.-03. Deposit Of Funds.

(1) The deposit and accounting for at all times of all funds belonging to or being held for others in a separate federally insured account or accounts in a financial institution located in Alabama shall require that the qualifying broker be a customer of the financial institution holding all such accounts and the qualifying broker shall be one of the persons with authority to deposit and withdraw funds and to write or make checks as necessary on all such accounts.
(2) Each real estate salesman or associate broker shall pay over to his or her qualifying broker all funds coming into his or her possession in trust for other parties immediately upon receipt of same.
(3) Each qualifying broker is responsible for deposit of all funds belonging to others coming into his or her possession or of a salesperson or associate broker licensed under him or her where such funds are to be held in trust, unless the qualifying broker is expressly relieved of such responsibility in writing. In cases where the funds are U. S. currency, i.e. cash as opposed to a check or note, these funds shall be deposited immediately. In cases where a check is received as earnest money and the contract form states that the check is to be held for a specific length of time or until the occurrence of a specific event, then the check shall be deposited when the contract form states, or if no time for deposit is specified in the contract form, then the check shall be deposited when the offer becomes a contract.
(4) Funds to be held in trust under a contract for sale involving more than one qualifying broker shall be held and deposited by any of the qualifying brokers involved in the sale. All funds to be held in trust, whether by contract for sale, or by lease or property management agreement, shall be held and deposited by the qualifying broker who is providing these services to the owner. In cases where a successor qualifying broker is to provide these services, the first broker shall provide a complete accounting of the funds and shall transfer the funds to the successor broker. The qualifying broker who is currently providing services to the owner shall be responsible to the public and to the commission for all funds. Upon request by the Commission or its authorized representative, each qualifying broker shall promptly account for any trust funds being held by that qualifying broker.
(5) Each qualifying broker shall promptly disburse to the appropriate party or parties any trust funds within 7 days of the consummation of the transaction for which the funds were deposited. If for any reason the transaction is not consummated, or if for any reason there is a disagreement involving to whom trust funds should be disbursed, the qualifying broker shall not disburse any trust funds except pursuant to a written agreement signed by all parties or pursuant to a court order.
(6) This Rule shall not prohibit a broker from depositing with the appropriate court any trust funds which are the subject of disagreement among or between parties under the rules of interpleader or other lawful procedure.

Author: Alabama Real Estate Commission

Statutory Authority:

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 34-27-8, 34-27-36(a).
History: