Consumer protection
Selling, protected.
In Quebec, a real estate broker is regulated by the OACIQ. Here are the protections that exist for you, and where to find them.
Three protections
Who looks out for you.
The regulator
The law gives it the mission of protecting the public: it regulates and inspects brokers, and receives requests for assistance.
The indemnity fund
In case of fraud, fraudulent tactics or misappropriation of funds by a broker: up to $100,000 per claim, at no cost.
Mandatory insurance
Every broker and every agency is insured for losses caused by an unintentional fault, error or omission.
Before you sign
Check the licence.
The OACIQ's register of licence holders is public and updated daily.
- 1Look up the broker's name in the register: registre.oaciq.com
- 2Check the licence: Vanessa is a residential and commercial real estate broker
- 3The register also shows past disciplinary measures and training completed
- 4Without a valid licence, there is no recourse to the indemnity fund
The money in the transaction
A trust account.
What isn't the broker's
Any money a broker receives that does not belong to them must be deposited in a trust account.
The buyer's deposit
Once the promise to purchase is accepted, the deposit is placed without delay in the trust account of the broker or their agency.
A receipt
The person who pays the money receives a numbered receipt. Trust accounts must be covered by deposit insurance.
If something goes wrong
Who to turn to.
I have a question about my transaction.
Call Info OACIQ at 450 462-9800 or 1 800 440-7170. The agents give information, not legal opinions.
I think a rule was not followed.
Submit a request for assistance online to the OACIQ. An analyst reviews it and may refer the file to the syndic, who investigates. You receive the decision in writing.
I lost money because of fraud.
Claim from the indemnity fund (FICI) through a request for assistance to the OACIQ, no later than 2 years after learning of the fraud. The maximum indemnity is $100,000 per claim.
I lost money because of an error.
That is FARCIQ insurance. Talk first to the broker or the agency's executive officer, then send a written notice to FARCIQ. You must show a fault, a quantifiable loss and the link between the two.
Does the request for assistance stop the deadline to sue?
No. The deadline to go to court keeps running; it is generally three years. If needed, consult a lawyer.
Regulated contracts
The OACIQ's forms.
For a mainly residential building with fewer than 5 dwellings or a condominium, the sale is made on the OACIQ's forms.
- 1The brokerage contract to sell
- 2The promise to purchase
- 3The seller's declarations
- 4For a new or off-plan building: a preliminary contract
A regulated broker by your side.
Vanessa Vieira holds an OACIQ licence, residential and commercial. Let's talk about selling your property.
Sources
Information checked on October 19, 2026 with the sources below (in French).
- OACIQ, Mes protections
- OACIQ, Info OACIQ
- OACIQ, Service d'assistance
- OACIQ, Fonds d'indemnisation (FICI)
- OACIQ, FARCIQ
- FARCIQ, Je suis un réclamant
- Registre des titulaires de permis de l'OACIQ
- Loi sur le courtage immobilier (art. 8, 10, 23, 32, 108)
- Règlement sur le Fonds d'indemnisation (art. 7, 14)
- OACIQ, formulaires obligatoires (immeuble résidentiel)
- OACIQ, la promesse d'achat (acompte)
General information: it does not replace legal, tax or financial advice.