Real Estate Dispute Tribunal to be Established

The Real Estate Board/Commission of Strata Corporations (REB/CSC) will be establishing a dispute tribunal to assist the courts in settling industry-related matters.

Newly appointed REB/CSC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Phillip Chambers, says the tribunal will enable a “quicker turn-around time, in terms of persons accessing justice or resolving dispute around real estate issues”.

“So, we will be in the process of building out this, which I consider as our third arm,” he added.

Mr. Chambers said the entity’s intervention will also lower the number of cases going before the courts annually.

“We will be [able] to assist, not only the industry but the nation as a whole. It will also serve as a source of revenue for both the entity and the Government of Jamaica,” he further stated.

The CEO noted that the tribunal’s establishment is a major component of the REB/CSC transformation process, which will see the organisation transitioning to the Real Estate Authority of Jamaica.

“The vision is to ensure that we have a single entity that regulates, educates, monitors, and offers dispute resolution services with respect to real estate issues,” Mr. Chambers added.

Several policy updates have been executed to facilitate the change, with the REB/CSC also engaged in improving its operations.