Supervision requirements
What the exam tests
Supervision is not a job title. The exam tests who must supervise, what supervision must cover, and how a branch manager evidences active oversight.
Who supervises
An agent must ensure salespersons are supervised by the agent or a branch manager. A salesperson cannot supervise another salesperson. Where a branch manager is appointed, the branch manager is responsible for day-to-day supervision in that branch, while the agent retains overall responsibility for the agency.
What active supervision looks like
Supervision must be ongoing and recorded. It covers:
- checking listings and advertising before publication;
- reviewing agency agreements and client care agreements;
- monitoring trust account receipts and deposits;
- ensuring disclosures and conflicts are handled;
- providing training and correcting poor practice.
A supervision policy that sits in a folder but is not applied is not effective supervision. The branch manager should be able to show files, dates, and actions.
Worked example
A salesperson lists a property and advertises 'sea views' without checking. The branch manager sees the ad after it goes live. Good supervision would have required pre-publication checking against the file. The branch manager's failure to check is a supervision issue, not only the salesperson's advertising error. The branch manager must correct the ad, record the review, and train the salesperson.
Traps
- Assuming supervision is delegated by giving a salesperson a checklist.
- Supervising only at monthly meetings without file review.
- Letting an unlicensed office administrator approve ads.
- Failing to document supervision; the exam rewards evidence of active oversight.