RESA Compliance & Subscription Model

1. Platform Status Under RESA

KootHaven is an independent online real estate listing and discovery platform. We are not a licensed real estate brokerage, managing broker, trading services licensee, or REALTOR® under the Real Estate Services Act, S.B.C. 2004, c. 42 ("RESA"). We do not provide real estate services as defined under RESA, do not negotiate transactions, and do not represent any party in a real estate transaction.

All real estate services on this platform are provided solely by licensed agents and brokerages who are independently regulated by the BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA). KootHaven does not employ, supervise, or control any agent or brokerage listed on this platform.

2. Subscription Fee Model — Not Transaction-Related

KootHaven offers a 6-month complimentary trial period for licensed agents. After the trial period, agents may choose to continue their subscription on a month-to-month basis for a monthly subscription fee.

This subscription fee is exclusively for:

• Platform infrastructure, hosting, and maintenance
• Software development and feature updates
• Database management and security
• Customer support and technical operations
• Compliance and regulatory monitoring

The subscription fee is explicitly NOT:

• A commission or transaction fee
• Compensation tied to real estate transactions
• A referral fee or finder's fee
• Any form of indirect remuneration under RESA 23-016

3. RESA 23-016 Compliance — No Indirect Remuneration

RESA 23-016 prohibits unlicensed persons from receiving compensation for referring real estate services or for any activity that is part of a real estate transaction. KootHaven complies fully with this regulation:

• No transaction participation: KootHaven does not negotiate, facilitate, or complete any real estate transactions.
• No commission sharing: KootHaven does not receive, collect, or share any real estate commissions.
• No transaction-tied fees: The subscription fee is independent of whether any transaction occurs.
• No referral compensation: KootHaven does not receive compensation for referring buyers to sellers or agents to clients.
• Subscription is voluntary: Agents may discontinue their subscription at any time without penalty.

4. Agent Independence

Licensed agents who use KootHaven remain completely independent. They:

• Retain full control over their listings and pricing
• Conduct all real estate business independently
• Negotiate directly with buyers and sellers
• Collect all commissions and fees directly from their brokerage
• Are not required to use KootHaven for any transactions
• May discontinue their subscription at any time

5. License Verification

To protect consumers and maintain platform integrity, KootHaven requires all agents registering on the platform to provide a valid BCFSA licence number. This number is verified in real time against the BCFSA public licensee registry. The following publicly available information from the BCFSA registry is stored by KootHaven solely for platform integrity purposes:

• Licence number
• Registered name
• Brokerage affiliation
• Geographic location
• Licence expiry date

KootHaven periodically re-verifies active agent licences against the BCFSA registry and will deactivate any agent profile where the licence has expired or been revoked.

6. Buyer and Seller Access

Buyers and sellers may use KootHaven's listing and discovery features at no cost. The platform is designed to connect these users with licensed agents and brokerages. KootHaven does not charge buyers or sellers any fees for accessing listings or contacting agents.

7. Messaging System — Scheduling Only

The KootHaven messaging system is provided exclusively for scheduling property viewings and asking general informational questions about listings. All financial and transactional discussions must occur directly between the parties and their licensed professionals outside of this platform.

8. Regulatory Compliance

KootHaven operates in full compliance with:

• Real Estate Services Act, S.B.C. 2004, c. 42 (RESA)
• BCFSA regulations and guidelines, including RESA 23-016
• Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), S.B.C. 2003, c. 63
• Competition Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-34
• All applicable federal and provincial consumer protection laws

9. Contact & Questions

For questions about KootHaven's compliance with RESA or our subscription model, please contact us at: [email protected]

For concerns or complaints about real estate services provided by licensed agents on this platform, please contact the BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA) directly at www.bcfsa.ca.

10. Updates to This Statement

KootHaven reserves the right to update this compliance statement at any time. Continued use of the platform constitutes acceptance of any updates. We will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page when changes are made.