Landlord Can't Use Minor Violation as Excuse to Not Pay Retainer Fees

In addition to commissions on actual leases closed, many landlords agree to pay their real estate brokers a monthly retainer. This is an effective way to ensure the availability of brokers you know and trust.

But retainer fee arrangements can also make it harder to break up when and if things go sour. Like marriages, every broker-client relationship is different. The one thing that’s certain is that you can’t rely on minor infractions that a broker may commit as justification to terminate a retainer fee.