MLS User Fees for Non-Members Effective October 1, 2014
MLS User Fees for Non-Members Effective October 1, 2014
For the last few months, an MLS Security Task Force has carefully examined how, by whom, and for what purposes our MLS system is being accessed. The Task Force approached their study with two priorities:
- MLS should know exactly who is accessing our MLS system; and
- MLS should take all reasonable steps to promote the security and confidentiality of our brokers’ MLS data.
The Task Force reached the following conclusions and recommendations.
Who has access to our MLS?
Members have access. Members accessing the system include: MLS participant brokers, their agents, appraisers and other affiliates, and all pay the annual MLS access fee (currently $265) or other, even greater, fees.
Non-members have access.Others who legitimately access the system include: office admins, non-member assistants, non-member appraiser assistants, and photographers, and all generally do not pay fees for use and support of our MLS but have access to all features of the MLS and to our brokers’ data.
There are software and other third-party developers who have been authorized and pay for vendor access.
How can we promote more secure access?
Our new Flexmls that went live this past February provides the ability to monitor the uses of the system, as well as the ability to identify the sharing of passwords. Many of our current users have requested additional, simultaneous logins – which have been provided – but only as an intermediate step toward more secure access to our system. Since February, our MLS has actually issued alerts to some members of probable password theft and subsequently has required those members to change their password accordingly.
The MLS Committee and Board of Directors recently adopted the Security Task Force recommendations to implement the following steps to promote more secure access to our MLS:
Beginning July 15, the Flexmls system will allow access by each password to only one session at a time; meaning, the MLS password may not be shared and a simultaneous use will no longer be possible. A subsequent log-in with the same password will disconnect a prior log-in.
- Each person accessing MLS must be registered with MLS, and any non-member user must be specifically authorized by a MLS participant broker.
- Each person will be assigned a unique username and password.
- Beginning October 1, a quarterly fee of $36 will be charged to offset costs of providing access to MLS and Realist to users in the non-member categories. (*Note – Each broker office that pays the Monthly Office Fee will be provided an office admin access without the additional $36 fee. Offices with 10 or more agents will be entitled to additional admin users. )
Non-Dues Paying User Registration Fee Schedule
*Office Admin Access Waived (included in MLS Monthly Office Fee) *ONLY BROKERS CAN REQUEST*
1 Office admin per 10 agents in office, or portions thereof. Example:
1 – 10 agents qualifies for 1 Office Admin
11 – 20 agents qualifies for 2 Office Admins
21 – 30 agents qualifies for 3 Office Admins
etc.
or
1 Office Admin per branch office.
—-
Non-Member Agent Assistant $36 Qtr.
Non-Member Appraiser Assistant $36 Qtr.
Non-Member Photographer $36 Qtr. (Restricted access)
Implementation Schedule
June Registration period of non-member users begins and must be completed by July 14.
July Beginning July 15, each user (those with their own login name and password) must be registered to have MLS access.
August Non-member users are e-notified of quarterly payment due for 4th qtr.
October 1 Non-member MLS access automatically denied unless user fee is paid.
Important notes
Non-member access fees are non-refundable, but are transferable upon request by participant broker.
The Super-User setting enables any member of a team to first log in to MLS using their own password, and then super-use, doing business as the team leader. Please contact MLS for authorization to super-use on a team.
Office Admins will continue to be provided the same level of access to office listing inventory as the broker. As such, ONLY Brokers can request an Office Administrator account to be created.
The new non-member access policy and fee should not affect the vast majority of current MLS subscribers, unless they provide their MLS password to others, a practice that is a violation of current MLS Rules and Regulations (and a $500 fine.)
Registration of non-licensed users Form
Questions about the new policy and implementation should be directed to MLS staff.
Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (M-F) Phone #: 614.475.4000
eMail: techsupport@columbusrealtors.com
Updated: 06/26/2019
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