Realtor who appeared on ‘Million Dollar Listing' accused of flooding clients' home

[@only1adrienne]

I’m a broker in NYC and I used to work for Compass here. No matter what company it is, these sellers have a right to sue. They have all the evidence and the E&O insurance would’ve covered this because the agent is liable. Even if it went to arbitration they still would’ve won with all this evidence.

[@khunopie9159]

Umm no kidding

[@Coronadotbird68]

Up to $1M-$2M in E&O insurance

[@PlumbNutz]

You are an imbecile and you know nothing about how mechanical things work. Any sort of gas fireplace or furnace is thermostatically controlled and it has a maximum temperature cut off switch, you don't just turn on a fireplace and it just keeps Heating and heating until the sprinklers turn on. It will shut off before 90°. Of course you are a woman and you don't know anything about mechanical systems. Go ahead and waste time with lawyers and burn through a bunch of money but you will lose in court as soon as any sort of expert testifies.

[@firmsecured1145]

It's scary that most real estate E&O policies exclude claims for contingent bodily injury or property damage, so only a few real estate E&O programs nationwide have adequate coverage for this... Pretty insane!

[@eile4219]

Just never use those companies. Easy. I can sell my house without using them or sign with any agent

[@SCSC-qz7rr]

I hope they sue this realtor and make him pay not only for all the damages but for the emotional state they’re going through and the loss of the money from the time they would’ve sold to the time they actually sell

[@user-eu7md1ew9s]

No, that's overreacting. Just pay for the damage and that it is. Frivolous lawsuits just because they are worth millions is just selfish.

[@adventuresinthebay8487]

Hard to put a figure on “emotional” damages. But everything else is easy to tally.

[@anthonymcnatt3799]

You should sue your mom because she didn't give you an asswhoopin.😂

[@Victoria-OneLove4AllPeople]

I agree with you these expenses should be reimbursed.

[@sharonh2991]

@@user-eu7md1ew9s- But if the realtors aren’t even wiling to let them out of the sales contract it’s not likely they’re going to pony up $200k to fix the damage. There’s no choice but to sue.

[@curtbergeron703]

This is your typical West Hollywood/Beverly Hills agent that got on TV because he is young and good looking. Good looks has nothing to do with how effective and trustworthy a realtor will be. I feel for this couple and I hope they win in court. However, choosing an agent because he/she was on a TV show is the worst qualification for hiring an agent I have ever heard of!

[@xsnjkwfeny-wr9qr]

Realtors are in general in it for themselves. the ones from reality TV shows are for damn sure in it for themselves and themselves only, run the other way!

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

@@xsnjkwfeny-wr9qrMillion Dollar Listing Nightmare should be the name of the show.

[@UptownSigma]

@@xsnjkwfeny-wr9qr everyone is in business for themselves. Realtors, attorneys, bankers, accountants, the judges, politicians. Lets not highlight realtors as if were a different breed. However, a select few truly care about the needs and wants of their clients.

[@curtbergeron703]

@@user-lt7er2xk1t I’m not saying that at all. I said the realtor was cast on the tv show because the realtor was young and good looking. Have you ever seen an ugly realtor on one of these shows? The casting agents could care less if the agents on the shows are competent and ethical. The news story stated the couple in this piece learned of the agent because he was on a tv show. I never said or inferred they selected him because they were lusting after him. The point I was trying to make is that agents on tv shows may not always be the most qualified or ethical agents a customer could select from.

[@user-or6yn8pm3c]

Wow. Glad I don't live in such a left wing loonie bin like LA

[@Jeanne90275]

My advice is to never leave the home unoccupied. While selling my parents Palos Verdes home a dozen years ago, the buyer's agent gave them the keys and they secretly started to remodel while the house was in escrow. I had to get the estate attorney involved. Since both realtors were high profile and well-established, I wasn't expecting anything so underhanded and illegal.

[@TravelOften]

Maybe "high profile and well established" can be a negative. They could be "less hungry", not that motivated to do a good job since business rolls in the door with no effort.

[@donaldharlan3981]

sounds like real estate fraud.

[@MrBobochow]

May not always want to go with high profile try a honest realtor.

[@Jeanne90275]

@@MrBobochow The realtor who gave out the keys was the buyer's agent, who was also president of the local board of realtors. My concern was liability and the estate attorney took care of that...plus the buyers were forced to deposit significantly more funds into escrow, more than enough to cover repairs had they decided to pull out of the sale.

[@MrBobochow]

@jeanne90275 the keys should almost never be handed over prior to closing. Liability doesn’t come in just the form of repairs. What if someone gets seriously injured ?

[@GoPoundSalt]

It's a classic, visitors are touching everything, switching everything on. Selling my house, I found 3 days later lights on in the attic, the barn backroom. This home build is wrong, if you can turn your fire place using a regular switch placed in a random place, it's a potential hazard. Of course, it's the realtor job to check everything before leaving the house.

[@usmale49]

Well stated!!

[@bobloblaw7465]

Yea I would sue the builder.

[@VictorPerrin]

This is why realtors have Errors and Ommissions Insurance. Hopefully this gets turned over to the insurance company and no one goes bankrupt.

[@YellaBellaReno]

Yeah, what kind of realtor leaves a house with the fireplace on? If he couldn’t find the switch, it’s as easy as calling the homeowners.

[@albeit1]

They’ve got the evidence. The agent screwed up, either turned on the fireplace and failed to turn it off, or failed to notice that the potential buyer had.

[@danieldavis3035]

Yeah, but isn't this why you have insurance? The fault is with the sprinklers. They shouldn't go off based on heat output, but carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrogen oxides or sulfur oxides.

[@cobracommander9138]

With big companies like these you don't bother with trying to resolve things outside of court. They don't respect anything but actual legal action. You file your lawsuit and then they will come to the table.

[@Tekniq182]

I'm surprised the fireplace doesn't have an auto-shutoff feature if something like this is a possibility

[@anthonymcnatt3799]

It runs on babies. It's always off. Everyone is a latex mummy in California.😂

[@lHurtYourFeeIings]

I honestly don't see how 130 degrees is even possible.

[@AMG-on-2nd]

@@lHurtYourFeeIings The weather was hot. The fireplace was only turned on as a demonstration, not to try to warm up the place but as we know it was left on. If you turn on a heat source that doesn’t have a thermostat to regulate the temp, and it happens to be in hot weather, you can definitely hit 130 degrees in an enclosed space. There are places that have hit 120 degrees in recent heat waves.

[@AMG-on-2nd]

@@anthonymcnatt3799 Yeah, you might as well laugh at your own jokes since nobody else will.

[@sweepingdenver]

I agree, and I have to say, Compass might have an "out" here if this installation was legally questionable. If it was straight up unpermitted/disallowed, I bet Compass won't even owe a penny. It shouldn't be possible for a single wall switch to cause this whether or not someone is home.

[@sbsk2526]

Although whomever turned the light switch on may have accidentally forgot to turn it off, i believe this case falls into the Reator showing the listing Fault.. because he did not make sure everything was turned off before the leaving the property. Good thing the owner has security camera & bills to show the timeline, this should be valuable evidence to use against him in court.

[@albeit1]

A switch is one thing. A fire is something else.

[@MsNoriega310]

Totally agree! Every time I have a showing. I make sure to lock doors windows, lights off, I am so scared of forgetting to do this that I go through out the home at least3 times and sure enough I find a window slightly open or a door unlocked so it’s best to be safe and secure the home, even if it takes an extra hour it’s worth it! For yourself and especially your clients home

[@alakazaam841]

The switch was probably situated directly near the fireplace. An agent should know enough to know there’s gas run fireplaces that can be turned on with what looks like a light switch. Though these guys seem like they hired an agent based on his attractiveness not his qualifications

[@KnowledgeMaster4321]

Having a fireplace gas switch that looks like a light switch is not a good idea.

[@A_12USA]

timer switch

[@bgregg55]

It's absolutely stupid not to have it thermostatically controlled. Let that be a lesson to homeowners.

[@lHurtYourFeeIings]

​@@A_12USAwhat is a timer that stays on for four days? What was it timing?

[@A_12USA]

jacuzzi has an on and off switch and it has a built-in timer for 15 minutes max on each time @@lHurtYourFeeIings

[@bpxl53yewz29]

Most homes have the light switch fireplace

[@ramza675]

As an agent its your duty to turn everything off. What a nightmare situation.

[@Jesus-The-Everlasting-Father]

They did turn everything off, but the realtor turned it on.

[@GRB22]

@@Jesus-The-Everlasting-Father read the comment again.

[@md61211]

That's right. You stay behind after the showing and go through the whole place, closing windows & doors, locking up, and turning off whatever was turned on.

[@truthjusticeintegrity]

I am a retired home inspector any time I did a Home Inspection I wore a Body Camera. It has saved me several times from false allegations' and it also saved me from potential problems, since I could go back through the footage to see if I turned off the Stove etc.

[@deanturchi4807]

I had a realtor refuse to let me out of listing agreement even after he was found to be fraudulently purchasing the home for himself. It was a disaster, 4 years in court and hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fee’s. Crooked lawyers in every corner of the realestate industry & the CAL Dept. Of Realestate was useless. Even discovered I wasnt the only one in a lawsuit for similar fraud by this realtor! The whole real estate industry is crooked.

[@keithfleming6019]

Wowww

[@Starfish2145]

That is not true. Sorry you had a bad experience.

[@alrober1906]

" Even discovered I wasnt the only one in a lawsuit for similar fraud by this realtor!" So you didn't do your due diligence reaching the person selling your home?

[@switch1237]

Wow

[@PlumbNutz]

You are 100% correct, lawyers are some of the worst shysters around, they are just as bad or maybe even worse than used car salesman. I hate Realtors.

[@b4804514]

Any fireplace that will run forever with no auto shut off is very dangerous. Was there no thermostat to shut it off? Was there no security system? Was there no interior cameras? This property has levels of safety issues that if put in place would have prevented this problem. The owners could have had this issue at anytime with no precautions

[@lHurtYourFeeIings]

100% owners liability. No way a heater stays on 130 degree from a Switch in the HALLWAY. No permit most likely.

[@jessecurlgoddess7320]

I agree! That was an accident waiting to happen. The realtor wasn’t reckless. It was an unfortunate accident but the main problem is faulty equipment.

[@BwInNewJersey]

Id be surprised if there isnt a code that requires a thermostat or auto-shutoff -which could be the reason the couple is trying to avoid legal actions

[@KonohasYeIlowFlash]

That’s the dumbest place to put the switch to the fireplace. It looks like a hall light switch, and you can easily bump into it when you walk by.

[@jasonc422]

@@KonohasYeIlowFlashgranted you’re home, i’m sure you’d notice it would be on, most people don’t leave their home with stuff on like that.

[@DiscBelief]

Usually those fireplaces have a Thermostat and automatic shutoff. Strange

[@KA-eu9sy]

Thank goodness for the neighbours to alert them.

[@tbd1613]

Honesty and Integrity are not the words I would use in describing a real estate agent. Cant wait until the Courts limit these realtors commission rates.

[@organized4]

Even if a party who was being shown the property turned that fireplace on, it was up to the agent showing the property to check everything when he left. Kuddos to this couple for having security cameras!

[@curtbergeron703]

You are 100% correct! This agent failed miserably at his most basic duty.

[@DixonDixon65]

Rushing to another Tv job!!!!😮

[@bobloblaw7465]

​@@curtbergeron703or sue the builder for placing a switch easily accessible without any fail safes.

[@steven_dekok]

RLA specifically states mediation first. It costs roughly $600 to file the paperwork in CA. Only after that can they go to court. The need to follow their contract otherwise Compass can sue THEM for breach of contract. People seem to forget that these contracts are legally binding and you can't just "go around" them. For those saying that is what E&O is for, you need to keep in mind that E&O insurance doesn't always cover agent neglect. Having said that, as a Broker, I would have reached out to them ASAP and resolved this issue. Hypothetically speaking, if I were those sellers, I would consult an attorney to see if there is a way to cancel the current escrow and then let the time run out on the 3 month listing contract. Then hire a better broker to represent them.

[@PlumbNutz]

This case is a loser. I'm an HVAC contractor, any sort of gas fireplace or furnace has multiple over temperature limits that turn it off not to mention the thermostatic control. You don't just turn on a gas fireplace and it never shuts off. Clearly the gas fireplace has malfunctioned or was tampered with to override the over temperature controls.

[@steven_dekok]

@@PlumbNutz Great point!!!

[@sk8ercaligirl]

@ steven_dekok you gave good advice. Hopefully the owner will read it.

[@rscott2533]

There should always be a walk thru by the realtor after a showing to make sure everything is turned off , lesson learned !!

[@P1983sche]

You have to sue them to bring them to the table. It’s unfair, unjust, but it’s the only way they will respond!

[@YOOWINYOOWIN]

Why bother wasting time through mediation? You don't do mediation on cases like this. A mediation in residential real estate contract usually occurs when there's a disagreement and discrepancies between buyer and seller during breach of contract pending escrow. This case is NOT about that. This is about "gross negligence between LISTING BROKER and the Seller. You go straight to court and file a lawsuit for the entire cost of rebuilding plus carrying costs, prorated property tax, prorated HOA dues, utilities, and other losses incurred from losing the Buyer if fell out of escrow and potential other buyers. But given the 7-8% interest rate, that chance is slim, nevertheless you should.

[@anthonymcnatt3799]

So you must be broke?

[@bobloblaw7465]

Evidence. Do you know if he did it, or the people he was showing the house to?

[@AF-wf6vo]

Mediation is often part of the sales agreement

[@YOOWINYOOWIN]

It doesn't matter who turned it on or off. That clearly isn't the point. You gave the keys to your house to your realtor and the rest is history. It's like I lent you some money but you're telling you got robbed. Who cares who robbed you? You're responsible for my money!@@bobloblaw7465

[@PlumbNutz]

This case is a loser. Put simply the gas fireplace malfunctioned because there are multiple over temperature limits on any sort of gas Appliance.

[@TommyRosati]

As a real estate agent of nearly 7 years, HERE is what most people don't know about us, but should: All "successful agents" really only need to be good at 2 things; marketing & marketing!

[@Starfish2145]

That is not true. Shame on you.

[@jimmw0187]

Omg. I hope they sue. The evidence is right there. That utility bill..Wow! What a nightmare and also so heartbreaking & sad. They would win in court. Cmon now. 💯

[@fernarias]

So they had a natural gas fireplace that doesn't have a thermostat but instead has a on/off switch. I don't think that's code.

[@bgregg55]

Wait. The gas fireplace doesn't have thermostatic control or an auto-off timer? That's just plain dangerous.

[@BIEFL-Inspections]

I've seen realtors get distracted by questions from clients when showing a home and they get pulled in multiple directions. This was an accident obviously, but a company as large as Compass should take care of these clients since I'm sure this issue does not happen very often.

[@livingwithlexyoutube]

This is why when we put homes on the market we visit the home each day to make sure all doors and windows are locked lights and water is off and the stove is off sometimes things get hectic during showing when it’s more than one buyer during showing and realtors don’t catch everything, I do hope they sue and get every penny loss and then some for the negligence

[@Lelffy]

Compass needs to forgo the selling fee at minimum. They SHOULD reimburse the total cost of all repairs in addition to any other costs incurred.

[@nothingnessofeverything]

Compass is not honest ever. They try to sell within there own circle.

[@tw4943]

I've been told they're low class and GHETTO

[@lv70287]

As a realtor after showing a home to a potential buyer you always do a walk through after to make sure everything is off before locking up and leaving the home. The couple should sue.

[@lastmanlost]

If the gas fireplace could raise the temp that high, it might have been installed wrong but local code may not have a rule for a temp limiting switch or if it may have failed.

[@Tman76]

That’s a tough one. Where I live insurance companies require someone to check on the house every 48 hours, so this would not have been covered. Most fireplaces these days also have thermostats on them, and smart thermostats have apps that can alert you. I have seen similar damage to houses due to freezing and the insurance didn’t pay for anything, and if they did it was only to fix the leak and not the damages.

[@bobloblaw7465]

Fireplace switches should be outlawed without a safety. Anyone, could have accidentally bumped the switch while walking and talking, not noticed it. Its unfortunate, but i dont see this holding up in court, without witnesses saying he intentionally flipped it.

[@bpxl53yewz29]

Still, the agent was the last one there. The couple wasn’t even in town

[@bobloblaw7465]

@@bpxl53yewz29 and...it's an accident and insurance will fix it. They won't get far suing the agent.

[@YellaBellaReno]

Agents walk a house before they leave. They are supposed to do that. Every agent knows. He just… somehow managed to not notice the fireplace was on?

[@bobloblaw7465]

@@YellaBellaReno so you feel it was intentional?

[@YellaBellaReno]

@@bobloblaw7465 no. Sorry. I can see how it reads that way. I feel it was negligent, and ultimately his responsibility.

[@passionnotparked9099]

With Big Money...comes Big problems.

[@Bob-gj7nm]

It's better to keep going home to check on your property every day when you give the opportunity for strangers to walk in. Always check your home right after they leave.

[@MsNoriega310]

I’m a Realtor with Rodeo Beverly Hills and I hope you find a Realtor you feel safe with and is willing to help you without thinking of the monetary benefits! I’m so sorry!!! Yes speak to as many Realtors as possible until you find the perfect match for your needs!

[@moondancer334]

Thank you Captain Obvious. Clearly they can't just go out and find a new listing agent as they have a 3 month contract with the current b0z0, or did you miss that part of the story?

[@MsNoriega310]

To clarify, once you sign a contract, you are bound by its terms until it expires. This applies before entering into a representation agreement.

[@paranoidhumanoid]

Miss, you don't need a realtor to sell a house. I have never used one and never will. All you need is an attorney and/or title company to handle the paperwork. Title companies even have their own attorneys who will draft/edit the sale agreement and any riders and also the property deed transfer. There is no need to pay a realtor 5-6% just to open the door and lock the place up.

[@jaklg7905]

I never understood the trend of leaving the agent and strangers in your house alone. The owner should always be in the home.

[@vulcan2882]

Sue the agent and the compay for half a million dollars, that way that company will think twice about trying to get away with anything.

[@tommatthews9341]

This is what home insurance is for. The insurance company will pay first and then try to subrogate whoever they think is liable.

[@blujeans9462]

First, this was a mistake - that the E&O insurance will take care of. That's why it is required when you get licensed. Although no where near anything like this, when I recently listed my home, several realtors clearly were not thinking. One turned on all the exterior light switches in order to determine which was the light for the kitchen - but never shut them off (one would think if you turn a switch on and nothing happens, you turn it off). Several others left interior lights on (so clearly the agent in this video wanted to show the buyers the fireplace working, then forgot to shut it off). The best: one of the realtors walked out leaving the front door totally open! The key still in the door - the door wide open. I had security cameras on because this was my vacation house - so I saw what happened. This meant 3 hours of driving every time another realtor was off in la-la land while showing the house. Finally, I put child guards on the light switches - problem solved (at least the lights on part).

[@swedesam]

So, put that fireplace switch on an auto-shutoff after a few hours or some set temp is reached.

[@sonjagood7305]

The Realtor left the fireplace on. I had a realtor that left my gate open, allowing people to easily break in and destroy the new bathrooms, not to mention the window that they came through. The thieves even left the front door open. All the realtor had to do was lock the gate😢 I sold the property AS IS.

[@roberth3094]

He turned it on to show the clients, then forgot to turn it off.

[@ladybuginc.4189]

They should sue, and try to get his license revoked!!

[@1975brett]

So the switch to turn on the fireplace looks exactly like a light switch. What could go wrong?

[@BradThePitts]

FIGHT CLUB 2023

[@sbsk2526]

it makes sense to turn whatever you turned on back off, especially if you don’t know what you turned on right?

[@usmale49]

@@sbsk2526 Exactly!!

[@lHurtYourFeeIings]

@@sbsk2526 how do you turn off something you didn't even know was on?

[@terryl.cooper]

For 5 years nothing did.

[@shawnise311]

He shouldn’t even waste money fighting them. That realtor is so guilty it’s INSANE.

[@mpat100]

Blessings for them that they get their home repaired and sold and get financial compensation

[@JamesGarrity]

I have to tell you I watch million Dollar listing all the time I never saw this guy before on TV

[@alisag.8323]

Yeah I don't remember him either.

[@SirCarlosMusicBMI]

I’m so sorry to hear about this terrible situation. You guys seem like a beautiful couple and this could have been prevented. May God watch over you and get you through this bad thing. Blessings,Carlos ✝️🙏❤️😊🇺🇸

[@bobloblaw7465]

They're rich. They'll be fine.

[@503zzach]

Asian gay love big wyyte meat

[@arathgomez172]

@@bobloblaw7465That’s a dumb thing to say. Just because you’re comfortable doesn’t mean you don’t have other things to pay, save for, or allocate your money to.

[@bobloblaw7465]

@@arathgomez172 nah, they'll be fine.

[@arathgomez172]

@@bobloblaw7465 if you know them personaly then I'll take ur word for it.

[@NateLives]

People feel like they “know” someone just cause they’ve seen them on social media or television. You don’t actually know them or their integrity. A lot of these public figures especially in real estate deal in shady business practices and now they’re trying to dodge responsibility.. smh. That being said, I’ll save my tears for those working overtime just to pay rent and put food on the table, not the couple moving from one luxury mansion to another lol.

[@ddc2343d]

It could have been someone looking at the place that bumped against it. Also, who has a fireplace that is off a thermostat? Mine is not fancy but will shut off automatically if the room gets too hot.

[@toddriley1120]

It's not a condo - it's a Small Lot Single Family Home

[@mprrx]

I make a point after a realtor showing, to go and check the house at the end of the day or after the showing.

[@kingkongkingkong4718]

I’ve an agent do a tour while I’m not home sometime the light left on all the rooms, fans is on for 4-5 hours when I came home and I was mad as hell

[@katbedbury389]

The agent and Compass should do the right thing! They are wrong in my opinion.

[@Lucysil1970]

My realtor sold me a house with Kitec plumbing. He paid for the inspector so he could manipulate the results. I had to pay 50k to repipe the entire house. I’m still waiting to get reimbursed 4 years later from the Kitec lawsuit. Some realtors will do anything for a sale.

[@dominickcsoliz]

Sue those compass people

[@isamedal]

Is there an update?

[@marcschneider2052]

As long as they had homeowners insurance, the insurer will be responsible to pay the claim, assuming this is not an excluded peril on their policy. Then the insurance company can go after Compass, subrogation, and that’s how Compass will end up being responsible. They can also sue Compass separately for their own damages and hardships beyond what the insurance company pays out. At least they have avenues to be made whole.

[@beatricerights]

I think they probably already got paid by the Homeowners insurance and came on here to shame the realtor. . They know they don't have a lawsuit after collecting the insurance money.

[@rncine]

Years ago I put my house up for sale in Pinellas county, Fl with Luigi who worked with Coldwell Banker. I had a second home too, that we had moved in to. One day I went in to the empty property and there was beer cans all over the place and the back window was left open! I then called Luigi and he tells me, “Well what do you want me to do, babysit your house?” He was fired immediately and I went with Remax who sold the home right away. I will never ever do business with Coldwell Banker.

[@shadowfilm7980]

This is horrible. Isabel should be fired plus sued by the two guys. Have to. So incompetent they are. Compass and this woman, Isabel.

[@BalramSouk]

Where is the couple?

[@plutofs]

Comparative Negligence- Yes, the agent should have checked that everything was turned off but the way the fireplace was installed without safety measures contributed substantially as well. The fact that the switch looked like an ordinary light switch (Buyers click every switch they can get their hands on) and the fact that the fireplace had no overheat protection that any $20 space heater has was an accident waiting to happen.

[@chefcjnobles2423]

There’s no chance in hell that fireplace in a house that looks like that doesn’t automatically shut itself down. My little two bedroom condo in Chicago doesn’t look anywhere near as modern as this home does and the fireplace switches off by itself if left on over 12 hours.

[@davidrice6724]

And then...who is responsible for the damage done to the other apartments?...

[@YOOWINYOOWIN]

Compass is like Walmart when in comes to picking out realtors. So is EXP and The Agency. They're like the LA County Sheriff and Milwaukee Police. When you're 18, you're hired! Majority of realtors have zero clue what they're doing anyways when it comes to fully comprehending the ins and outs of purchase contracts and how homes are built and how things function. They're just focused on pocketing your money. It takes ten minutes to upload your listing on the MLS and the rest is just sitting down, waiting for selling agents to come along and take portion of your commission. NAR really does need complete overhaul and Dept of Real Estate really needs to flip on the switch and change things around. When you need to appear on TV and internet to get hired as a realtor, there's something wrong with you in what you do.

[@tjr-007tt]

I hope they sue, this is outrageous. That particular broker should be fired and lose his license.

[@davidbreit3904]

We all make mistakes and sometimes they’re $200k mistakes…. Just fess up and take accountability and make t e situation right and work through the shame of your mistake… Now your reputation is destroyed. Great job, and typical. A man not wanting to take accountability for his actions.

[@D.VA_00]

My question is what kind of jobs do they have in California

[@nadasurf9009]

Never forget 2008 in the housing crisis that was caused by so many real estate agents and their lenders

[@ejohnson3131]

Sounds like the real estate agent was trying to make it look homey for the showing. The builder is at fault unless it was a DIY project the couple did. Those fireplaces should always be on a timer to prevent these accidents.

[@Lady-gd8zl]

This is messed up. I really hope the best for them.

[@secretadmirer5006]

Very well done news segment. Nowadays so many are choppy & almost incomprehensible. Hope these owners get justice from Compass & its agent.

[@drinny26]

It was not intentional. It was an accident. That’s what homeowners insurance is for. I dont know why these two decided to leave town in order for their house to be shown. Seems like they want to blame everyone but themselves.

[@ronbennett7885]

Can't fault the broker on this one. The switch appears to be a light switch with no markings nor warnings saying it's for a fireplace. Also, fireplace should have a limit switch to detect an overheat condition and shutdown automatically. The sprinklers worked though as designed. The owners should take the L on this one and get whatever they can out of it. Making it personal against the realtor is a waste of time and money. Again, the switch looks benign, and the fireplace didn't have an overheat sensor or it wasn't working.

[@bgregg55]

I'm surprised thermostatic control isn't mandatory by now. I agree, the owners are the responsible party. Lesson learned, hopefully.

[@lHurtYourFeeIings]

Even my portable small room heater has an auto shut off if it gets too hot. They most likely installed an illegal system without a permit and inspection.

[@starshine3588]

The person who showed this house should have made sure everything was off before leaving….he is responsible.

[@sw4841]

Sue em… you have proof.. they are avoiding u for a reason

[@djkdawg]

2 million dollar home and it does not have a smart gas meter to auto shut itself off after detecting no one in the home , or no alerts at all !

[@FP65]

This is awful. And concerning. They need to sue the realtor for all the damages and their lost time and expenses.

[@rudyvaldez]

I don’t feel like that’s not an appropriate switch for the fireplace. It looks like a regular light switch, there was no label on the switch it wasn’t an automatic power off switch either, I feel like it would be a waste to pay lawyers to sue for a mistake like this. Nothing caught fire.

[@terryl.cooper]

"I don’t feel like that’s not an appropriate switch for the fireplace." No one cares about your feelings. It's what's been approved to use in this state. Period.

[@Katana_00]

Tbh, I think your both right. But have this switch in hallway with no label is asking for trouble!!

[@Noone9227]

What kind of job do these two possibly have where they would own a million dollar home? These two don’t look like company executives. What probably happened was the client was playing around when the realtor wasn’t looking, flipped the switch, and the realtor didn’t notice before he closed the place up that the fireplace was on. Probably no one was aware of the function of the switch, thought it was a light, and then thought it was a dead switch when no light came on.

[@jamesplotkin4674]

Let this be a lesson... Each floor/room should have drains and the sprinkler system instantly notifies the fire dept.

[@mrparts]

The only way to fix this is a lawsuit. The real estate agency will quickly settle this to prevent their insurance rates from increasing due to claims.

[@pyrexmaniac]

Why the gas wasn't turned off at the source is beyond me. It had not been used for months prior. Any responsible homeowner knows that when leaving the house unoccupied for even a couple of weeks, turning off the gas is prudent. Also, why was the fireplace switch not clearly labeled or made distinct by use of a different color switchplate/design? Codes in many municipalities require a red switch for gas appliances in addition to Ansul-style fire suppression systems above any gas appliance. That said, I cant understand why the agent and broker are not being held responsible.

[@plm8830]

Inexperienced and ambitious realtor. I will never hire a realtor with less than 10 years experience.

[@BRM202]

Real estate agents are unnecessary middlemen.

[@NYJMattie]

I had a similar issue where I was the seller had a realtor agent who unbeknownst to me represented my renters and they wanted to get out early. I lived in NY and my house was in Texas. They were locked in a 2 year lease they wanted prior to finding this other home which I allowed without penalties of loss of deposit. My attorney had put in a final inspection will be completed prior to the end of month they vacated. They left on the first week of the month and they day they left the put all my ac units on high voiding their deposit. Long story short get an attorney who has experience with these type of dealings they have a line item for everything to cover the home owner. I could have gone after the Realtors license once I found out he also was selling them his own home.

[@leeliu5182]

Hope the couple get this sorted out in their favor. It highlights to me that it's important to check up on things after an open house. I wouldn't feel safe that people didn't mess up my stuff if I had an open house even if I had a realtor. For example, the house next door to mine was for sale,and the sellers were remote. There were a series of open houses. And every time nobody turned off the a/c, and left it for days.

[@aaronerskine3401]

odd. my mom has a built in gas fireplace that shuts on and off with thermostat. can't imagine there are not safety features built in for this. if not, houses would be burning every hour in our country

[@phillipswain4942]

Sue the realtor and the broker for the damages

[@toshiamiyumi2604]

outside of tv this will really damage the brokerages reputation irl and they will for sure lose many clients

[@lisaw3153]

what a headache sue them and get as much as u can plus some. Take responsibility and own up to you mistake compass

[@L.Spencer]

Why doesn't the fireplace have a thermostat to turn off? Seems odd.

[@trailhiker8063]

It's obvious the fireplace was turned on during the showing, most likely the buyers checking it out. The realtor showing the unit and the company they represent are liable. The realtor should've taken prudent steps to walk through the unit and make sure the fireplace was turned off. The realtor failed in their duty of care, damage resulted.

[@anitah2404]

They need to sue the realtor and the company

[@johncarter5707]

Sue Them!!!

[@recallsexplained7648]

I really feel for this couple. There are so many eye-opening news stories about the dark side of these reality home flipping and renovation shows. People need to stay away from them.

[@cct7495]

When we sold my mothers home who passed, I had to go to her house every day to make sure all was good. Every single day there was something, windows left open, doors unlocked, toilet filled with urine etc... never trust agents or the people they show homes to. Always go every day if possible or put cameras up inside. I feel for these guys, what a nightmare! I hope Compass pays them and for emotional distress too. I keep hearing how Realtors are going bye bye soon, we also used some company to list the house on MLS, but with various realtors coming and going, you really have to watch them closely.

[@GinaRobbins-by1qh]

They can get tax benefits as catastrophic loss by crime.😢

[@nevrbdwnruby7484]

Confused how a SWITCH can turn on the gas?? There be some kind of interlock for it to never happen again..