Агент или брокер требует комиссию за сделки, которые вы не признаете, или отказывается возвращать аванс?
Пошаговый гид по досудебной претензии (demand letter) для споров по commission agreements в США.
Агент требует комиссию за сделку, которую вы закрыли самостоятельно (bypass claim).
Комиссия начислена на отмененную или незакрытую сделку. Агент не раскрыл конфликт интересов
(dual agency). Вы выплатили аванс (draw), но агент не произвел продаж. Спор о размере комиссии
при частично выполненной сделке.
Что такое commission agreement в США
Commission (комиссионное вознаграждение) регулируется agency law и contract:
Restatement (Third) of Agency
Основной источник agency law в США. Principal обязан выплатить commission только если:
(1) agent был procuring cause сделки, (2) условия commission agreement выполнены,
(3) agent действовал within scope of authority и без breach of fiduciary duty.
State-specific rules (особенно для real estate, insurance)
Многие штаты имеют special statutes для real estate brokers (например, California Civil Code §1624
требует written agreement). Insurance brokers регулируются state insurance codes.
"Procuring cause" test
Commission earned когда agent's efforts были "procuring cause" сделки.
Test: (1) agent initiated или substantially contributed to transaction,
(2) unbroken chain of events от agent's efforts до closing, (3) no abandonment by agent.
Fiduciary duty + disclosure obligations
Agent обязан: (1) loyalty (no self-dealing), (2) disclosure конфликтов интересов,
(3) accounting за полученные средства, (4) reasonable care and skill. Breach любого из этих
duties может лишить права на commission (forfeiture rule).
Основания для отказа выплачивать commission
Основание
Правовой механизм
Агент не был procuring cause
Вы закрыли сделку самостоятельно или через другого агента. Agent's introduction was de minimis. Commission не earned.
Сделка не закрылась (no closing)
Commission обычно contingent on closing (если contract так указывает). "Ready, willing and able buyer" rule применяется только если contract прямо предусматривает.
Breach of fiduciary duty
Dual agency без disclosure, self-dealing, misrepresentation. Forfeiture rule: agent теряет право на любую commission при material breach duty.
Exceeding authority (ultra vires)
Agent заключил сделку без вашего approval или вне scope of authority. Contract voidable, commission не owed.
Draw/advance не earned
Если вы дали recoverable draw против future commissions - agent обязан вернуть unearned portion при termination.
Critical: Written commission agreement
Многие штаты требуют written agreement для commission claims, особенно в real estate
(Statute of Frauds). California, New York, Texas и др. не enforce oral commission agreements
для сделок >$500 (UCC §2-201) или real property. Без письменного agreement agent может
claim quantum meruit (reasonable value of services), но burden of proof высокий.
Нужна помощь с комиссионным спором?
Я готовлю demand letters для споров по commission agreements с учетом agency law и contract terms.
Работаю на русском и английском. Фиксированная цена.
Restatement - авторитетный источник agency law, используется судами всех штатов:
§8.13: Duty to indemnify agent
Principal обязан compensate agent за authorized work. Но: (1) compensation contingent
на specified result (e.g., closing), и (2) agent forfeits right при breach of duty.
§8.01: Fiduciary duties - loyalty and care
Agent должен: (1) act loyally (no conflicts), (2) не use principal's property for own benefit,
(3) не compete with principal, (4) disclose material information. Breach = forfeiture commission.
§8.02: Material benefit from third party
Agent не может accept kickbacks или dual commission без principal's informed consent.
Failure to disclose = breach, principal может recoup все payments + damages.
§2.01-2.02: Actual and apparent authority
Agent's acts bind principal только если within actual или apparent authority.
Ultra vires acts не создают commission obligation.
State law: commission statutes
Некоторые штаты имеют specific rules для commission agreements:
Штат
Key statute/rule
Особенности
California
Civil Code §1624(d)
Real estate commission agreement должен быть in writing. Statute of Frauds bars oral claims.
New York
Gen. Oblig. Law §5-701
Commission для sale of real property требует written agreement signed by party to be charged.
Texas
Occupations Code §1101.806
Real estate broker commission agreement must be in writing to be enforceable.
Florida
Statute §475.01
Real estate commission claims require written listing agreement or buyer representation agreement.
Procuring cause test (multi-factor)
Суды смотрят на: (1) Who initiated contact with buyer/seller? (2) Continuity - был ли unbroken chain
of events? (3) Abandonment - отказался ли agent от efforts? (4) Direct nexus - привели ли agent's efforts
напрямую к closing? Burden of proof на agent. Если principal bypassed agent намеренно - agent может
claim tortious interference, но это hard to prove.
Forfeiture rule (breach of fiduciary duty)
Agent теряет право на commission при material breach of fiduciary duty:
Dual agency без disclosure
Agent представлял обе стороны (buyer + seller) без informed consent обеих.
Это automatic forfeiture commission + disgorgement любых полученных средств.
Self-dealing или kickbacks
Agent получил secret profit (e.g., vendor kickback, markup на services).
Principal может recoup все profits + void contract.
Misrepresentation или concealment
Agent скрыл material facts (e.g., defects в property, buyer's financial condition).
Forfeiture + potential liability за damages из fraud.
Консультация по agency law
Разберу вашу ситуацию, определю применимые законы и grounds для отказа комиссии, подготовлю претензию.
Стандартная претензия: (1) Reference к commission agreement (или отрицание existence),
(2) Description сделки и agent's involvement, (3) Grounds для denial commission
(no procuring cause, breach of duty, no closing, etc.), (4) Calculation unpaid commission OR demand for refund,
(5) Deadline для response, (6) Consequences if non-compliance (litigation, report to licensing board).
Сниппеты для commission demand (EN)
Opening - Denial of Commission
I represent [YOUR COMPANY] ("[Principal]") with respect to your claim for commission in connection with [DESCRIBE TRANSACTION] (the "Transaction").
This letter responds to your demand for $[AMOUNT] in commission dated [DATE]. [Principal] disputes that any commission is owed for the reasons set forth below.
Используйте если агент уже предъявил claim
No Procuring Cause - Principal Closed Directly
[AGENT NAME] was not the procuring cause of the Transaction. While [Agent] may have introduced [Principal] to [BUYER/SELLER] on [DATE], [Agent] thereafter abandoned further efforts and did not participate in negotiations, due diligence, or closing.
[Principal] independently negotiated all material terms directly with [BUYER/SELLER] without [Agent]'s involvement. The final agreement (attached as Exhibit A) was executed on [DATE] following [X] months of direct negotiations.
Under the "procuring cause" test applied in [STATE], commission is earned only when the agent's efforts are the direct and proximate cause of the transaction. Here, [Agent]'s de minimis introduction does not satisfy this standard.
Приложите timeline showing your direct negotiations
Transaction Did Not Close - Contingent Commission
The Commission Agreement dated [DATE] (Exhibit B) provides that commission is payable "upon closing of the Transaction." The Transaction did not close due to [BUYER'S DEFAULT / FAILURE OF CONDITION / PRINCIPAL'S EXERCISE OF TERMINATION RIGHT].
[Agent] claims entitlement to commission based on producing a "ready, willing and able" buyer. However, [STATE] law does not recognize this doctrine absent express contract language. The Agreement unambiguously conditions commission on actual closing, which did not occur.
Accordingly, no commission is owed.
Проверьте что contract говорит "upon closing" а не "upon execution"
Breach of Fiduciary Duty - Dual Agency
[Agent] materially breached fiduciary duties owed to [Principal], resulting in forfeiture of any commission claim.
Specifically, [Agent] acted as a dual agent representing both [Principal] and [COUNTERPARTY] without obtaining [Principal]'s informed written consent, as required by [STATE] law and Restatement (Third) of Agency §8.06. [Agent] received compensation from [COUNTERPARTY] (attached invoice as Exhibit C) while simultaneously claiming to represent [Principal]'s interests.
This undisclosed conflict of interest constitutes a material breach of the duty of loyalty. Under the forfeiture rule, an agent who breaches fiduciary duties forfeits all compensation, regardless of whether the breach caused damages. [Principal] demands return of any commission already paid, totaling $[AMOUNT].
Dual agency самое сильное основание для forfeiture
Demand for Refund - Unearned Draw
Pursuant to the Independent Sales Representative Agreement dated [DATE] (Exhibit A), [Principal] advanced [AGENT] a total of $[AMOUNT] as a recoverable draw against future earned commissions (Section [X]).
Upon termination of the Agreement on [DATE], [Agent] had earned $[EARNED AMOUNT] in commissions. The unearned portion of the draw, totaling $[UNEARNED AMOUNT], must be returned to [Principal].
[Principal] demands that [Agent] remit $[UNEARNED AMOUNT] no later than [DATE]. Failure to do so will result in [Principal] pursuing collection through litigation, plus interest at [X]% per annum and recovery of attorneys' fees as provided in Section [Y] of the Agreement.
Attach agreement showing "recoverable draw" vs. "non-recoverable"
Consequences - Litigation + Licensing Board
If [Agent] does not withdraw the commission claim (or refund the unearned draw) by [DATE], [Principal] will take the following actions:
(a) File a declaratory judgment action in [COURT] to establish that no commission is owed;
(b) Assert counterclaims for breach of fiduciary duty, seeking disgorgement of all compensation received plus damages;
(c) File a complaint with the [STATE REAL ESTATE COMMISSION / INSURANCE LICENSING BOARD] regarding [Agent]'s breach of fiduciary duties and failure to disclose dual agency;
(d) Pursue recovery of attorneys' fees and costs incurred in this dispute, as provided in the Agreement and [STATE] statute.
[Principal] is prepared to litigate this matter if necessary and has retained counsel for that purpose.
Threat of licensing board complaint очень effective для licensed agents
Нужна адаптация шаблона под ваш спор?
Я персонализирую demand letter с учетом ваших commission agreement terms и circumstances.
Commission disputes бывают двух типов: (1) Agent claims commission you deny (defense),
(2) You seek refund of overpaid/unearned commission (offense). Burden of proof разный.
В defense case - agent должен prove procuring cause. В refund case - вы должны prove breach или overpayment.
📄 Документы и agreement
🔎 Доказательства (pro or con procuring cause)
💰 Расчет commission
⚙ Юридические вопросы
После отправки demand letter
Сохраните proof of delivery. Если agent представлен counsel - expect negotiation.
Многие commission disputes settle за 30-60% claimed amount. Если no response или rejection -
готовьтесь к litigation или arbitration. Consider медиацию как cost-effective alternative.
Помощь с commission dispute
Я помогу review agreement, оценить procuring cause evidence, подготовить demand letter.
Procuring cause = agent's efforts были instrumental причиной closing сделки.
Test требует: (1) agent initiated contact или substantial negotiations, (2) unbroken chain
of events от agent's work до closing (no abandonment), (3) direct causal nexus.
Burden of proof на agent. Доказательства: emails showing involvement, witness testimony,
timeline of events. De minimis introduction (просто познакомили) обычно insufficient.
Зависит от commission agreement wording. Если agreement says "upon closing" или "contingent on sale" -
нет, commission не owed до actual closing. Некоторые штаты признают "ready, willing and able buyer" rule
(commission earned когда agent brought qualified buyer, даже если deal failed), но только если
contract прямо так указывает. Default rule: no closing = no commission.
Да, если agent не получил ваше informed written consent на dual agency. Dual agency без disclosure =
material breach of fiduciary duty. Под forfeiture rule agent теряет право на любую commission
+ вы можете demand disgorgement уже выплаченных сумм. Некоторые штаты (California, New York)
прямо запрещают dual agency без written disclosure agreement подписанного обеими сторонами.
Да, если agreement прямо указывает что draw is "recoverable" или "advance against future commissions".
При termination вы вычисляете earned commission и требуете refund unearned portion.
Но если agreement says "non-recoverable draw" или "guaranteed minimum" - это compensation,
не подлежит возврату. Burden of proof на вас - покажите что draw was loan/advance, а не salary.
Зависит от типа transaction и штата. Real estate commissions: большинство штатов требуют written agreement
(Statute of Frauds). Sale of goods >$500: UCC §2-201 может требовать writing для commission.
Insurance commissions: часто требуется written appointment. Если no written agreement - agent может
claim quantum meruit (reasonable value of services), но это слабее чем contract claim и требует
proof of value + benefit to principal.
Зависит от (1) protection period в agreement и (2) procuring cause. Если agreement имеет
"protection period" (например, 6 месяцев после termination для leads provided by agent) -
вы обязаны платить за сделки с теми contacts. Если нет protection period и вы independently
closed без agent's further involvement - procuring cause test не satisfied, no commission owed.
Intentional bypass для avoid commission может быть bad faith breach, дающий agent damages claim.
Нет, если agent действовал ultra vires (beyond authority). Principal bound только если agent
had actual или apparent authority. Если no authority и вы ratify contract - commission может
стать owed. Если вы void contract из-за ultra vires act - no commission. Но учтите: apparent authority
может возникнуть если вы допустили третьи стороны believe что agent authorized (например,
agent используя ваш letterhead без возражений).
Остались вопросы по commission dispute?
Разберу вашу ситуацию на консультации, объясню применимые законы и strategy.
Я помогаю российским и международным компаниям с commission disputes в США.
Услуги:
Консультация (30 мин Zoom)
Разбор вашей ситуации, review commission agreement, оценка procuring cause evidence.
Объясняю agency law, forfeiture rule, applicable state requirements.
Подготовка demand letter
Полный текст на английском: denial of commission claim или demand for refund.
Включает factual background, legal analysis, calculation, deadline. Фиксированная цена.
Review commission agreement
Анализ commission terms, scope of authority, contingencies, protection periods.
Рекомендации по compliance и риски.
Coordination с US litigation counsel
Если dispute escalates - помогу найти и координировать с attorney в applicable jurisdiction
для litigation или arbitration.
Почему обращаются ко мне
Работаю на русском и английском. Знаю специфику cross-border agency relationships Russia/CIS → USA.
Объясняю сложные концепции (procuring cause, fiduciary duty, forfeiture) простым языком.
Фокус на practical resolution - settle или strong position для litigation.