Can one broker act for both buyer and seller in Lebanon, and is that a conflict of interest?
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Short answer
Yes, in practice. We found no Lebanese law or ruling that forbids one broker acting for both sides, and JSK Real Estate, a Lebanese agency, wrote in 2018 that it is accepted[1]. But under Article 294 of the Commercial Code, a broker who works for the other party against his duties to you loses his fee and expenses[2].
Also asked as: “Is dual agency legal in Lebanon?” · “Can the same real estate agent represent the buyer and the seller?” · “Does a broker lose his commission for a conflict of interest in Lebanon?”
Key facts
- What brokerage is
- A contract to guide a party to a deal or negotiate it, for a fee, under the rules of agency[2]
- One broker for both sides
- Accepted in practice, according to JSK Real Estate (October 2018)[1]
- When the broker loses the fee
- Acting for the other party in breach of his duties, or getting a fee promise from them in bad faith[2]
- Duty to disclose a dual role
- No law or court ruling found
- How the fee is set
- set by agreement; a judge may reduce an excessive fee[2]
- Broker's records
- Every deal with its terms, and a certified copy for any party who asks[2]
- Reporting misconduct
- contact REAL directly[3], the brokers' syndicate (April 2026)
What the law says
The Commercial Code treats brokerage as a contract. For a fee, the broker guides a party to a deal or acts as intermediary in the negotiations, and the rules of agency apply to it generally[2]. Brokerage sits in Articles 291 to 297 of the Code, and in our reading those articles contain no ban on one broker serving both sides. We also found no rule or court ruling saying he must tell you, or get your consent, before he does.
What the law does set is a penalty. Under Article 294, a broker loses any right to his fee and to his expenses if he acts for the other party in breach of his obligations, or if he gets that party to promise him a fee in circumstances that go against good faith[2]. The text does not say what counts as a breach in a dual role. Whether a hidden dual role, or pushing you to accept a weaker price, meets that test is for a judge to decide, so if it happens to you, ask a lawyer.
Why it is a conflict, and what it means for you
A seller wants the highest price and a buyer the lowest. A broker paid by both has a reason to close the deal at whatever price gets it signed, which may not be the best price for you. JSK Real Estate (October 2018) and the president of the brokers' syndicate REAL (December 2015) both describe a customary 2.5% of the final price from each side[1,4]. Both sources are brokers, this is custom and not law, and we found no source after 2019 on whether this rate has changed.
The fee is open to agreement, and a judge may cut a fee that is out of proportion to the deal and the work[2]. More on this in who pays the broker and whether a court can reduce a broker's fee.
The risk is higher if you live abroad and the broker is your only source of information, so check the facts that matter yourself. The official property certificate (ifadeh aqariyeh) lists the owners, their shares, mortgages, seizures and pending court actions[5,6]. Copies obtained online or through OMT are unofficial. You need the official certificate from the Land Registry, which Legalmondo (June 2025) says is issued only in person[5,6,7,8]. Here is how to check who really owns a property.
Records and complaints
Article 296 requires a broker to record every deal concluded through him, with its terms and special conditions. He must keep the related documents and give a certified copy to any contracting party who asks[2]. That record is useful evidence if you later dispute what was agreed or whether he worked against you.
In April 2026, REAL asked people to contact the syndicate directly to report any violation or suspicious conduct by a broker working outside professional and legal norms[3]. We found no published complaint procedure, time limit or sanction. A syndicate report does not replace a police report or a court claim. See where to complain about a broker and how to check a broker.
How to protect yourself when one broker handles both sides
- Ask the broker, in writing, whom he acts for. Ask whether he also works for, or is paid by, the other party. No law we found makes him tell you, so ask before you share your lowest or highest price.
- Put the fee in a signed agreement. Write down the rate, who pays it and when it is due. The fee is set by agreement[2], and the law says it is earned when the broker's work leads to the contract, so your agreement can fix the exact moment.
- Check the property and the owner yourself. Ask the seller for the plot number and the real estate district, and for an apartment the section or unit too, then check those details on the certificate. Get the official certificate from the Land Registry rather than an online copy. Legalmondo (June 2025) says it is issued only in person[5,6,7,8]. If you are abroad, ask someone you trust in Lebanon to collect it, and ask the Land Registry office what authorisation they will need. Read the owners, shares and charges before any money changes hands. Ownership passes only on inscription at the Land Registry[9].
- Ask for the broker's record of your deal. He must give a certified copy of the transaction and its terms to any contracting party who asks[2]. Keep it with your own copies of every message and payment.
- See a lawyer before paying if he worked against you. A broker who acted for the other side in breach of his duties loses his fee[2]. A lawyer can tell you whether your facts meet that test.
It depends on
- Your side of the deal. Sellers and buyers face opposite pressures. Tell the broker your limits only once you know whom he works for.
- Your written agreement. The rate, who pays and when the fee is due come from the agreement first[2]. Without one, a dispute turns on custom or a judge's estimate.
- Whether he hid the dual role or worked against you. No ruling we found says a hidden dual role is in itself a breach under Article 294. Ask a lawyer, and bring the broker's record and your messages.
- Whether you are abroad. If someone signs for you, your own agent should do the checks, not the broker. See selling from abroad with a power of attorney.
- Suspicious conduct. Report it to REAL, as its April 2026 statement asks[3], and go to the police or a court where money or documents are at stake.
Common questions
Does a broker in Lebanon have to tell me he also works for the other side?
We found no Lebanese law or court ruling that requires a broker to disclose a dual role or get your consent. Ask him in writing before you negotiate, and see a lawyer if you think he hid it.
Can I refuse to pay a broker who worked for the other party against me?
Under Article 294 of the Commercial Code, a broker loses his fee and expenses if he acts for the other party in breach of his obligations[2]. Whether that happened is for a judge to decide, so take legal advice before you refuse.
Can I get a copy of the broker's record of my sale?
Yes. Article 296 of the Commercial Code obliges the broker to record each deal with its terms and give a certified copy to any contracting party who asks[2].
Sources
Checked against these sources. The numbers in the text point here.
- 1.What Are Buyer Vs. Seller Agent Roles & Responsibilities?
JSK Real Estate · 1 Oct 2018 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 2.Commercial Code (Legislative Decree 304/1942), Arts 291-297 on brokerage
Lebanese University Legal Informatics Centre (legallaw.ul.edu.lb) · 24 Dec 1942 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 3.Syndicate of Real Estate Brokers follows what is circulating about suspicious activity in Hazmieh and Baabda
Annahar · 15 Apr 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 4.Pushing for reform
Executive Magazine · 16 Dec 2015 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 5.How to Find Real Estate and Land Register Information in Lebanon
Legalmondo · 17 Jun 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 6.Lebanon Asset Search: How to Find Real Estate and Company Ownership Records
Kallas Law Firm · 25 Oct 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 7.OMT: Viewing Title Registers (Land Registry service page)
OMT (Online Money Transfer S.A.L.) · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 8.Viewing Title Registers Electively Through OMT
OMT (Online Money Transfer S.A.L.) · 13 Oct 2020 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 9.How to Buy Property in Lebanon: The Legal Steps from Verification to Inscription
Kallas Law Firm · 9 Jun 2026 · read 16 Oct 2026
Related questions
- Who pays the real estate broker in Lebanon, the buyer or the seller?No law decides: the fee is set by agreement. Brokers cite 2.5% from each side on sales. Rentals, dual agents, timing and what to put in writing.
- Can I challenge or reduce a broker's commission in Lebanon if I think it is too high?Yes: under Art. 292 of the Commercial Code a judge may cut an agreed broker fee that is out of proportion to the work. Evidence, grounds and whom to ask.
- Where can I complain about a real estate broker in Lebanon, or sue over a commission?We found no official body for broker complaints in Lebanon. Report misconduct to REAL, fraud to the ISF, and take fee disputes to a lawyer. What the law says.
- How do I check that a real-estate broker in Lebanon is legitimate and licensed?No law we found requires a broker licence in Lebanon, so check the owner and property instead: Land Registry extract, REAL, written fees, reporting fraud.
- Are real estate brokers licensed or regulated in Lebanon?We found no broker licence in the Commercial Code or other sources checked. What REAL is, what the law regulates and how to check a broker yourself.
- What commission do real estate brokers charge in Lebanon when a property is sold?No law sets the rate: brokers cite 2.5% from each side by custom, but the fee is agreed and a judge can cut it. When it is due, VAT, what to ask.
- How do I check who really owns a property in Lebanon?Get an official certificate from the Land Registry office for the property's area. What to give, what it shows, OMT and online copies, costs and fraud risks.
- Do I owe the broker a commission if the sale falls through or I sell to someone else?A broker earns the fee when their work leads to the contract. What happens if the deal collapses, you sell yourself, or the broker loses the fee.
