No brokerage relationship does not mean no responsibilities. Florida law still requires honesty and fair dealing, proper accounting for entrusted funds, and disclosure of certain known residential property facts.

The remaining duties in Florida Statutes section 475.278 include:

• Deal honestly and fairly. The absence of representation is not permission to mislead someone.
• Disclose known facts that materially affect residential property value and are not readily observable to the buyer. This is not the same as promising that no defects exist.
• Account for funds entrusted to the licensee. An unrepresented person's money is not exempt from proper handling.

For example, imagine an unrepresented buyer asking about a house. If the licensee knows about a material hidden water-intrusion problem, a no-brokerage-relationship disclosure does not make that knowledge irrelevant. Similarly, accepting a deposit check does not allow the licensee to ignore accounting responsibilities.

What the disclosure does not create is the full single-agent relationship. The buyer should not assume that the licensee has undertaken the same loyalty and advocacy obligations as the buyer's own single agent merely because the licensee answers a question or opens a door.

The statute also addresses written disclosure before showing property in covered transactions. Its disclosure provisions have scope limits and exceptions, so avoid turning that rule into an assertion about every rental, commercial interaction, or casual open-house conversation.

For study purposes, ask two separate questions: "Who is represented?" and "Which duties still apply?" Answering the first does not eliminate the second. For a specific transaction, have the supervising broker confirm the relationship and required paperwork. Our brokerage relationships guide provides the broader comparison.