Co-Brokering and Cutting Out a Broker

A local day camp ran a promotion in which parents were offered a free summer of camp for their child if they signed up eight other children to attend that camp. One parent put together such a group, thereby entitling their son to a free summer of camp. For whatever reason, the child was unable to attend this day camp. Can the parent demand a cash payment in lieu of the free summer? Alternatively, if the camp ends up not opening that summer altogether, do they have to reimburse the parent for the free summer of camp that they cannot provide?

A fellow who runs a school got a good deal on a property that he purchased through the government. He decides that the property is not ideal for his school and, through a broker, finds a buyer to purchase the property, with intentions of buying a different piece of land elsewhere for his school. Subsequently, the buyer tells the seller that he does not want to go through with the deal because he found out that the property is zoned for a school and he won’t be able to build housing on it. A short while later, the school owner contacts another broker, who goes back to the original buyer and explains to him that there are legal maneuvers that would allow him to build housing on the property after all. With this new information, the buyer agrees to the deal. The first broker now returns and says that he deserves commission for being the one to find this buyer originally. Does he have a valid claim?

Am I allowed to cut him out?

Over the course of many years, Reuven did a lot of business in real estate and typically used a certain loan broker, who arranged loans for him from a specific bank. After a while, Reuven developed his own relationship with the bank and realized he could save money on commission by dealing directly with the bank. Is he allowed to cut out the broker?