Auckland real estate company prosecuted

Photo / Brett Phibbs

An Auckland real estate company has been prosecuted for employing an unlicensed agent.

Property Asia Realty, based on Dominion Rd, specialises in Asian clients and advertises its listings in Asian-language newspapers around the city.

The Real Estate Agents Authority (REAA) received complaints that Property Asia Realty was using unlicensed salespeople.

Between June and October last year the agency placed 10 advertisements in a Chinese newspaper showing photographs of a number of its agents, including Elizabeth Ling.

Ling is not a licensed agent and did not hold a licence at the time the advertisements were published, REAA said.

In an interview with the authority, agency director Rosalee Nash confirmed that she was aware it was Property Asia Realty's responsibility to make sure its agents complied with the law.

She also confirmed that she had never seen Ling's licence.

When asked why this was not followed up, Nash told investigators that it had been "overlooked".

REAA does not have any record of a licence application from Ling.

The Auckland District Court has imposed a fine of between $12,000 and $16,000 on Property Asia Realty.

The prosecution is one of several that REAA is currently bringing in a crackdown on unlicensed trading.

In December it laid charges against Wellington property company Home Buyers and its director.

The prosecution of Property Asia Realty sent a clear message that regulatory responsibilities under the Real Estate Agents Act had to be taken seriously, chief executive Keith Manch said.

"The issue of unlicensed real estate agents is something we're obviously keen to focus on, from a consumer perspective and to support agents who are going through the proper processes."