Home buyers discover agent's family secret

Photo / Herald on Sunday

A real estate agent who failed to disclose he was marketing a property on behalf of his parents, has been censured by the Real Estate Agents Authority (REAA).

Cameron Turner was found guilty of unsatisfactory conduct and ordered to apologise to the purchasers of the property in a determination released by the authority today.

Turner admitted the mistake, but said he understood the obligation to disclose such a relationship only applied where the licensee was acting for the purchaser.

He said this advice came from the real estate firm he worked for, an allegation which was denied by the firm.

The authority said Turner's apparent ignorance of the rule was no excuse.

The complainants viewed the property numerous times, but at no stage did the agent mention the house was owned by his parents, the authority said.

The complainants only found out about the agent's relationship to the vendor six months after purchasing the property, the REAA said.

The Real Estate Agents Act requires a real estate agent to "disclose in writing to every prospective party to the transaction whether or not the licensee, or any person related to the licensee, may benefit from the transaction."

Herald inquiries show Turner is no longer working as a real estate agent.

- NZ HERALD ONLINE