Northland real estate agents penalised

Photo / Greg Bowker

Disciplinary action has been taken against five people who have been working as real estate agents in Northland.

Denis Lloyd of Allens Real Estate in Whangarei was among the latest to be censured following a complaint over his handling of a property sale a prospective buyer missed out on. He was fined $500 by the Real Estate Agents Authority's complaints assessment committee, which made no other orders, such as cancellation of licence.

The committee determined Lloyd entered information on the sale and purchase agreement without the authority of the buyer.

Lloyd had got her to sign a multi-offer document at a time when no other offers were on the table and without adequate explanation and understanding by her of the consequences.

He had also misled the prospective buyer about the price the vendor was likely to accept.

The woman, referred to by the committee as Ms C, had viewed the property and made an unconditional and negotiable offer of $205,000.

She had had verbal approval of finance from her bank and had been waiting for confirmation. Four days later the property was sold to a lawyer who worked for a law firm that acted for the seller.

Also censured under the new rules was Gary Williams of LJ Hooker in Kerikeri and Paihia for failing to have an approved person in control of a branch office.

He applied to the Real Estate Agents Licensing Board to transfer his principal place of business from Paihia to Kerikeri. Williams had then failed to appoint a branch manager for Paihia.

Tonya Spicer of Dianne Quinn Real Estate in the Far North, advertised a property for sale without having a signed agency agreement in place and did not advise the seller of the property of the risks of paying double commission.

She was ordered to apologise to the complainant in December 2010.

In another case, Debbie Wilson and Bay of Islands Reality were censured for not advising a home seller of the risk that she might have to pay two commissions even though they were aware of another agency's general listing and that the other agency had introduced buyers.

The committee ordered Bay of Islands Reality and Wilson to apologise to the complainant and for the company to pay a fine to the Real Estate Agents Authority of $2000.

Another real estate agent, Joanne Dewson, escaped penalty in November 2010 for misrepresenting the status of the drive-on access to a purchased property. She no longer works as a real estate agent.