Estate agent censured over 'gross, false claims'

A real estate agent advertised a property as being much larger than it was, eliciting a complaint to a state authority.

Instead of 3.7 acres she advertised 4.9 acres, the Real Estate Agents Authority found, censuring her and saying she engaged in unsatisfactory conduct, "albeit at a low level".

The authority suppressed her name, the name of her agency and her geographic location.

A complainant said the property was advertised as 1.5020 hectares, which equates to 3.71 acres, not the 4.9 acres in her ad.

He found the discrepancy after picking up a land information memorandum report before he bought the property and acknowledged he could have withdrawn once the difference was noted.

But he decided to continue and bought the property anyway.

"I do not believe that agents should be allowed to make such gross, false claims or that they should be allowed to use non-metric units," he complained.

The agent said she was unaware of any problems until the formal complaint went to the authority.

The buyer did not raise any issues with her, but she apologised for the land area mistake on a flyer.

Agents often described land areas in acres, not hectares, she said.

"Although this is the old way, it is generally more accepted and understood by the public," she said.

In future, she vowed to check the accuracy of information on land areas.