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Advertising a property as having "provisional resource consent" when no such status exists has led to a Wellington real estate agent admitting misleading buyers.
Harcourts agent John Willcox and Team Wellington, trading as Harcourts Kilbirnie, were investigated by the Commerce Commission over the advertising for a Newlands property, The Dominion Post reports today.
Concerns were initially raise by the Wellington City Council.
"There's no such thing as provisional resource consent. Either you've got a resource consent, or you don't," planning manager Dougal List told the newspaper.
Mr Willcox and Team Wellington admitted breaching the Fair Trading Act in an out-of-court settlement, and Mr Willcox said he believed the outcome was fair.
He will have to undertake compliance training, and Team Wellington will be independently audited, as part of the settlement.
Commission chairwoman Paula Rebstock said agents had to provide accurate information.
"Home buyers rely on, and are entitled to rely on, claims made by real estate agents in advertising, promotional materials and on websites relating to the property," she said.
- NZPA
