Real estate agent walks out of hearing

File photo / NZ Herald

A man facing three charges of misconduct under the Real Estate Agents Act walked out of a disciplinary hearing in Wanganui yesterday.

During the final submission by the Real Estate Agents Disciplinary Tribunal's lawyer late yesterday, William Hume got up from his seat, exchanged a few words, and left.

Hume told Judge Barber: "I am getting angry ... I've had enough of this stuff ... I can't listen to it, it's really starting to agitate me."

Hume was facing three charges of misconduct brought by the Complaints Assessment Committee under the Real Estate Agents Act. They were that his conduct was disgraceful; that his conduct constituted seriously incompetent or seriously negligent real estate agency work, and/or that he wilfully or recklessly engaged in conduct likely to bring the industry into disrepute, and that a conviction reflected adversely on his fitness to be a licensee.

Last year, Hume was convicted and fined $750 on a threatening to injure charge.

The hearing, before Judge Paul Barber and Garry Denley and Nola Dangen of the Real Estate Institute, was to continue today, but Mr Hume's exit brought the hearing to a close.

Judge Barber directed Real Estate Agents Authority lawyer Luke Clancy's submission to be typed and sent to Hume.

Hume was also to be told via email that there would be no hearing today, and that he had two weeks to respond.

The tribunal's decision would follow once Hume responded.

Mr Clancy told the hearing that "even after being arrested by the police, prosecuted in the District Court, and failing to have his conviction quashed in the High Court", Hume had no insight into the seriousness of his behaviour.

Hume interjected to say he did not accept it, "because I know I had not done it".

Mr Clancy continued that the charges were disgraceful, and that Hume had a propensity to act aggressively when things did not go his way.

Hume, who defended himself, is charged that on or about December 16, 2008 he threatened the branch manager, Anne Williams, of CD Realty. He telephoned her and said: "You've f***ed with me once too many. I am going to destroy you, I'm going to take you out."

Real estate agent Angela Ellis witnessed the call and afterwards told him to "calm down, come and have a cup of tea", then suggested he call her back and apologise. He did.

Yesterday, Ms Williams told the hearing she was no longer the branch manager, and that she had developed a heart condition brought on by stress around his conduct.

On or about December 22, 2009, Hume told Steven Ellis of Rivercity Realty: "I feel like coming over and smashing you," and, "I don't make threats I'm not prepared to carry out."

The hearing was told that on February 28, 2011, Hume took property from DGV Realty. On May 17, he phoned Dale Vanderhoof of DGV Realty and said: "I'm going to escalate it you mother****er - I'm going to kill you."

Hume contests that Mr Vanderhoof owes him $30,000 from when he worked for his company.

Hume challenged all that was before him, saying he had "been honest as I can, calm as I can".

Tim Hocquard, Ray White Realty principal, said Hume had worked for him for two-and-a-half years and had "behaved in a manner that would make real estate proud".