3 March 2023
In their latest Property Matters issue, NSW Fair Trading has announced how they plan to effectively monitor the behaviour of agents following the recent ban on solicited rent bidding. From late March, inspectors will be reviewing online rental applications, in addition to attending open homes, to identify instances of non-compliance with the ban.
Read More24 February 2023
A former agent of Seymour, Victoria has had their licence revoked by Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV). The licence cancellation was actioned as a part of disciplinary proceedings at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) in 2021, where it was alleged that the agent:
failed to comply with a condition imposed on their licence;
failed to cause their trust accounts to be audited annually for the financial years from 2012 to 2021;
failed to, at all times, act fairly and honestly and to the best of their knowledge and ability in performing their functions as an agent; and
engaged in conduct that was unprofessional or detrimental to the reputation or interests of the agent’s industry.
15 February 2023
The Western Australia Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) has announced it will be undertaking a review of the current real estate Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program.
A consultation paper based on an internal review by Consumer Protection has been published for public consideration.
Read More20 February 2023
Western Australia Consumer Protection has published a recent court outcome on its website, outlining the misuse of trust account funds by a former East Perth agent. The former agent’s misconduct involved a deposit from a real estate sale being transferred to the general agency account, before being sent to two personal bank accounts: a personal credit card account and a home loan offset account.
Disciplinary action in the form of almost $4,000 in fines was administered by the Perth Magistrates Court for the unlawful withdrawal of funds from the agency’s trust account.
Read More7 February 2023
Are you an agent in the ACT who deals with property developers? As key property industry stakeholders, real estate agents bring valuable community insight and perspective when it comes to new property developments.
The ACT Government has announced in a recent media release that they have opened consultation with the community to ask for its views on a discussion paper that considers a range of issues and proposes different options for developer regulation.
The discussion paper looks at a range of approaches to improving the accountability of developers and providing consumers with greater information about developments and the developers behind them.
Read More1 February 2023
The Northern Territory Government has announced in a media release this week that it will be rolling out a ‘Remote Rent Framework’, with the aim of providing financial sustainability to “complement the Territory Labor Government’s $2.1 billion remote housing program that includes the construction and upgrade of homes across the NT as well as civil infrastructure.”
The transition to the new rent model will take place for tenants in remote areas (including community living areas in Tennant Creek) on 6 February.
Read More30 January 2023
Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) is acting against a former estate agent for the alleged falsification of records and misuse of more than $17,000 in trust account funds.
The former agent’s employer conducted an internal investigation upon identifying the discrepancy in funds and subsequently contacted CAV to report the issue. The trust account funds were restored using the agency’s company operating account.
Read More23 December 2022
As the digital age advances, so must our ability to adapt to new electronic capabilities within the property industry. The stock and station sector is no exception, with one such example of digital advancements being the implementation of mandatory electronic identification for sheep and farmed goats.
Read More12 December 2022
On the heels of the ACT Government’s announcement that rent bidding in the territory may soon be prohibited, the NSW Government has since confirmed their intention to follow suit.
The new laws against rent bidding in NSW will be introduced through changes to regulations under the Property and Stock Agents Act 2002.
Read More5 December 2022
Changes are coming to the current ACT residential tenancy legislation, the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (the Act).
The Residential Tenancies Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 (the Bill) was introduced to the ACT Legislative Assembly on 30 November 2022.
The Bill proposed to:
End no-cause evictions and introduce new ‘with cause’ termination provisions to support landlords to manage their properties
Restrict solicited rent bidding
Allow tenants greater freedom to grow their own food and compost
Create a framework to support the introduction of minimum housing standards for rental properties.
28 November 2022
NSW Fair Trading announced in their latest issue of The Letterbox today that the regulator is now in consultation with the community regarding residential tenancy laws. The main topics of discussion include:
a review of the 2019 reforms made to the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 surrounding tenants experiencing domestic violence, and
whether laws around keeping pets in a rental property should change.
24 November 2022
Western Australia Consumer Protection has published a tribunal outcome on its website this week, detailing disciplinary action taken against a Perth agency for breaches under the Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978. The breaches involved improper supervision of the agency and an unregistered individual working as a sales representative, who was found to also be accepting commission payments.
The disciplinary action was administered in the form of $16,000 worth of fines to the persons involved.
Read More
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