13 June 2023
Queensland Fair Trading and Queensland Police have investigated a Brisbane agent for fraudulent acts surrounding the use of trust account funds. The former agent, who was based in the Newmarket area, has today been sentenced to three years imprisonment by the Brisbane Supreme Court. The agent was sentenced to an additional five years imprisonment for other Queensland Police matters.
Read More30 May 2023
Agents in Western Australia are being urged by Consumer Protection to stay vigilant when it comes to fraud prevention and suspicious scam-like activity.
Consumer Protection has reported that in the past two days, WA ScamNet received one report from a real estate agent who advised they’d lost a total of $43,080, and two reports from settlement agents who lost a total of $64,468.28.
Read More26 May 2023
Significant changes to Western Australian tenancy laws have been announced, in an effort to “improve rights for renters and provide certainty for landlords”.
The changes centre around prohibiting the practice of rent bidding, reducing the frequency at which rent may be increased, and allowing greater freedom for tenants around making minor modifications to a rental property and keeping pets on premises.
Read More17 May 2023
Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) has today reported on the misconduct of a now-former agent who has been charged for the misuse of more than $930,000 in trust account funds, which left clients unable to complete property transactions.
Read More10 May 2023
Following the NSW Government’s recent move to make solicited rent bidding on rental properties illegal, the Government will today introduce a bill to NSW Parliament with the aim of providing cost-of-living relief and better protection to NSW renters.
Not only does the legislation aim to eliminate the practice of secret rent bidding, it will also mark the first stages of the development of a portable bond scheme.
Read More10 May 2023
Western Australia Consumer Protection has reported details on its website today surrounding a WA agency’s failure to act in the best interest of its clients.
Consumer Protection carried out disciplinary actions on the agency by reprimanding its actions and issuing the agency $6,000 in fines for breaching the Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978 and the Code of Conduct under the Act. The agency’s principal was also reprimanded, in addition to being fined $4,000, “for failing to exercise due care, diligence and skill in her supervision of the agency in relation to the breach.”
Read More5 May 2023
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Industry updates: NSW Fair Trading's recommendations for the handling of personal information and tenancy applications, Changes to NSW CPD for 2023-2024.
Disciplinary action: Unlicensed individual acting as WA agent ordered to pay over $23,000 in fines and costs.
Legislative changes: Rent increase limits and minimum housing standards for Queensland tenancies.
Important reminder: ACT CPD due 30 June 2023 for licence holders.
28 April 2023
Following significant reforms to residential tenancy laws in Queensland in October 2021 and October 2022, and with more changes yet to come, the Queensland Government has outlined what tenants, landlords, and agents can expect in upcoming changes to the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008.
Read More27 April 2023
NSW Fair Trading has announced changes to the CPD requirements for Class 1 and Class 2 licence holders for the 2023-2024 CPD year.
Please see this blog post for further information.
Read More21 April 2023
NSW Fair Trading’s latest Property Matters issue outlines the release of useful guidance material for agents. It addresses the handling of personal information and tenancy application data and clarifies:
what sort of information is appropriate to collect
how to safely manage personal information from prospective tenants.
NSW Fair Trading states that “the guidance has been designed to step you through each stage of the tenancy application process. It includes guiding questions and best practice examples.”
Read More6 April 2023
An unlicensed individual acting as a property manager in Willetton, Perth has been ordered to pay costs of $5,718.16, in addition to being fined a total of $18,000 by the Perth Magistrates Court.
The individual is reported to have “entered into property management agreements, found tenants, negotiated and collected rents, paid water bills and carried out property inspections and repairs” as an unlicensed person, breaching the Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978 to a significant degree.
Read More6 April 2023
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Industry updates: WA Government reports $4 million in bond money waiting to be claimed by tenants and landlords.
Disciplinary action: Former Victorian agent faces over 900 charges relating to trust fund misuse.
Legislative changes: ACT tenancy reforms commenced 1 April 2023, Reforms to South Australian renting law officially underway.
Employment opportunity: Ingleburn NSW, Full-time Property Manager with Linkers Real Estate
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