Agents Should Guide Buyers And Sellers

Real Estate Agents were re­minded of their part as inter­mediaries between sellers and buyers of properties.

This was after Real Estate Agents Licensing Board chairman Abdul Hassan raised his concerns on agents in Fiji who have been prac­tising misconduct.

Mr Hassan while speaking dur­ing the first Real Estate Agents Licensing Board (REALB) Talanoa Session at Albert Park yesterday stated they have come across cer­tain cases where the money has been deposited by a person (buyer) and then the buyer passes away.

“If the agent is holding the money then it should be deposited in the trust account and should not be used by the agents for their own purpose,” Mr Hassan said.

“If the agent is doing so he or she is not in compliance with the RE­ALB Act.

“Agents should guide buyers and sellers.

“Be fair and transparent and not to take advantage and not to take advantage of not knowing, which is a misconduct.”

Mr Hassan concluded that it is im­portant for agents to be aware their role as agents and the grounds to which licence can be granted.

“Before applying to become an agent, they must look into the com­pliance of the ACT and the require­ments,” he added.

Real Estate Association (Fiji) president Anand Goundar said ma­jority of the agent are not perform­ing such practises.

“This is a complex issue where the agent when they reach agreement the vendor needs to be explained properly what is in the agreement or the vendor needs to take the agreement to an educated person to be verified,” Mr Goundar said.

“95 per cent are not doing this, just because of some instances, this is painted picture for all agents.

“As the president, I am urging all the agents to please comply with the rules.”