News

Bogus real estate agents remain a challenge

February 25, 2019 8:25 am

Bogus realtors are becoming a major challenge for the real estate industry with eleven cases being referred to police.

The Real Estate Association is calling for tougher penalties hoping that this will deter bogus realtors from duping people.

Association President Anand Goundar says they have been receiving complaints from the public on a daily basis.

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This agents are avoiding to pay tax, they are not paying the expenses we incur, they don’t have a license, they don’t pay license fee. There are a lot of these bogus agents operating there out in Fiji, I would say upwards of 5000.”

Goundar is reminding the public that legitimate agents will have an identity card issued by the Real Estate Licensing Board.

Those operating as bogus agents do not have those ID cards. So consumers, vendors and property owners it is my request to all of you that you do ask  for that ID card from the people who come and tell you that  they can sell properties or they are agents.”

The Real Estate Licensing Board is currently looking at reviewing its thirteen-year-old Real Estate Agent Act.

The Chair admits there are gaps in the Act which needs to be rectified to suit the current real estate market.