The Honourable Peter Lawlor
11/11/2010
Real estate duo fined $100,000
A New Zealand couple who sold investment properties to Queensland residents has been hit with fines totalling $100,000 after being found guilty of misleading consumers in the Mackay Magistrates Court this week (9/11/10).
Tone Susann Munro, 60 was convicted and fined $60,000 and Dennis Leslie Munro, 58 was convicted and fined $40,000.
The court was told the pair sold house and land packages to unsuspecting investors in Mackay during 2007 and 2008, targeting residents through a display stand at a local shopping centre.
The court heard the duo deliberately misled potential buyers to make as many sales as they could. This included telling investors that pools and air-conditioning units were included in their building contracts when they weren't.
To induce buyers into signing contracts, it was falsely represented that they would receive rebates from the builders of up to $10,000. The builders had given no authority for these representations to be made.
Buyers were also told that the houses would be completed within six weeks when the actual construction time was about four months.
The Munro's also falsely claimed they were licensed with the Real Estate Institute of Queensland. Real estate agent licences are issued by the Office of Fair Trading, not the REIQ.
Minister for Fair Trading Peter Lawlor said it was important consumers dealt with a licensed real estate agent when looking at purchasing or selling property.
"Consumers and businesses can conduct a free search online at www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au to check if a particular agent is licensed," he said.
"Queenslanders deserve to know they are dealing with reputable and licensed agents.
To check if a real estate agent is licensed, or for more information about breaches of fair trading law, consumers should contact Fair Trading on 13 74 68 or visiting the website, www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au
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COMMENT: The last thing the people of Australia expect is shady ripoff merchants from New Zealand conning unsuspecting consumers.
The NZ authorities should check the backgrounds of Mr and Mrs Munro.
Their visas should be revoked and they should be booted out of Australia as an example to other dubious conmen from New Zealand planning to come to Australia.
