Real estate agent admits Fair Trading breach

A Wellington real estate agent has admitted breaching the Fair Trading Act.

John Willcox advertised a Newlands property as having provisional resource consent for six town houses, when no such consent existed.

The Commerce Commission launched an investigation in December after a complaint from the Wellington City Council. It found Mr Willcox had advertised the property in a way that was likely to mislead potential buyers.

As part of an out-of-court settlement with the commission, Mr Willcox will have to undertake at least six compliance training sessions in the next 12 months. There is also to be an independent audit of the compliance procedures at the company he worked for, Harcourts Kilbirnie.

Commerce Commission chair Paula Rebstock says home buyers rely on - and are entitled to rely on - claims made by real estate agents.

- NEWSTALK ZB