WHEN SOMEONE claims to represent an absent contracting party in a property transaction then estate agents must ensure that such a person has obtained a power of attorney before the parties enter into a sale or purchase deal or a tenancy agreement. A failure to do so can lead to disputes and an agent facing […]

ESTATE AGENTS SHOULD not make any misrepresentation to their clients and should protect their interests. Otherwise, they can be subjected to disciplinary action by the Estate Agents Authority. A client, interested in renting a property for her retail business, was offered by an estate agent an “upstairs shop” inside a commercial building. She learned from […]

ESTATE AGENTS SHOULD be familiar with the government measures covering the property market, not least so they can advise clients properly and fully. If they are not primed for this they could find themselves facing disciplinary action by the Estate Agents Authority. That was the case with a salesperson represented both a purchaser and a […]

ESTATE AGENCY PRACTITIONERS should carry out a land search in respect of the property and supply a copy of it to the purchaser or tenant immediately before a provisional agreement is entered into by the parties. Otherwise, they may be subject to disciplinary action by the Estate Agents Authority. A salesperson represented both the tenant […]

AN ESTATE AGENT arranged for a prospective purchaser to inspect one of the remaining unsold units of a completed firsthand residential development. Before proceeding with the purchase, the client was informed by the estate agent she could sign a provisional agreement for sale and purchase using the form normally associated with secondhand transactions, as the […]

WHEN HANDLING THE sale of firsthand residential properties, estate agents should provide property information to prospective purchasers according to the latest information in the sales brochure provided by the vendor – and they must not make any representation that may mislead the purchasers. Through two estate agents, a couple viewed the show flats of an […]

REAL ESTATE AGENTS should fulfill the incentives they promise to prospective purchasers when handling firsthand residential property transactions. Otherwise, they may be subject to disciplinary action by the Estate Agents Authority. Two salespersons arranged an inspection to a show flat of a firsthand residential property for a prospective purchaser. During the visit, the would-be buyer […]

REAL ESTATE AGENTS should provide accurate information to prospective purchasers, and take reasonable steps to verify the related information. Otherwise, they may be subject to disciplinary action by the Estate Agents Authority. A client was interested in buying a car parking space at a project costing about HK$500,000 because of the potential gross monthly rental […]

INFORMATION ABOUT CLIENTS and listings is regarded as an asset of estate agency firms. Without their employer’s permission, licensees should not copy such information. If they do, they may breach the Code of Ethics and may be subject to disciplinary action by the Estate Agents Authority. Two licensees copied listings information from the computers of […]

ESTATE AGENTS MUST not issue any advertisements with misleading or wrong information. Otherwise, they may be subject to disciplinary action by the Estate Agents Authority. An estate agent had issued several advertisements of various firsthand residential properties on her personal blog with information including the gross floor area, the salable floor area and the selling […]