Line drawn on dealers

2015-09-10

DO NOT BE tempted to engage in estate agency work without a license.

Young people, for instance, may see an agency providing gap work between studies. In fact, many already take on summer jobs at agencies.

However, they along with those doing the hiring should note that anyone who engages in such work must hold a licence issued by the Estate Agents Authority.

Undertaking estate agency work without this license or employing an unlicensed person to handle deals may be counted as a criminal offense.

For example, a driver of an estate agency who was not a holder of a license issued by the EAA was found to be introducing properties to clients and getting involved in negotiation work.

That led to him being prosecuted and fined HK$5,000.

In another case, an estate agency director hired an unlicensed person to provide services for a couple.
In this case, the director and the unlicensed empolyee were each fined HK$2,000 and jailed for two months, though the prison sentences were suspended for two years.

The EAA Disciplinary Committee also conducted an inquiry into the director who hired the unlicensed person to undertake agency work.

The director was reprimanded and fined HK$5,000. A condition was also attached to his licence, requiring him to obtain 12 points in the core subjects of the Continuing Professional Development Scheme within 12 months.