Consumers are urged to engage property agencies and agents who are licensed and registered with the CEA.
Shakir Khan, a 56-year-old Singaporean, was convicted in court of two charges of conducting estate agency work without first being registered as a salesperson, or licensed as an estate agent by the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA).
Shakir was forced to pay a total fine of $23,000, in default 11 weeks’ imprisonment, for the charges relating to two rental transactions of HDB flats.
In May 2012, he represented both the tenant and the landlord of a Kallang HDB flat for a one-year lease of the flat.
In this transaction, he facilitated the negotiations between the landlord and the tenant on the terms of the lease. Aside from this, he also facilitated both parties in the signing of a Letter of Intent using the letterhead of HSR International Realtors, collecting a $750 commission from both the tenant and the landlord.
Between January and February 2016, Shakir assisted a tenant in the rental of an Ang Mo Kio HDB flat. Acting on behalf of the tenant, he facilitated the tenant’s intended lease of the flat for a year, and collected a $700 commission from the tenant.
In sentencing, the court considered three other similar charges of conducting estate agency work without being licensed and registered by the CEA.
For acting as a salesperson, he could have been fined up to $25,000, or imprisoned for up to 12 months or both.
For acting as an estate agent without a licence, he could have been fined up to $75,000, or imprisoned for up to three years or both.
In a statement, the CEA revealed that Shakir was also convicted of five counts of cheating, of which a total of 68 months’ imprisonment was imposed, and one count of forgery, of which 10 months’ imprisonment was imposed.
“As some of the sentences will run concurrently, Shakir will serve a total of 38 months in jail,” it said.
With this, the CEA advises consumers opting to have a property agent to assist them with their property transactions to engage only property agencies and agents who are licensed and registered.
“The public can verify whether an entity or individual is licensed or registered with the CEA via the Public Register on the CEA website,” it noted.
Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg
