Melbourne Magistrates’ Court has restrained Kent Morgan and his business Morgan Realty Pty Ltd from operating as estate agents without holding a licence.
The court declared Mr Morgan and his business were not licensed estate agents in July when they published statements indicating they were willing to act as such in relation to a South Melbourne property. The statements appeared on the Morgan Realty website, realestate.com.au and on a billboard at the property.
The court ordered that Mr Morgan and Morgan Realty be restrained from carrying on the business of estate agents, or advertising/holding themselves out to the public in that capacity, until licensed to do so under the Estate Agents Act 1980.
The court also ordered Mr Morgan and his business to publish a corrective advertising notice on the Morgan Realty website home page for three months.
The defendants must also pay $500 costs.