1 June 2010
Consumer Affairs Victoria has successfully prosecuted real estate agent Stockdale and Leggo (Craigieburn/Roxburgh Park) for misleading price advertising for three Craigieburn properties last year.
The Melbourne Magistrate’s Court has ruled that the agent engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct.
One property was advertised as ‘Private Sale: $290,000 plus’, despite the vendors informing the agent that their ‘authorised’ sale price was $330,000.
The misleading advertisement was published after the agency had signed an agreement with an estimated sale price of between $310,000 and $340,000.
In other breaches of the Estate Agents Act 1980, Stockdale and Leggo signed an agreement to sell two properties between $350,000 to $380,000, and $340,000 to $374,000, but advertised them at $340,000 plus and $330,000 plus, respectively.
The court ordered that Stockdale and Leggo be restrained from advertising the selling price at less than the estimated price contained in a written agreement. The agent was also ordered to publish corrective advertising, highlighting the court outcome, in a local newspaper.
Stockdale and Leggo was ordered to pay $4687 costs.
Consumer Affairs Victoria has successfully prosecuted real estate agent Stockdale and Leggo (Craigieburn/Roxburgh Park) for misleading price advertising for three Craigieburn properties last year.
The Melbourne Magistrate’s Court has ruled that the agent engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct.
One property was advertised as ‘Private Sale: $290,000 plus’, despite the vendors informing the agent that their ‘authorised’ sale price was $330,000.
The misleading advertisement was published after the agency had signed an agreement with an estimated sale price of between $310,000 and $340,000.
In other breaches of the Estate Agents Act 1980, Stockdale and Leggo signed an agreement to sell two properties between $350,000 to $380,000, and $340,000 to $374,000, but advertised them at $340,000 plus and $330,000 plus, respectively.
The court ordered that Stockdale and Leggo be restrained from advertising the selling price at less than the estimated price contained in a written agreement. The agent was also ordered to publish corrective advertising, highlighting the court outcome, in a local newspaper.
Stockdale and Leggo was ordered to pay $4687 costs.