Fair Trading Deputy Commissioner Steve Griffin today released the results of an education and compliance campaign targeting licensed conveyancers in Sydney, the Central Coast and Wollongong.

Mr Griffin said the results from the December campaign showed that some conveyancers needed to improve their compliance with the relevant laws.

“The operation was designed to educate traders, raise awareness of Fair Trading’s role and assess compliance levels in the industry,” he said.

“This was a two part operation, with Fair Trading officers firstly contacting 54 previously licensed conveyancers who had not renewed their licences, to ensure none were trading illegally.

“No unlicensed trading was detected.”

Mr Griffin said Fair Trading officers then inspected the business and trust account records of 23 licensees.

“More than half the businesses visited were found to have made minor administrative breaches of laws relating to business records and procedures,” he said.

Three warning letters and nine rectification reports were issued during the operation.

Mr Griffin said Fair Trading would re-inspect a number of the businesses to ensure the errors had been fixed.

“Compliance campaigns are an effective way for Fair Trading to work with industry to ensure businesses and individuals meet their obligations under the law,” he said.

The President of the Australian Institute of Conveyancers in NSW, Terry Allen, said the Institute was working with all members to ensure the highest standards of professional service, including regulatory compliance, were achieved and maintained.

“Continuing compliance checks by Fair Trading will hopefully show the majority of our members complying with all their regulatory requirements, thus bringing an even greater degree of protection to their clients,” he said.

NSW Conveyancers must be licensed with NSW Fair Trading.

Licensing requirements set clear standards for industry and protect the public when things go wrong.

Consumers can check the validity of a conveyancer’s licence with Fair Trading at this website or by calling 13 32 20.

Unlicensed conveyancers who are prosecuted can face fines of up to $11,000 under the Conveyancers Licensing Act 2003.

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