Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts today said a Central Coast unlicensed real estate agent had been fined $4,000 and sentenced to complete a two-year good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to a number of offences relating to real estate businesses in Toukley and The Entrance.

Mr Roberts said Ryan William Campbell of Noraville was convicted in the Parramatta Local Court for operating a real estate business without a licence, not holding a current real estate licence, falsifying trust accounts records and presenting false licences and certificates of registration.

In October 2009, Fair Trading investigators attended the premises of PMD Central Coast Pty Ltd, trading as Coastwide Real Estate, at 2/213 Main Road Toukley.

The investigators found the company had undertaken unlicensed real estate activities, including selling and advertising properties for sale, managing rental properties and receiving commissions.

Several staff employed by the company were not licensed at the time of the inspection.

Licences and certificates of registration produced by Mr Campbell to the investigators did not match Fair Trading records that showed they had expired.

Mr Campbell also produced a bank trust account reconciliation document during the inspection that was not a true representation of the business’s trust account.

Mr Roberts said that as PMD Central Coast Pty Ltd was no longer licensed, persons who entrusted money to the company would not have had access to the Property

Services Compensation Fund if it had failed to account during the unlicensed period.

In February 2010, Mr Campbell was permanently disqualified from holding a licence under the Property Stock and Business Agents Act.

Mr Roberts said this outcome sends a strong message that Fair Trading will pursue anyone conducting business in a fraudulent manner to ensure they are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

“Consumers expect their dealings with businesses to be conducted in an ethical and professional manner,” he said.

“Fair Trading will continue to conduct regular visits across the State to real estate agencies to protect consumers’ interests.”

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