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Real estate agents against Govt plan to allow harsher penalties

Author
Juliette Sivertsen and NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Mon, 19 Mar 2018, 9:08AM
Real estate agents say the government is taking a sledgehammer to a non-existent problem. (Photo \ NZ Herald)

Real estate agents against Govt plan to allow harsher penalties

Author
Juliette Sivertsen and NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Mon, 19 Mar 2018, 9:08AM

Real estate agents are railing against a Government proposal to allow harsher penalties for bad behaviour.

Parliament is considering the Courts Matters & Tribunals Powers and Procedures Legislation Bill, which includes a raft of proposals to make the courts and tribunal systems more efficient.

One of the proposals is to revamp the system for lodging complaints against real estate agents, which currently distinguishes between lower level behaviour and higher level professional misconduct. The latter is considered by the Real Estate Agents Disciplinary Tribunal, the former by a complaints assessment committee.

The Justice Ministry is proposing to give greater power to committees, including the ability to award damages up to $100,000. But the Real Estate Institute of NZ, representing more than 14,000 real estate professionals, is bitterly opposed.

Agents say the move would erase the distinction between unsatisfactory conduct - when an agent falls short of standards - and misconduct - where someone has acted negligibly.

Harcourts chief executive Chris Kennedy told Mike Hosking says the two are completely separate issues.

"I think the tribunal's powers need to be proportionate to function, and I believe it's overstepping the mark. It's taking a sledgehammer to it and giving it a good old fashioned thump."

LISTEN ABOVE AS CHRIS KENNEDY SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING

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