The Real Estate Agents Licensing Board says there are indications that more bogus agents are coming up in the market and through the REALB Roadshow, the board has been given information on more bogus agents.
REALB which has completed it’s awareness campaign with the Consumer Council of Fiji in the Northern Division, will investigate and try to get more information to prosecute the bogus agents.
Registered agents are appointed by REALB and they are issued with identification cards and certificates which contains their license number, expiry date and the name of the agent for a specific period.
Board Chairman, Doctor Abdul Hassan says there is a need to organize more awareness programs in the North to eradicate the bogus agents from the industry and educate the ordinary people who wish to buy or sell properties.
The Compliance and Monitoring Officer for Real Estate Agents Licensing Board of Fiji, Vinal Singh has already revealed that an island in Savusavu was sold for US$18.5 million which is part of the $42.154 million worth of complaints with REALB and Consumer Council of Fiji since 2017.
Singh says this is 1 of 16 cases that is with the CID Office.
Bogus real estate agents and foreign real estate agents selling and advertising local properties are the two major complaints received by the two agencies.
Doctor Hassan says if people lack knowledge then there is a huge chance for the bogus agents to target them.
He says this is a critical issue considering the amount of money involved in the real‑estate industry.
The board and Consumer Council have also concluded that the people in the Northern Division lack basic knowledge when it comes to real‑estate issues in their respective areas.
This was highlighted after the roadshows held in Taveuni, Savusavu and Labasa.
They will continue to work on the awareness and education programs in the major urban centres in Fiji to help people understand about their rights which is protected under the law.
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