Man fined for pretending to be licensed estate agent

[Terry Bogard]

Man fined for pretending to be licensed estate agent
Posted: 28 May 2012 1354 hrs

SINGAPORE: An unregistered property agent has been fined S$40,000 for pretending to be a licensed estate agent.

Raymond Sim Soon Leong, who was sentenced on May 25, will have to serve eight weeks in jail if he cannot pay the fine.

The Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) said on Monday that Sim was fined for two property transactions.

He was charged on October 20 last year with representing himself as a sales agent when he was not registered with the CEA.

He advertised two HDB flats for rental on an online property portal under his name and described himself as a sales director of a licensed estate agency.

He also represented clients in making offers, negotiated property transactions directly and conducted flat viewings.

Sim was exposed when a couple checked the Public Register of Estate Agents and Salespersons on CEA's website, and discovered that the photograph of the person shown on the Public Register record did not look like him.

The couple complained to the CEA.

Sim is the second person to be convicted of flouting the rules under the Estate Agents Act.

On January 12, Tan Cher Peng, was sentenced to four months' jail and fined S$32,000.

Another case - involving Lim Beng Kwang - will be heard in court on June 21.

The CEA said it would be prosecuting a few more people over the next few months.

It has reminded consumers to engage salespersons who are registered. They should not respond to any real estate agency flyer, leaflet or advertisement that does not provide the agent's details or registration number.

- CNA/cc

 

[Pervert]

Con man everywhere, life is really very hard now in sinkieland.

 

[rolleyes]

Man fined $40k for impersonating a property agent

AsiaOne
Monday, May 28, 2012

SINGAPORE - Sim Soon Leong Raymond was fined $40,000, or in default 8 weeks imprisonment, for having carried out estate agency work without a license.

Sim was not registered with Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) and also did not have a written agreement with the estate agent for him to practise.

Despite this, Sim advertised two HDB flats for rental on an online property portal under his name, while describing himself as a Sales Director of a licensed estate agent.

He also represented clients in making offers, negotiated property transactions directly and conducted flat viewings.

His offences were discovered when a couple lodged a complaint with CEA against him for impersonating a registered salesperson.

Sim had assumed the identity of a bona fide registered salesperson of a licensed estate agent when he introduced himself to the couple, who were interested in buying a HDB property.

The latter then checked the Public Register of Estate Agents and Salespersons on CEA's website and discovered that the photograph of the named person shown did not look the same as Sim.

They filed a complaint with the Council and Sim was discovered to have violated the Estate Agents Act. He is the second unregistered salesperson to be charged in court by CEA and convicted.

In the previous case, Tan Cher Peng, was sentenced to a fine and jail term for impersonating a property agent.

There is one more prosecution involving an unregistered salesperson, Lim Beng Kwang, pending a further Court hearing on June 21, 2012.

CEA said that it will be prosecuting several more persons for doing estate agency work without being registered over the next few months.

The registration of salespersons was implemented to ensure that property agents fulfil certain criteria, possess the necessary knowledge to provide professional service to their clients, and adhere to ethical practices.

This is as for many Singaporeans, a home is the largest single investment they will ever make and many of them do property transactions through salespersons, CEA said.

If there are problems with the transaction or with the property, they may suffer losses and other consequences. Therefore, it is important that they be given the best possible advice and service in making such investment, CEA explained.

CEA advised consumers to only engage salespersons who are registered with CEA, and request for the salesperson's registration number before engaging his or her services.

They can then verify that the salesperson is listed on CEA's Public Register at www.cea.gov.sg. The Public Register allows consumers to search the particulars of a salesperson, using the salesperson's name, registration number or mobile number.

Consumers are also advised not to respond to any real estate agency flyer, leaflet or advertisement that does not provide a salesperson's details or registration number.

Members of the public can report to CEA when they encounter any person not listed on the Public Register but carrying out estate agency work illegally.

They can report the person to the CEA at 1800-6432555 or feedback@cea,gov.sg.

[email protected]

 

[YellowRibbon]

wow the fines VERY harsh !!!

 

[Darth Sidious]

Unregistered agent fined over two property deals

Published on May 29, 2012

Raymond Sim Soon Leong is the second unregistered salesman to be charged in court by the CEA and convicted under the Estate Agents Act. -- ST FILE PHOTO
By Janice Tai

The second person charged in court for passing himself off as a registered and authorised property agent has been fined $40,000 in relation to two property transactions.

If he defaults on payment, he has to spend eight weeks in prison. Raymond Sim Soon Leong, 30, was taken to task by the industry regulator - the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) - for not registering with it, as required by law.

He also claimed to be a sales agent with a licensed estate agency without first getting written authorisation from it.

Despite this, he listed two Housing Board flats for rental on an online property portal under his name while describing himself as a sales director of a licensed estate agency.

Read the full story in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.

 

[hokkien]

Cari makan also hard, not steal or serious case why the fine so harsh?:*: