Something seems not quite right with this story. The fine seems rather small for the alleged offence. I suspect there is more to this than meets the eye. Did the vendor have any independent advice at the time? Was it a case of “sellers remorse”? Something else? It will be interesting to see if Bayley’s succeed with their appeal.
Agent fined after elderly woman left weeping during auction of her home
By Patrice Dougan
Sunday Jun 1, 2014
The Sandringham property that the authority decided was sold under pressure.
An Auckland real estate agent has been censured and fined for putting pressure on an elderly widow to sell her property after it failed to meet the reserve at auction.
The Real Estate Agents Authority found agent Mark Birdling and his firm Bayleys engaged in unsatisfactory conduct over the sale. Birdling was fined $2000 and Bayleys $1500.
Birdling and Bayleys last night declined to comment on the finding, saying the decision was being appealed.link:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/property/news/article.cfm?c_id=8&objectid=11265449
