PHOTO: Real estate agent Mitchell Betheras has apologised after an absurd online rant at a tenant. Source: Supplied
A real estate agent has issued an apology after a Facebook exchange with a prospective tenant escalated, drawing strong criticism from onlookers who deemed the comments “abusive.”
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The incident unfolded when Tim, a prospective tenant, learned that his landlord had enlisted the services of a new real estate agency, PRD Toowoomba. He turned to a local online community group to seek opinions on dealing with the agency.
To his surprise, Mitchell Betheras, a Senior Property Manager at the agency, responded with a peculiar message from his personal account.
Tim revealed, “He implied that he might use his authority to evict me from my property. I’m genuinely concerned for the well-being of anyone under Mitch’s property management.”
What began as an inquiry quickly turned “abusive” in nature.
Initially, the feedback from locals regarding PRD, a real estate agency with branches across the country, was positive. Some even praised Mr. Betheras. However, the situation took a sharp turn when the estate agent himself joined the conversation.
Mr. Betheras began with a message suggesting that Tim could have contacted their office directly, noting his role as a key figure in PRD property management. He hinted that Tim was going to be his client but had second thoughts due to the Facebook post, adding, “I may have room… Let me consider a little further.”
When Tim asked if he had posted anything offensive, Mr. Betheras remained firm, asserting that his business didn’t operate through Facebook and emphasizing their strict tenant selection process. He concluded by suggesting that if Tim was unhappy with his rental, he should vacate, as there would be others willing to take his place, and not everyone was as discerning as he was.
Another member of the Facebook group defended Tim, advising the agent to exercise restraint and describing his behavior as confrontational and unprofessional. This led to a heated exchange, during which Mr. Betheras made offensive comments and used inappropriate language.
The reactions to the agent’s posts were swift and severe. Screenshots of the exchange quickly spread on various social media platforms, going viral and prompting users to question Mr. Betheras about his “abusive” response.
One commenter described his behavior as unacceptable and accused him of threatening people for merely asking questions. Another expressed belief that such unprofessional conduct could cost him his job, given that PRD is a major chain. A third commenter condemned his actions as unprofessional.
Subsequently, Mr. Betheras issued an apology to Tim on the Facebook group after being contacted by Yahoo News. He expressed deep remorse for his actions, explaining that he mistakenly believed Tim was targeting him both professionally and personally. Tim accepted the apology but noted that if Mr. Betheras found his comments offensive, it raised concerns about his professionalism.
Toowoomba PRD principal John Bleakley declined to comment on the Facebook exchange, while co-principal Kim Taylor stated that they were investigating the incident and emphasized their team’s commitment to people’s well-being and avoiding any harm.
PRD Queensland’s Corporate Head Office acknowledged the seriousness and concern of the online comments made by a staff member at the PRD Toowoomba office and confirmed that an investigation was underway.
Tim expressed disbelief that his innocuous question led to such an outburst, describing Mr. Betheras as “lording over” his control of where Tim and his family lived. He found it highly inappropriate, especially considering the public forum’s large membership of approximately 37,000 members.