{"id":40204,"date":"2022-09-12T18:09:34","date_gmt":"2022-09-12T06:09:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/propertynoise.co.nz\/au\/?p=40204"},"modified":"2022-09-12T18:09:34","modified_gmt":"2022-09-12T06:09:34","slug":"melbourne-real-estate-agency-fined-7000-for-locking-students-out-of-apartment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/propertynoise.co.nz\/au\/melbourne-real-estate-agency-fined-7000-for-locking-students-out-of-apartment\/","title":{"rendered":"Melbourne real estate agency fined $7,000 for locking students out of apartment"},"content":{"rendered":"

PHOTO: Melbourne\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

A\u00a0Melbourne<\/a>\u00a0real estate agency that locked international students out of their apartment building during the pandemic has been convicted and fined $7,000.<\/p>\n

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Sydney and Melbourne have \u2018absolutely turned into buyers\u2019 markets\u2019<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n

Waterdale Estate Agents was found guilty in Melbourne magistrates court of making a fraudulent misrepresentation to renters by serving a notice to vacate, in breach of Covid-19 renting laws.<\/p>\n

In April 2020, Waterdale cancelled two students\u2019 access to their apartment building in West Melbourne, the court was told.<\/p>\n

One student was able to get into the building with the help of another tenant, and stayed in her apartment all weekend out of fear she would be locked out again, according to Consumer Affairs\u00a0Victoria.<\/p>\n

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Waterdale also threatened to lock other renters out if they didn\u2019t attend their office. However, the agency claimed it only made the threat to get renters\u2019 attention.<\/p>\n

The agency fell victim to student accommodation provider Homplus, which acted as the head tenant on students\u2019 leases and went bust because of the pandemic, Waterdale officer-in-charge Joseph Ballo said.<\/p>\n

Because of the business\u2019 demise, money from students \u2013 listed as sub-tenants \u2013 wasn\u2019t getting to Waterdale.<\/p>\n

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The students were offered new leases with better terms and discounts, and Waterdale issued the notice to vacate around the time when temporary Covid-19 rental changes came into effect, Ballo said.<\/p>\n

None of the students were evicted, he said.<\/p>\n

Consumer Affairs Victoria took action against the agency after receiving complaints about Waterdale at the start of the pandemic.<\/p>\n

The agency was fined $5,000 for making the fraudulent misrepresentation, along with an additional $2,000 for breaching estate agent professional conduct regulations.<\/p>\n

The court also ordered it pay $5,000 in legal costs.<\/p>\n

Residential tenancy laws were temporarily changed to protect vulnerable renters during an unprecedented time of insecurity and uncertainty, consumer affairs director Nicole Rich said.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone has the right to feel secure in their rental property, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic,\u201d she said in a statement on Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese renters were particularly vulnerable as international students far from home and families at the start of the pandemic. The threat of being locked out or evicted from their homes must have been very frightening.\u201d<\/p>\n

The matter was finalised in court on 6 September.<\/p>\n

READ MORE VIA THE GUARDIAN<\/a><\/p>\n

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