REAA promises more legal action, agents in gun too

REAA legal counsel Martin Sawyer said the Authority was set to take a harder stance on any unlicensed individuals involved in real estate transactions after the appeal ruling in the Dorien Forster case.

Forster and her company Home Buyers were prosecuted for conducting real estate agency work with a license. Forster succeeded in having her conviction and fine discharged after Justice J Mallon described the $7,000 fine as out of proportion to the offence.

However, the $13,000 fine and conviction levied against Home Buyers was upheld and the Judge maintained that "the transaction as it proceeded was an offence."

Sawyer said the High Court decision should leave property finders in no doubt that they were acting unlawfully.