http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/...27140,00.html?

Published October 21, 2011

CEA charges 2nd unregistered agent

By UMA SHANKARI


THE Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) has charged a second person in court for working as a salesman without being registered.

CEA, which was set up by the government last year to raise the professionalism of the real estate agency industry, is prosecuting Raymond Sim Soon Leong, a 30-year-old Singaporean.

CEA has alleged that Sim was not registered with an agency and also did not have a written agreement with Savills Singapore for him to practise.

Despite this, he advertised two HDB flats for rental on an online property portal under his name while describing himself as a sales director with Savills.

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

He is the second person that the industry watchdog has prosecuted. In June, CEA charged an individual for doing estate agency work without being registered.

'We wish to reiterate that we will not hesitate to take strong enforcement action against any person who performs estate agency work without registering with CEA,' said Purnima Shantilal, the agency's director for licensing and investigations.

Sim is facing four charges for not being registered with CEA, and another four charges for representing himself as a Savills agent without a written agreement with the property firm. The punishment for each offence is a fine not exceeding $25,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months - or both.

Sim turned up in court yesterday to hear the charges read out to him. He asked for an adjournment of four weeks to make representation. Court proceedings will continue on Nov 17.