Estate agent has clients running in circles
‘Pay back the money’
A client who was defrauded by an estate agent says he is experiencing an uphill battle to get his money refunded by the body responsible for keeping these agents in check.
A coastal resident has expressed dissatisfaction with the Namibia Estate Agents Board (NEAB) for allegedly not fulfilling its mandate to protect consumers within the real estate sector.
This follows after clients filed numerous complaints concerning a property agent (identity known to Erongo 24/7) based in Swakopmund.
According to one of the complainants who signed a lease agreement brokered by the agent, he paid the necessary deposit and was informed shortly thereafter that the agent had canceled his contract with the landlord to let out the property on his behalf. After signing a new contract for the premises, he requested that the agent return the deposit just shy of N$10,000. “He never responded to my phone calls or any correspondence. I approached NEAB to file a complaint in order to find a solution and out of concern that this may happen to other prospective tenants,” said the aggrieved tenant.
NEAB advised the client that part of the process involves the complainant opening a police case, which was done. “The police called and left messages for the agent to get back to them, which was all ignored. Following this, a formal complaint was also opened at NEAB.”
He added that there are several angry people in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. “I can't believe that even though cases have been opened against this unscrupulous agent, he has not been arrested. If, on average, you are talking about N$8,000 to N$10,000 per deposit, then he has made off with a lot of money. It is not right that he just gets away with this with no consequences and could be scamming people again.”
The client said he is very frustrated with NEAB. “They informed me a month ago that a decision had been reached to settle deposits that were not returned to 14 residents in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. The people have been waiting for payback and are getting the same email stating they are working on the matter and will revert back once they have finalised all the necessary procedures from their side.”
According to him, NEAB has a fund set up from agents' fees to protect lessees. “The fact that they deduct money from agents for such things but then drag their feet for payment is unacceptable.”
Phone calls to obtain comments from Festus Unengu, the manager of NEAB, and the agent in question went unanswered.
This follows after clients filed numerous complaints concerning a property agent (identity known to Erongo 24/7) based in Swakopmund.
According to one of the complainants who signed a lease agreement brokered by the agent, he paid the necessary deposit and was informed shortly thereafter that the agent had canceled his contract with the landlord to let out the property on his behalf. After signing a new contract for the premises, he requested that the agent return the deposit just shy of N$10,000. “He never responded to my phone calls or any correspondence. I approached NEAB to file a complaint in order to find a solution and out of concern that this may happen to other prospective tenants,” said the aggrieved tenant.
NEAB advised the client that part of the process involves the complainant opening a police case, which was done. “The police called and left messages for the agent to get back to them, which was all ignored. Following this, a formal complaint was also opened at NEAB.”
He added that there are several angry people in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. “I can't believe that even though cases have been opened against this unscrupulous agent, he has not been arrested. If, on average, you are talking about N$8,000 to N$10,000 per deposit, then he has made off with a lot of money. It is not right that he just gets away with this with no consequences and could be scamming people again.”
The client said he is very frustrated with NEAB. “They informed me a month ago that a decision had been reached to settle deposits that were not returned to 14 residents in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. The people have been waiting for payback and are getting the same email stating they are working on the matter and will revert back once they have finalised all the necessary procedures from their side.”
According to him, NEAB has a fund set up from agents' fees to protect lessees. “The fact that they deduct money from agents for such things but then drag their feet for payment is unacceptable.”
Phone calls to obtain comments from Festus Unengu, the manager of NEAB, and the agent in question went unanswered.
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