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Estate Agents & BERs

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  • 14-05-2012 4:22pm
    #1
    DublinBorn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭


    Hi all,

    When I recently viewed a house, I could see a lot of work needed to be done, yet the BER rating advertised was quite decent by all accounts, so I asked for paperwork.

    The BER I received was faked, the address was photo shopped from another newer better property!

    I rang the SEAI who asked me to forward the documents onto them, which they confirmed were tampered with, investigation is ongoing so I will not disclose more on that bit.



    To make matters worse, the actual BER that was done on this property was also falsified, thus invalid.


    I fear what I was lucky to find, many will fall victim to in the future, and possibly have already unknowingly bought freezebox homes!


    I've been trying to find somewhere that I can report these types of agents to, but I am not so sure where to go, any advice?
    I have reported to SEAI which can at most get a €5k fine, but can I get these agents blacklisted, or anything such like above SEAI fines to make sure they don't do this over and over etc?
    Tagged:


Comments

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    #2
    Marcusm
    Registered Users Posts: 10,274 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    The local authority is the body responsible for enforcing these regulations.


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    #3
    DublinBorn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭DublinBorn


    Marcusm wrote: »
    The local authority is the body responsible for enforcing these regulations.

    Yes thanks, I have SEAI doing that for me, following down the offence under the Offences Under the European Communities (Energy Performance
    of Buildings) Regulations 2006.

    http://www.seai.ie/Your_Building/BER/BER_Assessors/Administration_for_BER_Assessors/Offences/

    What I was looking for was somewhere you can report these agents to, get them taken off the market so to speak.

    From what I can see, they have no one to answer to, and I don't see their bad ways changing until they get the wrap on the knuckles from an "Estate Agent Governing Body". A fine of a few quid via SEAI won't do a lot to deter them, the next 10 home buyers might not notice a thing, the higher sales prices covering the costs for the small fines.


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    #4
    Cathmandooo
    Registered Users Posts: 17,324 ✭✭✭✭Cathmandooo


    Contact the Society of Chartered Surveyors

    http://www.scsi.ie/regulation/regulation

    Check the agent's website, are they members of the SCS? IAVI? or RICS?


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    #5
    Doop
    Registered Users Posts: 1,470 ✭✭✭Doop


    Check the estate agents website to see if they're a member of the IAVI or the IPAV most well established agents are. However the cowboys will generally not. Unfortunately membership of these an thus regulation by these bodies is self imposed, as in one does not have to be a member of any professional body to operate an estate agents.

    Did the agents claim they did the BER? they may easily be able to pass the book if it came from an outside source, or the property owner supplied it to them.


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    #6
    true
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,325 ✭✭✭true


    Doop wrote: »
    Check the estate agents website to see if they're a member of the IAVI or the IPAV most well established agents are.

    The IAVI is no more, is it not? Not much loss, as in my experience I believe it had a poor track record of investigating complaints against its members. Certainly I know of one serious complaint not properly dealt with by them.
    I think they have had to rebrand themselves now.


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    #7
    Pkiernan
    Registered Users Posts: 4,310 ✭✭✭Pkiernan


    OP: The SEAI are a useless shower of stupid government employees.

    If you have a day off coming up soon try suiing the Estate Agent in SCC for your time wasted - they knowingly offered for sale a house they could not legally sell. Therefore they were wasting your time. Value your time at €50 an hour and sue them for a couple days worth.


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    #8
    Milk & Honey
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,950 ✭✭✭Milk & Honey


    Pkiernan wrote: »
    OP: The SEAI are a useless shower of stupid government employees.

    If you have a day off coming up soon try suiing the Estate Agent in SCC for your time wasted - they knowingly offered for sale a house they could not legally sell. Therefore they were wasting your time. Value your time at €50 an hour and sue them for a couple days worth.

    The SCC would not deal with a liability claim like that. Report the matter to the Gardai and make an objection in the District court when the licence is next up for renewal.


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    #9
    Cathmandooo
    Registered Users Posts: 17,324 ✭✭✭✭Cathmandooo


    true wrote: »
    The IAVI is no more, is it not? Not much loss, as in my experience I believe it had a poor track record of investigating complaints against its members. Certainly I know of one serious complaint not properly dealt with by them.
    I think they have had to rebrand themselves now.

    They have merged with the Society of Chartered Surveyors. www.scsi.ie


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    #10
    DublinBorn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭DublinBorn


    Doop wrote: »
    Check the estate agents website to see if they're a member of the IAVI or the IPAV most well established agents are. However the cowboys will generally not. Unfortunately membership of these an thus regulation by these bodies is self imposed, as in one does not have to be a member of any professional body to operate an estate agents.

    Did the agents claim they did the BER? they may easily be able to pass the book if it came from an outside source, or the property owner supplied it to them.

    Upon closer inspection, the agent has no website of their own, only a "daft" presence, no memberships of any governing body unfortunately.


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    #11
    DublinBorn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭DublinBorn


    Milk & Honey wrote: »
    The SCC would not deal with a liability claim like that. Report the matter to the Gardai and make an objection in the District court when the license is next up for renewal.

    Perhaps yes I will forward my information also to the Gardai, I think they can see his "office" from their window!

    As regards making an objection, how can I find out when this license is up for renewal? I take a big dislike to people ripping people off, lies are one thing (hard to prove), counterfeit takes the biscuit (full email trail). I think letting things like this go helps bring the country down to the vile cesspit it is currently operating at.


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