By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A REAL estate agent has been forced to apologise after Casey council threatened to sue over a letter-drop accusing it of a rates grab.
Mayor Sam Aziz, whose letter box received one of the missives from Peake Real Estate, introduced a motion at a council meeting for the council to complain to the real estate agent.
In his letter to Peake, Cr Aziz demanded an apology distributed to residents within seven days or it “will not hesitate in taking legal action to protect its reputation”.
Cr Aziz told Star News that a complaint over the “misleading” letter would also be lodged to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria.
In the offending mail-out, Peake had stated the council “seemingly in the pursuit of bolstering revenue” had “clearly over-valued a number of properties”.
“A surprisingly large number of clients are challenging their valuations and in turn, receiving a reduction in their rates.”
Peake invited residents wanting to challenge their valuations to contact the real estate agent for a market appraisal – “naturally with no obligation”.
In his complaint letter, Cr Aziz described the mail-out as “nothing more than a cheap and desperate sales stunt”.
“The letter makes misleading claims about council valuations and making such claims does not meet the high standards of ethical practice expected of real estate agents.
“It is untenable that a property professional can make such misleading claims.”
Cr Aziz stated that contrary to Peake’s letter, Casey gained no extra revenue from property valuations, which were required under state law every two years.
On 8 September, Peake directors Marisa Adams and Kristen Turner issued a statement that they were sorry that Casey council “misunderstood” its mail out.
“(We) apologise if council felt our communications were in any way inappropriate, that was not our intention.”
