Invest
Cautionary tale for investors in dodgy agent’s ban
A real estate agent has copped a lengthy ban following his dodgy dealings with property investors, serving as a timely reminder for sellers and buyers alike to exercise caution with the professionals they deal with.
Cautionary tale for investors in dodgy agent’s ban
A real estate agent has copped a lengthy ban following his dodgy dealings with property investors, serving as a timely reminder for sellers and buyers alike to exercise caution with the professionals they deal with.
A real estate agent, Joseph Weng Kong Cheong, who forged signatures and prepared bogus listing and sales contracts has had his licence cancelled and has been banned from working in the industry in WA for 15 years.
The State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) reprimanded Mr Cheong and his company Easy Invest Pty Ltd, formerly based in Rivervale, and cancelled their licences as a result of disciplinary action taken by Consumer Protection, the Department of Commerce said in a statement.
Mr Cheong was found to have acted unfairly and dishonestly in breach of the Real Estate and Business Agents Act and the Code of Conduct for Agents and Sales Representatives in regard to the proposed sale of two properties in East Victoria Park and East Perth.
Mr Cheong and his company entered into legitimate ‘selling agency agreements’ with two property owners in August 2015, both providing for a commission of 2.2 per cent. Unknown to the owners, fake alternate agreements were drawn up which provided for a 3.2 per cent commission and the owners’ signatures were forged by Mr Cheong on the alternate contracts.
In October 2015, Mr Cheong drew up ‘offer and acceptance’ contracts using the names of bogus buyers which were never presented to the owners. The buyers’ names were randomly selected from the phone book. Mr Cheong forged the signatures of the bogus buyers and falsified the owners’ signatures to make it appear that they had accepted the offers.
The forged documents were then submitted to a finance company as part of an application for an advance on the 3.2 per cent commission. The company paid Mr Cheong a total of $30,339.82. Mr Cheong was not entitled to any commission as neither party to the contracts had actually signed them.
The SAT noted that Mr Cheong had repaid the finance company and the owners of the properties did not suffer any financial detriment as a result of his dishonest behaviour.
Acting commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said this was a case of serious dishonesty that warranted serious consequences.
“To carry out such an elaborate deception in two separate real estate transactions falls within the extremely serious scale of dishonest conduct and the SAT has shown that such behaviour will attract a serious penalty,” Mr Hillyard said.
“The lengthy ban is more than justified and should serve as a reminder to all real estate agents and sales representatives to act in an honest and transparent manner at all times in transactions involving the sale of property.
“I expect agents will uphold their fiduciary duty and always place the interests of their sellers above their own. Agents who fail to uphold this basic duty will be held accountable.”
RELATED ARTICLES
Property
Multigenerational living is moving mainstream: how agents, developers and lenders can monetise the shift
Australia’s quiet housing revolution is no longer a niche lifestyle choice; it’s a structural shift in demand that will reward property businesses prepared to redesign product, pricing and ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: a case study in selecting the right agent when millions are at stake
In Australia’s top-tier housing market, the wrong agent choice can quietly erase six figures from a sale. Privacy protocols, discreet buyer networks and data-savvy marketing have become the new ...Read more
Property
From ‘ugly’ to alpha: Turning outdated Australian homes into high‑yield assets
In a tight listings market, outdated properties aren’t dead weight—they’re mispriced optionality. Agencies and vendors that industrialise light‑touch refurbishment, behavioural marketing and ...Read more
Property
The 2026 Investor Playbook: Rental Tailwinds, City Divergence and the Tech-Led Operations Advantage
Rental income looks set to do the heavy lifting for investors in 2026, but not every capital city will move in lockstep. Industry veteran John McGrath tips a stronger rental year and a Melbourne ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: Data, discretion and regulation now decide million‑dollar outcomes
In Australia’s prestige housing market, the selling agent is no longer a mere intermediary but a strategic supplier whose choices can shift outcomes by seven figures. The differentiators are no longer ...Read more
Property
The new battleground in housing: how first-home buyer policy is reshaping Australia’s entry-level market
Government-backed guarantees and stamp duty concessions have pushed fresh demand into the bottom of Australia’s price ladder, lifting values and compressing selling times in entry-level segmentsRead more
Property
Property 2026: Why measured moves will beat the market
In 2026, Australian property success will be won by investors who privilege resilience over velocity. The market is fragmenting by suburb and asset type, financing conditions remain tight, and ...Read more
Property
Entry-level property is winning: How first home buyer programs are reshaping demand, pricing power and strategy
Lower-priced homes are appreciating faster as government support channels demand into the entry tier. For developers, lenders and marketers, this is not a blip—it’s a structural reweighting of demand ...Read more
Property
Multigenerational living is moving mainstream: how agents, developers and lenders can monetise the shift
Australia’s quiet housing revolution is no longer a niche lifestyle choice; it’s a structural shift in demand that will reward property businesses prepared to redesign product, pricing and ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: a case study in selecting the right agent when millions are at stake
In Australia’s top-tier housing market, the wrong agent choice can quietly erase six figures from a sale. Privacy protocols, discreet buyer networks and data-savvy marketing have become the new ...Read more
Property
From ‘ugly’ to alpha: Turning outdated Australian homes into high‑yield assets
In a tight listings market, outdated properties aren’t dead weight—they’re mispriced optionality. Agencies and vendors that industrialise light‑touch refurbishment, behavioural marketing and ...Read more
Property
The 2026 Investor Playbook: Rental Tailwinds, City Divergence and the Tech-Led Operations Advantage
Rental income looks set to do the heavy lifting for investors in 2026, but not every capital city will move in lockstep. Industry veteran John McGrath tips a stronger rental year and a Melbourne ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: Data, discretion and regulation now decide million‑dollar outcomes
In Australia’s prestige housing market, the selling agent is no longer a mere intermediary but a strategic supplier whose choices can shift outcomes by seven figures. The differentiators are no longer ...Read more
Property
The new battleground in housing: how first-home buyer policy is reshaping Australia’s entry-level market
Government-backed guarantees and stamp duty concessions have pushed fresh demand into the bottom of Australia’s price ladder, lifting values and compressing selling times in entry-level segmentsRead more
Property
Property 2026: Why measured moves will beat the market
In 2026, Australian property success will be won by investors who privilege resilience over velocity. The market is fragmenting by suburb and asset type, financing conditions remain tight, and ...Read more
Property
Entry-level property is winning: How first home buyer programs are reshaping demand, pricing power and strategy
Lower-priced homes are appreciating faster as government support channels demand into the entry tier. For developers, lenders and marketers, this is not a blip—it’s a structural reweighting of demand ...Read more
