www.shaproperty.com

SOME property agents who have served time in prison are now back in the market.

One agent was jailed in April for a month for helping his client get a bank loan through fake employment documents.

Another was jailed for pocketing company money and is back in an accredited agency.

Both felt it was fair they be allowed to return to the industry as they have done their time and learnt their lesson.

They claimed they are still in demand by their clients who also still trust them.

The agent who was jailed for a month is already advertising his services.

He has been running advertisements regularly. On one day last month, he had seven ads.

JOB OFFERS

He calls himself a 'consultant agent'.

Asked about this tag, the 63-year-old said: 'I am not practising, there is no (company) logo to my name.'

In a news report last month, he said at least three agencies have offered him jobs.

He said: 'I am still taking a break and I have not decided which company I want to join. But by August, I will be back in the market with a company.'

For now, the agent - who has collected several top agent awards in his previous company - is taking out ads to help his agent friends by publicising their deals.

TRUST
Not many calls come his way now, but he gets by on his savings.

He declined to say if he was earning commission for his referral work.

He claims that most of his clients look beyond his conviction, adding: 'They still trust me.'

The other agent, 35, is now employed with an accredited agency after being convicted twice.

He was first sentenced in 2000 for cheating his client of money, after the sale of a house. He was also sentenced for petty theft. He was jailed 20 months.

Then, in 2002, he took $6,348 from his client, who paid his commission in cash.

Instead of handing it to the company, he pocketed it.

He was jailed 21 months.

After being released from prison early this year, the father of four told The New Paper he wants to move on.

He said: 'I have learnt my lesson. Now I demand every transaction be paid through cheque or cashier's order.'

He claims his earlier clients, who still trust him despite his criminal record, keep him going.

He became an agent in 1994 and made news a year later for sealing a record $745,000 sale for a flat.

HIRED DESPITE CONVICTION

He said that his present bosses have been understanding.

His bosses hired him despite his conviction.

He said: 'I think it's only fair that we come back into the profession. I have served my time ...learnt my lesson.

'I have maintained my integrity and my professionalism... so now I need people to accept me.

'This business is my cup of tea. I want to put this (jail) behind me.'

Property firm ERA's assistant vice-president, Mr Eugene Lim, feels that agents who have served jail terms should declare it upfront.

If the agent does not declare and the company finds out later, he said they have a right to terminate them.

He added: 'On the flip side, if the agent declares his record, we will consider him, assess him through the interview and consider him depending on the severity of his crime and whether that can affect the integrity of the company.'

Presently, there is no real estate organisation which lists records of agents.

However, a seven-month-old watchdog, called the Singapore Accreditation Estate Agencies (SAEA), has just started compiling a database of accredited agents and agencies. (See report on facing page.)

While it has not expelled any agent to date, one accredited agent sentenced in April for malpractice is facing an SAEA panel.

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SAEA will make a decision to expel or warn him in a month's time.

Visit www.saea.org.sg for more information on this list.

Real estate agencies have this advice to clients: Check with the agency on the agent you plan to engage.

If you are in doubt, they say the best option is to call the agency and ask them to recommend an agent to you.