A high-profile actual property agent who “sabotaged” his employer’s contact e-book earlier than leaving the corporate has been struck off for no less than a 12 months.
In 2019, the NSW Supreme Court docket discovered Sydney realtor Roger Agha went into his firm’s contact books and altered one digit of greater than 900 purchasers’ cellphone numbers earlier than desiring to arrange a enterprise in competitors to the company.
The court docket additionally discovered Agha siphoned clients from his former employer Devine Group to his new employer Belle Property.
Agha did so after being informed by the principal of Devine — Steven Devine — that he wouldn’t be paid out for his shares within the group except he signed an settlement that contained a three-year restraint of commerce.
“He was of the view that he shouldn’t be underneath any restraint till he was paid out for his shares,” court docket doc state.
Agha denies he modified the info.
Since then, he has been in battle with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) relating to the cancellation of his actual property license.
Final week, the tribunal stated it couldn’t make out that Agha both modified the info or instructed another person to take action.
Nonetheless, the tribunal cancelled Agha’s license on the idea that he admitted he took a few of his purchasers from Devine to Belle Property as he “believed it was the shopper’s selection as to which agent to make use of.”
“The applicant did take Devine purchasers with him to Belle, and has admitted as a lot,” the tribunal discovered.
“He did use confidential data of Devine, however that he thought he was entitled to take action, and in my opinion this was opportunistic and improper of him to take action.”
Agha denied to the tribunal he modified the info within the system.
The realtor informed information.com.au he didn’t want to touch upon the cancellation of his license as he meant to attraction the choice.
The matter within the NSW Supreme Court docket, which started in 2018, is ongoing as each events proceed to hunt prices.
In a press release to information.com.au, Devine stated he felt vindicated by the NCAT determination.
“The toll this matter has taken on me and my household over the past seven has been immense,” he stated.
“Not simply financially and emotionally, however has been a serious catalyst in me exiting a household enterprise that had existed for over seven many years as effectively having to promote our household dwelling and different property to fund the authorized prices related to this case.
“I’m glad the regulator has additionally taken motion to uphold unscrupulous practices throughout the trade and maintain rogue practitioners to account.”
In 2019, NSW Supreme Court docket decided Agha engaged within the “systematic and repeated sabotage” of the Devine Company’s shopper contact numbers “by altering one quantity solely in 905 recordsdata on 8 December 2017.”
“To recommend in any other case is likewise opposite to frequent sense,” the court docket stated on the time.
“This act signifies a level of malevolence directed to harming the Plaintiffs’ enterprise.”
The matter will return to the NSW Supreme Court docket on October 21.
