THE principal of a Gold Coast real estate agency, now in liquidation, has been ordered to pay fines, restitution and costs totalling more than $20,000 after being found guilty of failing to lodge rental bonds and not receipting a bond payment.
The Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper reported that Philip Dodds of Enmore Real Estate and Property Services was charged in the Southport Magistrate’s Court with 14 counts.
Dodds was fined $10,000 for his offences, ordered to pay $9,800 in bonds to the Residential Tenancies Authority and had to pay another $5,000 for the RTA’s legal costs.
Dodds’ property manager, Jacqueline Richardson, was found guilty on 10 similar counts, was fined $3,000 and ordered to pay some $3,000 in costs.
Although the sentencing Magistrate noted that Dodds had expressed no remorse over his failings, no conviction was recorded.
According to the Gold Coast Bulletin, the RTA said Dodds and Richardson had breached tenancy laws requiring bonds to be lodged with the RTA within 10 days of being collected.
Finally, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported that Queensland Housing Minister Robert Schwarten had said the verdicts were a good result for the RTA and reinforced the position of an independent body holding tenancy bonds.
By Tim O’Dwyer,
Australian Property Journal
