A real estate agent stripped stripped of his license after he was caught sleeping and showering in an apartment his employer was about to sell at auction, has lost his appeal at the High Court.
Geoffrey Mairs, formerly of Bayleys, was photographed leaving the Mission Bay home in February 2017. He claimed he was there to show someone the property, then said he'd had permission from one of his colleagues to stay the night.
He was found guilty of one charge of disgraceful conduct by the Real Estate Agents Disciplinary Tribunal, and subsequently appealed that decision, saying he should have only been suspended.
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According to court documents, Justice Anne Hinton dismissed the appeal last month, saying the penalty of cancellation was correct.
Justice Hinton says she agrees with the Tribunal "that the totality of Mr Mairs' conduct does demonstrate that he is not a fit and proper person to hold a licence under the Act".
"In summary, on the facts found, Mr Mairs deliberately took the keys to a client's property without authorisation, remained at the property overnight, and gave a false explanation to the owner's mother and to the police the next morning.
"He attempted, unsuccessfully, to have another licensee corroborate his false account.
"He later maintained a different account in a disciplinary investigation and misconduct hearing, which was found to be untruthful. During that process, his conduct as unprofessional and abrasive."
Newshub.
