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Time for estate agents to renew registration   Article Date :10 Oct 2005 EAAB FFC renewals due. It's registration renewal time for South Africa's 65000-plus estate agents. Those who wish to continue practicing in 2006 must pay their renewal fees to the industry's regulator, the Estate Agency Affairs Board, in Johannesburg, by the end of October. Bill Rawson, president of the Institute of Estate Agents (the voluntary body which provides agents with a professional home) advises agents who have not received renewal notices from the Board by October 24 to contact the Board. Late renewal carries the risk of a fine, and failure to renew is an offence. "Given that there are now 65 000 registered agents, we should not be surprised if the renewal process is slower than usual this year," says Rawson. "It's incredible that there are so many agents. It's an increase of 50 percent since last year, and we understand that the Board is currently registering between 1000 and 1500 new agents per month. "No doubt market forces and economic realities will sort the wheat from the chaff, but it's not good news for the consumer that there are so many thousands of inexperienced and possibly under-competent people out there offering their services. The sooner that some kind of qualification is reinstated as a requirement for registration the better." Rawson says that registration has been compulsory since 1977, and it is an offence to practice as an estate agent without being registered at the Board. An unregistered agent is prohibited from being paid commission or fees for any services provided while he/she is unregistered. The Estate Agency Affairs Board's contact number is 011 731 5600. Rawson says that the Institute, as a private organisation, is unable to assist with queries about registration or renewal. END ------------------------------------------ TYD VIR EIENDOMSAGENTE OM HULLE REGISTRASIE TE HERNU -- RAWSON Dit is weer tyd vir Suid-Afrika se meer as 65000 eiendomsagente om hulle registrasie te hernu. Dié wat in 2006 wil aanhou praktiseer moet teen einde Oktober hulle hernuwingsfooie aan die bedryf se regulerende instansie, die Raad vir Eiendomsagentskapaangeleenthede in Johannesburg, betaal. Bill Rawson, president van die Instituut van Eiendomsagente ('n private instansie wat agente 'n professionele tuiste aanbied) maan agente wat nie teen 24 Oktober hulle hernuwingskennisgewings ontvang het nie om in verbinding met die Raad te tree. 'n Boete kan vir laat hernuwing opgelê word, en versuim om te hernu is 'n oortreding. "Aaangesien daar nou meer as 65000 geregistreerde agente is, moet ons nie verbaas wees as vanjaar se hernuwingsproses stadiger as gewoonlik beloop nie," sê Rawson. "Dit is ongelooflik dat daar soveel agente in die land is. Dit is 50 persent meer as verlede jaar, en ons verneem dat die Raad nou elke maand tussen 1000 en 1500 nuwe agente registreer. "Dit is nie goeie nuus vir die verbruiker dat daar soveel duisende onervare en miskien onbevoegde mense is wat dienste aanbied nie. Hou gouer kwalifikasie as 'n vereiste vir registrasie heringestel word hoe beter." Volgens Rawson is registrasie sedert 1977 verpligtend, en dit is 'n wetsoortreding om as eiendomsagent handel te dryf sonder registrasie deur die Raad. Die wet verbied 'n ongeregistreerde agent om vir sy dienste betaal te word. Die Raad vir Eiendomsagentskapaangeleenthede se kontaknommer is 011 731 5600. Rawson sê die Instituut, as private organisasie, is nie by magte om navrae oor registrasie of hernuwing te beantwoord nie. EINDE CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO THE MAIN NEWS PAGE