So daring are the dodgy agents that they even advertised
the home of the Minister of Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mrs
Judith Ncube, as a property that was for sale.
After collecting “agent fees”, the criminals disappeared,
leaving victims to confront the minister.
Some residents have been fleeced by agents that advertise
services on various social media platforms, after paying deposits, they visit
the advertised houses and the owners indicate that their properties were never
up for rent or sale.
Others said the estate agents charge them to view houses
that would have already been taken, while others advertise non-existent homes.
High demand for accommodation in the city has seen an
upsurge in the number of estate agents who use social media platforms such as
WhatsApp or Facebook to market their services.
The agents post lists of houses that are up for rental and
in order for clients to get more details about the houses and meet the owners,
they have to pay a registration or viewing fee which is pegged in US dollars.
There are further charges if the client is willing to take the house. An
assessment of these various adverts flighted online has shown that the agents
charge clients a fee that ranges between US$40 and US$60.
Mr Christopher Moyo, who has been a victim of these dodgy
agents, said he paid to view a house which was never up for rental.
“I saw an advert on WhatsApp of a four bedroomed house in
Mpopoma. I contacted the estate agent and he told me that the house was still
available. In the advert he said the house had a security wall and gate and
that it would be available on 1 July.
“I visited his office and I paid US$10 registration fee so
that I could get the contacts of the owner of the house. The agent further told
me that if I was going to occupy the house, I would have to pay US$40 as he
charges US$10 for a room,” he said.
Mr Moyo added: “When I contacted the owner of the house, he
told me that he had not directed the estate agent to advertise his house. He
said he wished to sell his house in the near future as the current occupants
were not taking proper care for it.
“The owner also told me that his tenants were not moving
out end of June as suggested in the advert as he hadn’t given them notice. We
went to the house and when I got there I was surprised as it didn’t have a
perimeter wall or gate. I tried to get a refund from the agent for misleading
me but he refused and said the registration fee was non-refundable as it was
payment for his services.”
Another resident, Mr Sam Nyoni, said he saw an advert of
houses for rent on WhatsApp. He said he contacted the estate agent who told him
to pay US$5 to be added to his WhatsApp group and he complied.
Mr Nyoni said the agent flighted an advert in the group
saying there was a house up for rent in New Magwegwe. He said the agent gave
him contacts of the owner of the house and he set up an appointment with him.
“I made my way to New Magwegwe on the following day and
before I boarded a kombi, I told him that I was on my way and he confirmed that
I would find him at Magwegwe terminus.
“When I got to the terminus, I tried to call him but his
phone was unreachable. I sent him messages on WhatsApp but they were not going
through. I waited at the terminus for two hours but he didn’t turn up and his
phone was still not reachable. I finally left the terminus. I think these
agents will be working with people who pretend to be the owners of these
houses,” he said.
Mr Nyoni said bogus estate agents should be arrested
because they were making a living out of conning people.
Other residents said they have registered with several
groups but have failed to get accommodation as premises would either be
non-existent or already taken. Minister Ncube said it was a pity that bogus
elements were moving around defrauding people.
She said several people have visited her house intending to
buy it after they were informed by an estate agent that it was up for sale.
Minister Ncube said it was important for the public to be
wary of adverts that are being flighted on social media.
“I once found six cars parked outside my house and the
owners said they had been informed by an estate agent that my house was for
sale, which was false. I implore members of the public to be careful about what
they believe and who they pay for services. Let’s not get carried away by what
we see on social media platforms but rather let’s stick to credible sources and
platforms,” she said.
Estate Agents Council of Zimbabwe (EACZ) chairman Mr
Nicodimus Kuipa said the industry has been battling for some time now with
bogus operators who call themselves accommodation agents and fleece members of
the public.
He urged the public to keep a lookout for rogue elements
and report them to authorities. “The advent of social media though good, has
come with its own challenges as anyone can advertise and market products and
services without complying with professional registration requirements. Estate
agents can advertise on any forum but need to be registered with the Estate
Agents Council of Zimbabwe as long as they are marketing properties belonging
to third parties. The law allows anyone to sell or lease out their own
properties but this service is restricted to estate agents once it involves
third parties.
“In general, properly trained and registered estate agents
do not run accounts where people are invited to register and pay money for
service to do with finding accommodation to buy or rent as agents are in most
cases paid for such services by the property owners who mandate them. Our
industry has battled for some time now with bogus agents who are not registered
with EACZ,” he said.
“Prospective tenants must not be charged anything as the
agent receives payment from the lessor who mandates the agent with the
instruction. The fees which agents charge for the various services they offer
are legislated and guided by Statutory Instrument 89/2016 – Estate Agents
(Professional Conduct) (Amendment) Rules.”
Mr Kuipa said it was important for the public to only deal
with registered agents. He said bogus agents can be easily identified as they
do not have a current year compensation fund certificate (which should be
displayed in the front office).
Additionally, he said, people can verify if an agent is
registered by calling EACZ on 0242 74635. Chronicle
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