A real estate agent in Kelowna was fined $ 6,500 for creating a website that advertised services for which he was not licensed.
According to a July decision by the Real Estate Council of BC (RECBC), James Kevin Adams, an agent who previously worked with local real estate company Sage Executive Group, created a website in 2017 called “KO Properties”. The website promoted real estate management services in the Okanagan and Kootenay regions.
In its decision, the council called the website “false and / or misleading” as neither Adams nor anyone connected to the website was licensed to provide such services in BC
Adams said the KO Properties site was a working prototype that he didn’t want to make fully functional until he was licensed to provide shift and rental property management services. He argued that he only published the website to “fix the bugs” and “see how it would work if you had it [his] Friends interact with it. “
Web designer Adams, who was hired to create the website, said that Adams “most likely didn’t know [the website] was live. “
Although the council said there was no evidence that Adams actually provided such services through KO Properties, it nonetheless deemed his actions to be professional misconduct.
Adams signed a declaration of consent on July 16 stating that he was willing to pay a fine of $ 5,000 and additional fees of $ 1,500 to the council. He also agreed to take a real estate and commercial services training course at his own expense.
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Do you have anything to add to this story or anything else we should cover? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
@ Michaelrdrguez
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