/ 8 February 2005

And this is the bedroom …

A real-estate agent could lose his licence in Australia after allegedly being caught having sex with his assistant in a client’s bed, Australian radio reported on Tuesday.

The homeowner, identified only as James, told ABC radio that his 28-year-old daughter caught the real-estate agent having sex in the master bedroom of their Ballarat home near Melbourne when she went to prepare the property for inspection.

“She was greatly disturbed by walking into that and then finding herself, you know, sort of needing support from family,” James said.

The Real Estate Institute of Victoria state (REIV) confirmed it has received a complaint and has launched an investigation into the incident.

The institute’s chairperson for the Ballarat area, Graham Wakefield, said the allegations are very serious and could cost the agent his licence.

“If it was proven that this had transpired, his membership would be in jeopardy, of course, because he would be acting outside his tenure as an agent of the REIV,” he said. “It would be a great breach of trust.”

In a recent survey of 1 500 Australians, real-estate agents were rated the third-least-trustworthy professionals, after car salesmen and politicians. — AFP