Fairer Treatment for Real Estate Agents under New Law

Parliament has passed new legislation to provide fairer treatment for real estate agents. The Regulatory Systems (Occupational Regulation) Amendment Bill will remove disproportionate penalties faced by these professionals.

The law eliminates a five-year disqualification period for agents who fail to complete continuing professional development (CPD) requirements or do not pay fees on time. Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee described the previous penalty as out of step and harsh, highlighting that it could prevent agents from earning a living.

This change came after concerns were raised by cases such as that of Janet Dickson, who risked being unable to work due to not completing a CPD topic she deemed irrelevant. The amendments affect eight different Acts and are seen as a step towards more proportional regulations for real estate professionals.

Originally reported by Beehive.govt.nz - The official website of the New Zealand Government.