Victoria and NSW estate agents warned about unsolicited rent roll emails

Estate agents in Victoria and NSW have been warned about unsolicited emails being sent out by a company called Connection Blue Pty Ltd run by Mark William Whittingham advertising rent rolls for sale.

The public warning about the conduct of Whittingham and Connection Blue has been issued by the director of Consumer Affairs Victoria, which says that several estate agents in Victoria and New South Wales have complained that they paid Whittingham for rent rolls but did not receive the product or a refund.

Whittingham is well known in mortgage broking circles with the MFAA issuing a warning to its members about his business practices in November last year.

Whittingham had previously offered to sell loan trail books to mortgage brokers through another company that has since been placed in liquidation, with brokers not being refunded their deposits as promised in information booklets.

Consumer Affairs says that in one instance, it is claimed a Victorian estate agent paid $135,000 for rent rolls but did not receive access or a refund.

Another Victorian estate agent alleges to have paid $24,200 and a New South Wales agent claims to have paid $1,000.

“Melbourne Magistrates' Court has issued an interim injunction against Mr Whittingham and anyone connected with Connection Blue Pty Ltd, from 19 March 2013 until a further hearing on 26 March 2013,” said Consumer Affairs.

In relation to any rent roll, mortgage trail book, or planning book, the court Whittingham and Connection Blue is restrained from:

• requesting money or other consideration from any person as a deposit for the sale, supply or delivery of such assets
• disbursing, transferring, dealing with, drawing on or disposing of any money held or received as a deposit (up to $161,000)
• requesting money from any person in return for granting that person access to any such asset
• requesting and/or disbursing or transferring, or drawing on or disposing of any payment or other consideration, received after the order was made, before actual delivery of the asset to the purchaser.

The cirector of Consumer Affairs Victoria issued a public warning in September 2012 about the conduct of Whittingham and his former company, Buy A Trail Pty Ltd, which purported to offer loan trail books for sale to brokers.

Buy A Trail was placed in liquidation in August last year.