Sarah Penney-Filippini faces QCAT disciplinary action

Sarah Penney-Filippini, the Gold Coast real estate agent faces disciplinary action for allegedly allowing her struck-off agent mother to act like an agent in her business.

Penney-Filippini sells million-dollar homes on the The Sovereign Islands through Island Realty.

She is facing disciplinary charges in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) after an investigation by the Office of Fair Trading.

In a decision handed down on July 19, QCAT member Tina Guthrie ruled there were “sufficient grounds” for disciplinary action against Ms Penney-Filippini for breaking industry rules.

"I consider that by breaching the provisions of PAMDA and the relevant Regulation, Ms Penney-Filippini’s actions have fallen short of the standard expected of a licensee," Member Guthrie ruled.

Ms Penney-Filippini had acted unprofessionally in allowing her unlicensed mother, Heather Filippini to interact with a potential purchaser during an open home and to negotiate a sale of another home.

Heather Filippini was banned from operating as a real estate agent in 2009 after defying a suspension in 2006.

Her unlicensed mother was alleged to have engaged in negotiations to sell a home in 2012 and that her mother spoke to a potential buyer during an open home in 2012.

Mrs Filippini denied she was acting like an agent simply attending the open home with “polite chitchat”.