Dicky Beach estate agent banned for a decade

A Sunshine Coast real estate agent has been fined $25,000 when banned for a decade after directing tenants' rent into her own account for six months.

Elizabeth Provan, director of Dicky Beach Real Estate, was found guilty of wrongfully converting trust money.

She was also found acting as an unlicensed property agent by Caloundra Magistrates Court.

The charges were brought by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

Its investigation was launched in August 2017 following consumer complaints.

The OFT claimed between January and July last year, Ms Provan converted more than $46,000 of rent money to personal use funds.

She told tenants to deposit their rent into her own personal bank account instead of the agency's trust.

The sentencing considered Ms Provan’s breach of trust, lack of remorse, and failure to cooperate with the OFT investigation.