- Former sales rep used a tenant’s money to pay bond on own Mandurah home
- Tried to hide wrongdoing by showing employer a fraudulent receipt
- Fined $4,500 by SAT for unauthorised trust fund withdrawal and acting dishonestly
A former real estate sales representative who illegally used a tenant’s funds to pay the rent and bond on her own rental home before forging a receipt to cover her actions has been reprimanded and fined.
Dianne Sandra Huggins, of Mandurah, was fined $4,500 by the State Administrative Tribunal on 9 April 2025 for making unauthorised withdrawals from her employer’s trust account and failing to act honestly.
The SAT heard Ms Huggins resided in a rental property managed by her employer where the required $1,587.20 bond had not been paid. Following the property owner’s decision to switch agencies, Ms Huggins misappropriated $2,700 from the agency’s trust fund, originally paid as bond and rent on an unrelated property by a different tenant, and redirected it to cover the bond and some outstanding rent on her own rental property.
A subsequent audit uncovered the shortfall in the trust account, sparking an internal investigation.
When confronted, Ms. Huggins provided a fabricated bank receipt purporting to show her husband’s payment of $2,700 to the agency. She later admitted to creating the fraudulent document by altering an existing receipt.
Upon her resignation, the agency recovered the misappropriated $2,700 from her final salary payment.
Commissioner for Consumer Protection Trish Blake condemned Ms Huggins’ conduct, stating her actions undermined the community’s trust in the real estate industry.
“Knowing full well the unpaid bond would be discovered by the new managing agency, she engaged in a series of deceptive acts, including misappropriating another tenant’s funds and forging a bank receipt,” Ms Blake said.
“Real estate agencies hold substantial sums of money in trust for tenants and property owners, necessitating strict regulatory compliance and routine audits of these accounts.
“Making unauthorised withdrawals from real estate trust funds is a serious offence, and sales representatives or agents who engage in such misconduct will be subject to legal consequences.”
More information on the obligations of real estate agents, sales representatives and property managers is available on the Consumer Protection website or enquiries can be made by email consumer@dmirs.wa.gov.au or by calling 1300 30 40 54.
Media Contact: cpmedia@demirs.wa.gov.au