Worried by the un
wholesome activities of fake property agents, an estate surveyor and Valuer, Mr Eric Chukwu, has urged residents of Port Harcourt and its environs to desist from patronising unregistered estate agents while searching for accommodation.
Chukwu, who was reacting to the various issues of irregularities and frauds reported at various times on how accommodation seekers were swindled, told The Tide that many people had lost their hard-earned money in the process.
The real estate practitioner who is a certified appraiser and a member of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) explained that one of the dangers of patronising unregistered agents was that the agent might disappear the client’s money.
He urged residents of the metropolis to patronise only estate agents that were registered with the regulatory body and were known to the NIESV, and urged agents and properly service providers to comply with stipulated laws.
Chukwu affirmed the resolve of the professional body towards checking the activities of unscrupulous estate agents whom he said have bastardised the noble profession.
He said “the major concern of government was the need to provide affordable housing for the increasing population. This informed the various strategies and steps being taken by governments at various levels to encourage the private sector in participating in the housing provision stock, and as well as check activities of quacks in the real estate sector.”
The estate expert also maintained that the authorities in the sector would exert their position as watch dogs in the system, and would create a sustainable climate for doing business in the real estate sector.

Corlins Walter