How to detect quack estate agents- ERCAAN

By Saheed Afolabi

The Chairman of Estate Rents and Commission Agents Association of Nigerian (ERCAAN), Lagos State, Hon. Kasim Adeshina has given guidelines to prospective clients to detect quacks.

He said the advice is part of the association’s advocacy to curb the menace of quacks parading themselves as estate agents and duping unsuspecting clients.

According to him, the most important criteria is that an estate agent must have a business office. The office must display his Certificate of business from Corporate Affairs Corporation (CAC) and the ERCAAN Certificate while he or she must present his  Identity Card to prospective clients.

He explained that the awareness has become important not only to discourage quack agents from soiling the business for the real players and protect the prestige of the association but also to ensure that prospective clients do not fall prey to their gimmicks.

He added that as part of the association’s effort to ensure that prospective clients do not have anything to worry about when dealing with certified agents, it is partnering with the state government to completely eradicate quack estate agents.

Urging  clients to report any estate agent to the association, he urged ERCAAN members to ensure that they have the keys to apartments with them to avoid  developers renting the same to more than one tenant.

He informed that the association has 65 zones and 20 units across the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs in Lagos State where the clients can report and make an enquiry before engaging in transactions with an agent.