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A Hobart-based agent had his property licence cancelled after being found guilty of professional misconduct, which involved creating fraudulent contracts signed by non-existent buyers.
Former real estate agent Thomas Ian Triffitt has had his property licence cancelled following acts of misconduct, including deceiving sellers and colleagues.
Triffitt faced the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT) after his former employer, Knight Frank, filed a complaint in February 2021, alleging that he engaged in professional misconduct over a 15-month period.
In a statement of agreed-upon facts to TASCAT, Triffitt said that he created fictitious buyers, using the names Sujata Pradhan, Community Ventures Discretionary Trust and Hamdy Azab, and presented three clients with falsified contracts for the sale of their homes under these names.
On one occasion, Triffitt falsely advised a colleague that a deposit of $168,000 had been paid into the agency’s trust account, when in fact, no such transfer existed.
TASCAT reached a verdict after more than four years, with Triffitt admitting to the misconduct.
In addition to having his license cancelled, Triffitt was required to pay a total of $20,000 in fines and legal fees.
TASCAT said that it had found Triffitt’s actions to be “exceedingly foolish” and a breach of the trust placed in him by vendors.
“His conduct also involved the intentional misleading of his colleagues to engender belief that the contracts for sale that he falsified were real,” TASCAT said.
“This would have been serious enough in itself if he had engaged in the conduct just once.”
“Rather, he engaged in the same pattern of conduct three times over a period spanning some 15 months.”
TASCAT found that while Triffitt may have engaged in professional misconduct, he received no financial benefit from his actions, and was showing symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression and problematic alcohol use at the time.
“Such matters in no way excuse the conduct in question, but they do assist in providing an explanation for the conduct,” TASCAT said.
“Presumably his conduct, coloured by his vulnerabilities at that time, was intended to promote the appearance of him 'performing' to his clients, employer, and/or his peers.”
The Tribunal acknowledged that the drawn-out nature of the proceedings would have caused him significant stress, if not distress, and had taken it into account when handing down the disciplinary verdict.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mathew Williams
Born in the rural town of Griffith NSW, Mathew Williams is a graduate journalist who has always had a passion for storytelling. Having graduated from the University of Canberra with a Bachelor of Sports Media in 2023, Mathew recently made the move to Sydney from Canberra to pursue a career in journalism and has joined the Momentum Media team, writing for their real estate brands. Outside of journalism, Mathew is an avid fan of all things sports and regularly attends sporting events across Sydney. Get in touch at
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