Despite this regulation being in place since January 1st, 2015, it was evident in this years audit that some agencies are still being reprimanded for not complying with the legislation of having a Unique Identification Number (UIN) for all their existing trust accounts. So if you've had a trust account prior to January 1st, 2015 and you're still not sure what the ... read more >>
There are some things we can turn a blind eye to. Sneaking in a 3pm sweet tooth chocolate break. Taking an extra biscuit from the staff room stash. Knocking off 5 minutes early to catch some of the last rays of sunshine on a Friday afternoon. But there are some things that you simply cannot ignore. Like your responsibilities as a ... read more >>
This week saw the announcement that NSW Fair Trading are conducting a review on the property industry training standards. About time, we say! In particular we would like to see some reform around who is qualified to manage trust accounts and here's why; In a world where scammers try to trick you, it is difficult to trust just anyone. Clients entrust ... read more >>
Section 115 of the PSBA Act 2002 Yawn. Your eyes glaze at the mention of legislation. Everyones least favourite topic. However some of you may appreciate and share my frustrations in this Section of the PSBA Act after reading this article. I'm of the opinion that recent changes to this part of the legislation have opened a floodgate for compliance ... read more >>
Are you a startup Real Estate office looking for the right bank to open your trust accounts with? Or are you an existing Real Estate office and considering switching banks? This post discusses the considerations that need to be made when selecting the right bank for running the trust account. Our Top 7 Banking Considerations There are many things to consider when selecting ... read more >>
You’ve been dreaming of that long awaited overseas holiday for some time now. What is holding you back? Is it the Trust Accounting aspect of the business or is the whole thought of being away from the office too much to bear? Licensee Holiday - What is That? Most Licensees we speak with have been unable to take a holiday from ... read more >>
Wouldn’t it be lovely to receive notification from the NSW Fair Trading Office that your Real Estate agency was undergoing an audit? It would give you time to ensure documents were up to date, training completed and trust accounts reconciled! NSW Fair Trading doesn’t give you a heads up as many agencies have found over recent weeks. In recent articles ... read more >>
How strong is your office’s back-up system? Could you honestly say that you would be able to restore to the previous day’s information if your computer crashed? With the current focus on digital and cloud-based technology, this blog post is about the importance of backing up Trust Accounting information. We use the 3-2-1 process to ensure that you don’t experience ... read more >>
In my previous post I explained in 10 easy steps the process for registering existing trust accounts under the new legislation which was effective 1st January 2015. The following is the process for closing an existing trust account in 8 easy steps which replaces the previous GREEN FORM requirement from Fair Trading. Go to the OneGov website. Hover on the services link ... read more >>
Are you a property agent looking after general trust accounts? From January 1st, all general trust accounts need a Unique Identifying Number (referred to as UID), which can be obtained from the NSW OneGov Government Licensing Service website. This change under the Property, Stock and Business Agents Regulation 2014 supports NSW Fair Trading officers in monitoring accounts and safeguarding consumer funds. To be ... read more >>
