A real estate agent who represented a caregiver who purchased the home of an 83-year-old widow — apparently without the widow’s knowledge — has been fined $8,000 by the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO).
The widow, Stella Wasiuk, supposedly agreed to provide $430,000 in financing for her caregiver, Pauline Reid, to purchase the home for $477,000. In exchange, Reid was to look after Wasiuk for the rest of her life, according to a private agreement between the two women.
The agreement stipulated that if Wasiuk died, Reid would own the property “free and clear of any claim whatsoever.”
After the sale, Wasiuk told the Toronto Star she did not learn that the house was no longer hers until she was informed by a neighbor. Reid often left her alone for days, she told the Star. After a lengthy court battle, Wasiuk regained possession of the home and sold it.
RECO found that the Brampton agent who represented Reid as the buyer, Sukhjinder “Sunny” Gandhi, was aware Wasiuk was putting up the money for the house but did not have a signed representation agreement with her and failed to keep her abreast of all material facts.
Gandhi says he was following instructions of the lawyers involved, one of whom provided independent advice to Wasiuk.
“I didn’t do anything dishonest,” Gandhi told the Star. “This is about a couple of missing documents. That’s about it. It’s not as if I scammed a little old lady. I would never do that.” Source: thestar.com
