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Enquiries

Service type Standard
Response to enquiries - Telephone enquiries (voice mail messages) Within 1 working day1
Response to enquiries - Written enquiries Within 7 working days2


Qualifying Examinations

Service type Standard
Issue result slips Within 14 working days after the examination


Licensing

Service type Standard
Process applications for the grant of a licence or a statement of particulars of business
    Within 10 working days3
    Process applications for the renewal of a licence or a statement of particulars of business
    Within 20 working days3
    Refund of application fees for rejected / cancelled applications Within 10 working days4



    Complaints and Enforcement and Disciplinary Proceedings

    Service type Standard
    Acknowledge receipt of written complaints Within 5 working days
    Provide a written response to complainants upon receipt of sufficient supporting documents Within 15 working days

    Conduct the first disciplinary inquiry hearing for Normal Cases and Complex Cases / Publish admitted breach(es) on EAA website for Fast Track Cases5

    [Note: Not all cases will proceed to disciplinary actions.]6

    • Fast Track Cases

      (Cases dealt with under the New Scheme for Disciplinary Cases and involving no witnesses7)

    Within 6 calendar months8

    • Normal Cases

      (Cases other than Fast Track Cases concerning not more than 2 allegations investigated by the EAA)

    Within 10 calendar months8,9

    • Complex Cases

      (Cases other than Fast Track Cases and Normal Cases)

    Within 13 calendar months8,9

    Notify complainants of the outcome of the case Within 10 working days10
    Notify complainees (licensees) of the outcome of the case Within 10 working days11
    *This new performance pledge is applicable to complaints received or non-compliance cases detected on or after 1st July 2018.




    Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

    Service type Standard
    Process applications for endorsement of CPD activities Within 20 working days
    Issue certificates of attendance for EAA-organised CPD activities Within 30 working days
    Notes:

    1 The EAA’s working days are from Monday to Friday.

    2 From the next working day following receipt of the enquiry.

    3 From the next working day following the receipt of the application, the required fee and documents to the day the licence/statement of particulars of business is issued (ie. the day the licence is available for collection). This service target does not apply to applications which require the EAA Licensing Committee to determine whether the applicant fulfils the "fit and proper" requirements or other licensing requirements as prescribed under the Estate Agents Ordinance. A longer duration is needed for such cases for the EAA to make enquiries and for the applicant or any third party (such as the Official Receiver's Office, trustees-in-bankruptcy or the Police) to respond before EAA approves or rejects the application.

    4 From the next working day after an application is cancelled or rejected; for bankruptcy cases, from the next working day following the receipt of the instructions from the Official Receiver's Office or the trustee-in-bankruptcy.

    5 The EAA’s investigation generally focuses on the compliance of the Estate Agents Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation and the conduct of estate agents and salespersons in their practice of estate agency trade. If a case is related to any parallel investigation of criminal offence or non-compliance with any law or regulation by other regulatory bodies, or if the case is related to any parallel civil court action, this performance pledge is inapplicable.

    6 A written notification of whether the case will be recommended for disciplinary actions will be given to the complainant(s) and the licensee(s) concerned within 3 calendar months for Fast Track Cases, within 6 calendar months for Normal Cases, or within 9 calendar months for Complex Cases.

    7 “Witness” means a person other than the complainant(s) and the complainee(s).

    8 Commences from the date of the EAA’s written response to complainants upon receipt of sufficient supporting documents from them or (if there is no complainant) from the date of the EAA’s first allegation letter to licensees concerned to the date of the first disciplinary inquiry hearing for cases proceeding to an inquiry hearing for Normal Cases and Complex Cases or to the publication date of admitted breach(es) on EAA website for Fast Track Cases.

    9 Situations out of the EAA’s control, such as no inquiry hearing date is available after the case is ready for inquiry hearing or the unavailability of complainant(s), witness(es) and/or the licensee(s) concerned for the purported inquiry hearing date after the case is ready for inquiry hearing etc., are disregarded for the purpose of this performance pledge.

    10 From completion of investigation or, in the event the case is submitted for an inquiry hearing or dealt with under the New Scheme for Disciplinary Cases, the date of the letter notifying the complainee of the result of the hearing.

    11  Exclude cases that have to be submitted for inquiry hearings. For the latter, the statutory requirement is for the EAA to “within the period of 21 days beginning on the date of the relevant decision, [to] notify in writing the licensee and any other person against whom the decision is made of the decision...”.

    LICENCE LIST

    Ascertain if the person concerned is currently licensed and the details of the licence

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    LICENSEE CORNER

    Useful quick links for Licensees

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    CANDIDATE CORNER

    Useful information before becoming an estate agent

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    CONSUMER EDUCATION WEBSITE

    Useful information and advice for consumers

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