Moncton, N.B. real estate agent stripped of licence says senior’s home was unsellable.
A Moncton real estate agent who was stripped of her licence over allegations she took advantage of a vulnerable senior says she was only trying to get him out of “deplorable” living conditions.
Tanya Hannah and her partner, Maurice Poirier, were recently found unsuitable for licensing under the Real Estate Agents Act by the Financial and Consumer Services Commission, which regulates agents in the province.
The lawyer who prepared the legal documents when the senior sold his house to Hannah is also facing sanctions but from her own professional regulator.
The commission said Hannah and Poirier, who at the time owned Century 21 Absolute Realty Inc. in Moncton, took “outrageous and egregious advantage” of the senior and committed financial abuse against him. They’re challenging the allegations made against them.
Hannah is now being sued by the public trustee’s office, which is trying to recoup the money owed to the senior, Emile Goguen.
The public trustee’s office provides personal and financial guardianship services to New Brunswick seniors in need of support because of mental or physical impairments.
‘Impossible to sell’
Goguen was referred to Hannah and Poirier when he decided he wanted to sell his property at 12 St. George St.
In her statement of defence, Hannah argues the property was in deplorable condition, and the tenants were using drugs and not paying rent.
Attempts were made to remove the tenants, including contacting the RCMP, but it was determined the only way to evict them permanently was to sell the property immediately to a third party.
“However, given the condition of the property and stigma associated same, it would be almost impossible to sell it,” the statement says.
“The situation left [Goguen] in deplorable conditions such that he continued to be intimidated and taken advantage of by the various tenants occupying his property without his consent.”
Bought at client’s request, agent says
Wanting a safe place to live, Goguen asked Hannah to buy his property. Despite their “unease” with the situation, Hannah and Poirier eventually agreed to the request, “as they believed that it would be in his best interest to be removed from such environment.”
Hannah’s lawyer, Enrico Scichlione, declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Chantal Landry, the public trustee for New Brunswick, said she couldn’t comment on current litigation.
Suit says realtor owes over $83K
When I ran my construction businesses I could have purchased real estate from desperate elderly at depressed rates. I opted to have them call, or I called or emailed their childern to expressed the conditions they were going through.
Not one wanted to ask their childern for help. I said, “Thats what families are for.”
All worked out in the end. Real estate sold openly and honestly. The way it should be.