Consumer ombudsman warns Roskilde estate agent over misleading notes

DR reports that Boligbutikken, a real estate agency in Roskilde, misled homeowners by leaving notes in their mailboxes saying it had a buyer for their homes, according to Denmark’s Consumer Ombudsman.

The yellow notes, left with a business card, said: “Call! I have a buyer for your home.” But when six homeowners called to ask for details, there was no specific buyer ready to purchase their homes, the ombudsman said.

The homeowners complained between May 26 and June 11. The Consumer Ombudsman has told the agency to comply with the Marketing Practices Act’s ban on misleading marketing.

Boligbutikken told the ombudsman it had specific buyers whose housing preferences matched the properties that received the notes. In late July, it changed the wording to: “Call, I have a buyer! The buyer is looking for a house like yours.”

A new complaint followed. The ombudsman still considered the revised wording misleading because consumers could misunderstand it, said Consumer Ombudsman Torben Jensen.