18 February 2025

Perth real estate agent suspended for racist email to tenant

A Perth-based real estate director has been found “unfit” to hold a real estate licence and suspended after sending a racist email to a former Indian tenant.

In the email sent to Sandeep Kumar over a cleaning bill dispute, Mavin Real Estate director Bronwyn Pollitt hoped “the massive influx of Indian people will not turn our beautiful country (Australia) into the filth that is India.”

According to Australian media reports, Sandeep Kumar and Ritu Devi Sharma vacated the Hocking, Perth’s north home in December 2020, Pollitt told them after her inspection the house owner was against release of full security deposit due to cleaning issues.

Bronwyn Pollitt
Bronwyn Pollitt

The dispute was over a A$200 cleaning fee, but this was disputed by Kumar and after months of discussions around this issue, Pollitt sent the tenants an email in May 2021 after the cleaning fee was deducted from their bond.

In that email, Pollitt talked about her ‘English family’ background and compared Australian living standards to the “overcrowded, overpopulated, dirty squaller of many countries, including India”, and what Kumars are used to being clean.

In her email Pollitt wrote: “I and most Australians have an expectation of what is clean and you are talking from what you are used to.

“There is no comparison, there cannot be any discussion as you are not used to our cultural way of living. 

“I as a white Australian believe you and the others come to Australia as you want to enjoy the lovely way of life we enjoy…

“Hopefully the massive influx of Indian people will not turn our beautiful country into the filth that is India where bodies are on the street, half burnt bodies are in the river and people climb over each other for medical help while living in absolute slums.

“It all starts with cleaning the rental properties though and being mindful of what you have left and knowing the same thing as India will become Perth if you make no attitude changes.”

The email was submitted to the State Administrative Tribunal in Western Australia who deemed Pollitt unfit to hold a real estate and business agents licence for eight months from September 1.

Pollitt was suspended for her racial email

Meanwhile, the real estate director, Pollitt has apologised to Kumar saying she did not intend to be racist.

“I apologise if you believe I have been racist against you,” she said in her email. “That was never my intent.”

“I compared the ingoing property condition report and photos with how the property was handed back, the same as is done for every tenant.

“Each and every attempt to resolve the issues has been an argument until I realised that due to differing views which I tried to explain in my last email and are not racist, and never intended to be racist…(It was) just the result of differences in culture and different life experiences by each party meaning that the situation is seen through differing lenses.”

The tribunal found Pollitt had been under significant pressure during that period due to Covid-19 pandemic, regulatory changes, etc.

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