A Kamloops real estate agent who was caught on camera drinking milk straight from a container he pulled out of a fridge at a house he was showing to clients has agreed to pay a $20,000 fine.
Mike Rose was previously an associate broker with Home & Cottage Realty, which was owned by Royal Lepage Kamloops Realty.
According to a recent consent order from the BC Financial Services Authority, Rose was preparing for a showing on July 16, 2022, for potential purchasers he was representing.
Rose arrived at the property first and unlocked the house via the lockbox. While he was waiting for his clients to arrive, he looked around the fridge for water to drink. He eventually decided to take a drink straight from the homeowner’s milk jug, then returned the milk to the fridge.
He did not notify the sellers or their agent of the drink, nor did he replace the milk.
The sellers later reviewed video footage from a security camera inside their home and discovered that Rose drank some of their milk.
The potential buyers had a final viewing on July 18, 2022, where the sellers confronted Rose by asking him if he had anything he wanted to share.
According to the consent order, Rose replied: “The milk?”
He was no longer welcome on the property and was dropped as an agent by his clients.
The sellers then publicized the video footage, which was subsequently shared widely online.
Rose, who is now working for a different brokerage, stated that the behaviour was out of character for him. He said it was due to the fact that he had been taking new medication that made him extremely thirsty and he was under a large amount of stress.
According to the consent order, Rose has agreed to pay a disciplinary penalty of $20,000 to the BCFSA, as well as $2,500 in enforcement expenses.
