Guru's flock leaving the fold

Life as a real estate consumer advocate is starting to unravel for publicity hungry Neil Jenman. It appears Jenman (right) is no longer so popular with many of his former devotees, who have been leaving his national organisation the Jenman Group in droves during the past 18 months.

At least 100 of the estimated 300 Jenman agencies have severed ties with the group, disgruntled by Jenman's autocratic behaviour, according to Warren Campion, his former general manager. It is believed Jenman has taken out legal action against at least six agencies for breaching his strict contract conditions.

One case that was resolved is believed to have favoured the agent, although the outcome has not been disclosed. When contacted by Private Property, Jenman denied the negative outcome. Jenman carved a name for himself on tabloid television current-affairs programs as an anti-auction campaigner. In concise sound bites he bags the auction system and claims in his seminars that auctions are the work of the devil.

Agents interviewed by Private Property say they oppose his aggressive, autocratic style, which requires they do not advertise properties in their shopfront windows, in newspapers or online. Campion, who worked full time for Jenman from January 1997 to November 2000, says the basis of the Jenman system - of putting clients first - was sound but contradictory to what Jenman practised in his own business. "He told agents not to chase up payments from unhappy vendors, but in his work he has debt collectors chasing agents who have been unhappy with his services," Campion says.

Jenman's autocratic practices also extend to his staff, with an employee, who wishes to remain anonymous, describing Jenman as a tyrant who has made her clean his shoes and iron his shirts. Industry sources say Jenman has assets in private companies and trusts and has made between $10 million and $15 million from his franchise training and selling system.

Campion says real estate companies pay between $1,000 and $3,000 an office per month to belong to the Jenman system, depending on how much training and advice they receive. A former president of The Real Estate Institute of Victoria, Garry Nash, from Wangaratta, who wrote a forward for Jenman's book Real Estate Mistakes, also expressed concerns about the manner in which agents and clients of the Jenman Group are being treated. "Since 2001 the Jenman Group has wanted to have complete autonomy of agency businesses," Nash says.

Jenman claims the loss of agencies from his group is a deliberate culling of non-performing agencies. "There is no compromise from us when it comes to consumer protection," he says. He says the number of Jenman agencies has dropped from 311 to 203 and he also confirms he has legally pursued 15 agencies or clients for unpaid fees.

While acknowledging he is a tough leader, he denies making a former staff member clean his shoes and iron his shirts. In relation to his wealth, Jenman says he has been operating for 12 years and is uncertain of the exact financial position, but believes the company may have turned over $10 million to $15 million in this time, but that amount was not his end profit.

by Aileen Keenan/The Age © The Age. Reproduced by permission. www.reiv.com.au