A GOLD Coast high-flyer has been fined a record $130,000 and banned for life from operating as a holiday letting agent after admitting to ripping off unit owners in one of the Glitter Strip's top resorts.
Chris Scott and his former company Driftcove were this week hit with fines and costs and compensation orders totalling more than $436,000 after a seven-year investigation by the Office of Fair Trading.
But the Unit Owners Association of Queensland has slammed the penalties as a "slap on the wrist".
It says thousands of charges against Mr Scott and Driftcove were dropped in a plea deal and claims unit owners are still being dudded by holiday apartment management companies charging inflated secret commissions.
Mr Scott, an ex-director of failed tourism and financial services giant Octaviar (formerly MFS), previously headed Driftcove which operates The Phoenician apartments at Broadbeach.
Criminal charges against Mr Scott, who is now involved in the childcare industry, were dropped last year.
In the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal this week, he admitted to failing to ensure that Driftcove disclosed fees and charges to unit owners in the building on more than 2800 occasions
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