Oamaru real estate agent David McNeill and his solicitor, Len Anderson, are disappointed a High Court appeal has gone against them, as they both believe they had proved their case.
However, whether they will appeal yesterday's ruling by High Court Justice Paul Heath to the Appeal Court has yet to be decided.
After Justice Heath's written decision was released yesterday morning, they spoke to the Otago Daily Times, both saying they felt they had answered the points raised by the Real Estate Institute's agents' licensing board when, earlier this year, it suspended Mr McNeill's practising certificate for 18 months and ordered him to pay $20,868 in costs over a 2003 property deal.
"I have cared for and gone out of my way for all my clients in the 17 years I have been involved in real estate," Mr McNeill said.
"It is disappointing to think I had sufficient evidence to prove my innocence and still have the [High Court] ruling go against me."
Mr McNeill said he had nothing to hide and assumptions had been made based on unsound comments.
The reasons for that were not clear.
Mr Anderson thought the decision was disappointing.
"We succeeded on all the points the institute found against us on, yet essentially the High Court has rewritten the decision of the board in a way that is very disappointing."
Asked if there would be an appeal to the Appeal Court, Mr Anderson said that remained an issue that still had to be considered.
"As against that, the people who deal with him [Mr McNeill] know what he is like, so he has to weigh that against how long he is prepared to fight," he said.
