Calgary's Derek Johnson fined for posing as realtor

The Real Estate Council of Alberta has fined a Calgary man for posing as a realtor.

Derek Johnson faces a $50,000 fine for allegedly acting as a realtor and broker without proper authorization in two separateand unrelated cases.

It's not the first time Johnson has faced sanctions. He was finedby the Real Estate Council of Alberta last year for allegedly posing as a realtor,and still hasn't paid his $15,000penalty.

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Inits latest decision, the Real Estate Council of Alberta says Johnson is now doing business under the name John Davis.

The council also foundthatJohnsonhas been advertising properties for sale without the owners' knowledge or consent.

"The Real Estate Act in Alberta prescribes that when you act for someone else in a trade in real estate or when you act as an intermediary between a lender and a borrower that you require authorization to do so," said Charles Stevenson with the Real Estate Council of Alberta.

Fines are ridiculous, says Johnson

Johnson said in an email that the fines are ridiculous andhe hasn't been given due process by the Real Estate Council of Alberta.

"The right to participate in contract and commerce is a fundamental human right," he wrote.

He has until the end of the week to appeal the Real Estate Council of Alberta's claims.

Eric Vance claims he was approached by someone named John Davisafter his Beiseker property went into foreclosure.

He says the man told him he could stay in the house in a rent-to-own agreement. Vance says by the time he realized who he had sold his house to, it was too late.

"I discovered John Davis was actually Derek Johnson," he said. "Basically, he got title of the house."

It took six months and thousands of dollarsto get the title back in Vance's name, something hesays was "a very stressful experience."

Penalties must be enforced, says lawyer

Meanwhile, other alleged victims say they were never paid by Johnson for their properties andthe foreclosure proceedings continue against them while Johnson collects rent.

Vance's lawyer Cass Lintottrepresents several people who claim they lost title to their properties or cash deposits on homes they wanted to buy.

He is encouraged by the Real Estate Council of Alberta taking action, but he wants to see those penalties enforced.

"Make life difficult for these people," he said. "Seize their computer do something that's starting to protect the public."

The council says there are steps it can take to collect the penalties.

"That would include receiving a judgment from the Court of Queen's Bench and possibly attaching to different personal properties, real estate properties, and so on and so forth," said Stevenson.

Johnson did not respond to questions from CBC News related to Eric Vance.The fines against Johnson are not related to Vance's ordeal.