Recent survey shows agents are not happy with Rightmove

Estate Agent Today carried out a survey with results suggesting agents are angry at Rightmove for its raise in fees.

EAT asked agents to give details of their comparative portal fees; some gave these explicitly in the comments section of our story while others sent confidential emails. 

The range of costs was vast; this may have been because of their different packages and different locations. No corporates or large regional chains responded, so most of the feedback involved smaller independent agencies.

Some figures are striking (all figures are pcm):

• Rightmove costs for single-branch agencies vary from £1,936+VAT down to £990+VAT;
• Zoopla costs for single branch agencies vary from £665+VAT to £250+VAT;
• OTM costs for single branch agencies vary from £355+VAT to temporarily free.

The highest charge any firm told us about was Rightmove levying over £10,500+VAT per month for a multi-agency office in southern England. 

One single-agency office stated it paid an extraordinary £31,380.00 in portal costs per year.

What was clear from the survey - based on 30 agents who gave EAT details of their costs - was that the bulk of their anger is aimed firmly at Rightmove.

"Rightmove staff are well-trained and present a compelling case - always - which we are now beginning to kick back against. The time isn’t far off when the majority of local agents will all drop RM in one fell swoop, which was always the long term plan when OTM was set up”

"Despite having disdain for Rightmove I don’t want to feel their wrath if they decide to make examples of some agents. Nothing would surprise me”

Read more here