Zoopla Secures Five-Year Connells Deal Amid Ownership Speculation

Zoopla has locked in a new five-year agreement with Connells Group, ensuring that the UK’s largest estate agency network continues to list all of its properties on the portal.

The deal covers Connells’ 1,263 branches across 86 brands, including Hamptons, Barnard Marcus, John D. Wood and Bairstow Eves. Zoopla said the partnership underpins its strategy of investing in engaged homeowners and higher-performing listings products.

Connells reported a 12 percent increase in vendor lead growth from Zoopla during 2025, generating an estimated £18m in potential sales commission. The group is also tapping into Zoopla’s five million engaged homeowners, a segment that has grown by more than 30 percent this year, via the portal’s Prospect Plus product.

“Zoopla is a core pillar of our marketing strategy,” said Connells chief finance and commercial officer Richard Twigg.

For Zoopla, the long-term commitment lands against a backdrop of market chatter that owner Silver Lake may be exploring a sale of the business, making major agency renewals particularly significant.

Chief executive Paul Whitehead said the agreement was “a powerful endorsement” of Zoopla’s shift towards becoming a more strategic partner to agents.

Below: Zoopla COO, Rich Hayes discusses the advantages of the company's homeowner audience on the PPW Podcast