HouseNetwork

movilogo

The Company was created in 2000 as a joint venture between four of the UK's largest property agents: Halifax, Countrywide plc, Royal & Sun Alliance, & Connells under the name Rightmove.co.uk Limited.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rightmove

googler

taxiphil wrote: »

Their official line, of course, is that it's to ensure compliance with misdescription legislation, but that's a load of guff - since when has Ebay or Gumtree been held legally liable for a vendor's description?

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/29/section/1

Para 1;

Offence of property misdescription.

(1)Where a false or misleading statement about a prescribed matter is made in the course of an estate agency business or a property development business, otherwise than in providing conveyancing services, the person by whom the business is carried on shall be guilty of an offence under this section.


I think it would be difficult to cite eBay or Gumtree as operating "in the course of an estate agency business or a property development business" any more than you could cite the owner of the newsagent where a private seller places a postcard offering their house for sale.

However, since RM was set up solely for the purposes of advertising property......

taxiphil

googler wrote: »

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/29/section/1

Para 1;

Offence of property misdescription.

(1)Where a false or misleading statement about a prescribed matter is made in the course of an estate agency business or a property development business, otherwise than in providing conveyancing services, the person by whom the business is carried on shall be guilty of an offence under this section.


I think it would be difficult to cite eBay or Gumtree as operating "in the course of an estate agency business or a property development business" any more than you could cite the owner of the newsagent where a private seller places a postcard offering their house for sale.

However, since RM was set up solely for the purposes of advertising property......

I'd have to disagree.

The PMA 1991 defines in s.1(5)(e) defines a "a statement is made in the course of an estate agency business" (a necessary constituent of the offence you refer to in s.1(1)) as "a thing done as mentioned in s.1(1) of the Estate Agents Act 1979".

Turning, then, to s.1(1) the 1979 Act, we see those "things" defined as

(a) for the purpose of, or with a view to, effecting the introduction to the client of a third person who wishes to acquire or, as the case may be, dispose of such an interest; and
(b) after such an introduction has been effected in the course of that business, for the purpose of securing the disposal or, as the case may be, the acquisition of that interest.

Clearly (b) above is not within Rightmove's remit as they play no role in securing the disposal or acquisition after the introduction has been made. They are just an advertising service.

For further clarification, s.4 of the 1979 Act says "this Act does not apply to the publication of advertisements or the dissemination of information by a person who does no other acts which fall within subsection (1) above."

Quite simply, Rightmove are as safe as houses (excuse the pun). They can not be held liable under the PMA. Any suggestion that they are worried about liability under the PMA is a smokescreen. They know that no such danger exists.

I return to my assertion that Rightmove's business model is designed only to protect the estate agency industry.

Hoof_Hearted

Well here I am feeling very smug. House now sold, contracts exchanged and ready to move. Cost less than £400 with online agent and slightly less for the online conveyancer. We had to work a bit harder but well worth the savings made. Straight, honest dealing all the way -- no phantom bids, sole agency contracts or extended tie-ins. Utterly brilliant from start to finish.

MrsCrafty

Hoof_Hearted wrote: »

Well here I am feeling very smug. House now sold, contracts exchanged and ready to move. Cost less than £400 with online agent and slightly less for the online conveyancer. We had to work a bit harder but well worth the savings made. Straight, honest dealing all the way -- no phantom bids, sole agency conteracts or extended tie-ins. Utterly brilliant from start to finish.

I am impressed to be honest. Most in my area want 2% and as an ex estate agent in the days of no internet, all I want from my online agent is access to rightmove. I am fairly sure that people do most research online today. Why would you waste a Saturday afternoon trawling round agents when you can pretty much view whats available in your area at home with the touch of a button. As an agent, we used to phone up people on our contact list completely !!!!ing them off because 9 times out of 10 we were trying to sell houses that they didn't want.

Most people have an idea what they want. Once they see a property, they know if its for them or not.

yanda

Thought i'd resurrect this thread as we've just put our house on the market via housenetwork.

Made an online payment on 4th March, estate agent came round on 7th to take photos/dimensions and property is now on rightmove as of today so speedy service so far.

Initially some of the room dimensions were incorrect (resolved via online chat last night) and their online control panel user-friendlyness leaves a little to be desired, but its the viewings that count so fingers crossed. Will post updates as(if?) viewings start to emerge.

UPDATE: As Googler suggested, a bit more details about the house
- London borders location
- Was on last year through 'tradtional' Estate agent, taken off due to birth of son
- Interest last time was quite high - first week was 9 viewings, 2nd week was 8, third week 6
- We put it on the same price as it was on previously, prices haven't really changed that much around here

googler

Yanda, it might be relevant to indicate whereabouts in the country you are...?

yanda

Just got off phone from house network, first viewing booked for this afternoon, 3 hours since its been on RM!

Tom72TT

Has anybody used any of the other "online estate agents"? Been looking at housenetwork, but a quick google search reveals at least 20 others who will list you on rightmove and do the other stuff for similar price as House network, and a few are quite a bit cheaper.

WebGuru

All the online estate agents are listed on https://www.cheapmove.co.uk

Yes there are quite a few now, new ones being added every month or so.