The rolling war of attrition between The Charter for Independent Estate and Letting Agents (CIELA) and Purplebricks has witnessed its latest battle.

CIELA says it has been receiving weekly updates from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) regarding its complaint about the hybrid agent’s “misleading representations” within its website and TV advertising.

In its statement released to media outlets, CIELA is clearly confident that its arguments to the ASA have done the trick, and that “we look forward to the outcome”.

Although CIELA admits that nothing within Purplebricks’ communications is inaccurate, it says the company’s comparisons of its up-front flat fee with a tradition agent’s commission is “irresponsible and misleading”.

Elements of its complaint to the ASA were repeated within a Daily Telegraph article published in May, in which CIELA chief executive Charlie Wright questioned Purplebricks’ high completed sales claims.

Following the article, CIELA was contacted by Purplebricks’ lawyers and, after responding, CIELA says it has not heard anything since, saying it was “nothing but sabre rattling and a hollow threat”.

Membership drive

CIELA has also revealed why it believes the number of agents joining the organisation has not been as large as expected.

“The last three months have been absolutely fascinating and have revealed that it is mostly the law-breakers who are afraid of CIELA’s formation,” says Charlie Wright.

“Professionally run, law-abiding agents who have expressed their support, but not yet joined, have explained that they need to be sure the rogue element of the industry cannot be members, before they commit to membership.

“Their stated reason for “wait and see” is to be satisfied that the controls are in place to prevent any criminal agents being part of the organisation.

“Before their feedback, we had not fully appreciated the scale of this problem, i.e. just how many independent agents are breaking the law.

“These agents who act as though they are above the law are doing the worst damage to the industry. Before there is a chance of improving its reputation, these agents must be publicly identified, to protect the public from their deliberate criminality, or at best their sheer incompetence.”