Leading portal fees campaigner Murray Lee has said this morning that his agency Dreamview Estates is quitting Rightmove after the portal announced via its rep network that it is to restore its fees to pre-Covid levels on October 1^st.

The North London agent, who has been at the forefront of a concerted effort by four campaigns to pressurise Rightmove and Zoopla to modify their fee structures, says in order to leave before the new Rightmove fees kick in, agents must give notice by 1^st September.

“I don’t see any option but to send my notice as I said I would and which I will be doing,” he says.

Lee says after October 1^st he will be back to paying for his basic package at £1,680 a month.

“From a personal standpoint, we have been busier with new instructions than ever and none – or very few – came through the Rightmove connection,” he says.

“I also am well aware of one other agent locally who came off two months ago and has not suffered, and in fact I lose two instruction to them recently.”

Off Rightmove

Lee says he knows of many other agents in his area who are considering a move off Rightmove, and is urging them and agents around the UK to do so too.

“If we don’t take action “en-masse” we will never change the situation and gain control of this position,” he says.

“We will always be beholden to them. I hope [that] by my and others’ actions, more [agents] will follow and then we will cost Rightmove more than the £49m so far. Then they will have to sit up and listen.”

“We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”