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Is Rightmove facing a ‘cliff edge’ of agents leaving next month?

The portal's 75% fees cut for agents ends in just over two months' time but agents have only a small window in which to give the portal notice.

Nigel Lewis

rightmove

Many agents wondering whether to unplug from the Rightmove listing service after the Coronavirus crisis are now facing decision time as the window for leaving the portal begins to close in a few weeks’ time.

In April the portal gave all its agents an automatic 75% discount on their subscription fees for four months after initially offering only a deferred fee scheme.

But many agents do not know when to give notice to leave before the full subscription is reinstated. The Negotiator spoke to half a dozen agents none of whom knew how their notice period with Rightmove works.

One agent on the Boycott Rightmove Facebook page yesterday suggested that agents had a ‘last chance’ to give notice before 31st May in order to come off before the 75% deal ends. This, Rightmove says, is incorrect.

The portal’s T&Cs are confusing though and we asked the portal for comment on when, in practice, an agent would have to give notice to leave before the discount period ends. A spokesperson said agents should wait until the end of June to give notice, should they wish to do so.

But although Rightmove’s publicly-available T&Cs say agents need only give 30 days’ prior written notice to quit the portal, its rules elongate this; the 30-day notice period starts only when the portal replies to an agent, not when it receives the request, and if notice is given part way through one month, the agent cannot leave until the end of the next month.

Because of this, agents wishing to exit Rightmove will need to give notice by 15th June at the earliest and the 30th June at the latest to able to leave by the end of July.

Link to Coronavirus Crisis special reportMurray Lee (left), one of the four agents spearheading estate agent groups seeking to leave the portal or force it to reduce its fees, says he concurs with our interpretation of its T&Cs after looking at his contract, saying that he believes agents must give notice of ‘at least a month and no less than one calendar month’. Murray says his campaign is going to wait until early June how to proceed.

May 28, 2020

5 comments

  1. Murray Lee, one of the agents spearheading a leave Rightmove campaign has not only not given notice, but has not even made his mind up whether he will!

    • Thanks Graham for the heads-up, the piece was meant to say ‘his campaign’ rather than him!

      • Thanks Nigel.
        Acn I just say, Its not “MY” campaign but all the 000’s of agents who joined us

        It was instigated by 3 local agents to me and myself
        Alan Goldin of Alan Goldin Estates
        Richard Dangoor of Hausman and Holmes
        And Phillip Wise of Ashmore and Co

        This was our little band that ignited our local flame

        I do take credit for reaching out to Rob Sargent of the Acorn Group in SE London (Say No to Rightmove), Paul Davies of At Homes Estates, Horsham (Boycott Rightmove) and David Thomas of Liberty Gate, Nottingham (Revolution 2020)

        This was the real catalyst than go you and the press interested.

        We became known by Chris Watkins as the 4 Horsemen of the Portal Apocalypse (even if he couldn’t say it!!)

        So I cant take ALL the credit

    • I’m not sure where you have that information from and I beg to differ Mr Davidson, I have made it VERY clear right from the start as to my stance.

      Along with Nigel, Rob Sargent, Paul Davies and David Thomas (aka the 4 Horsemen) and Phillip Wise, Richard Dangoor and Alan Golding (3 founders of my original local group on 19/3) call ALL attest to this. I have never wavered.

      I’m enjoying a 75% discount (that part of my efforts got you if you are still on RM).

      I think that’s very good business don’t you?

      Along with the 5 months free from Zoopla I was also involved with negotiating – feel free to check that with Andy Marshal at Z – (plus with the additional 4 months FREE IF you then leave RM at the end of the discount period Im enjoying….aren’t you?) I’d say that was sensible.

      It’s ok… you don’t need to thank us… many others have personally and said I may have saved some of their staffs’ jobs. But don’t worry. I’m not a narcissist.

      I have also made my position VERY clear.

      If RM to not change their belligerent attitude and offer us a better rate than the current £1600 I WAS paying then I’m gone.

      We have reviewed the terms with 3 or 4 others and we all agree with Nigel’s last comment re the notice period, to provide ‘at least a month and no less than one calendar month’s notice’

      Is that clear enough?

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