Rightmove is to begin asking agents to fill in new material information fields when uploading properties to satisfy the recent guidance from the National Trading Standards requiring agents to show Parts B & C information when advertising properties.

Part B includes the physical attributes of a property that must be included while Part C relates to matters that may affect a property such as cladding, easements, flood risk and conservation areas.

Although agents have for some time already been obliged by law not to omit any material information on property listings under the Consumer Protection Regulations (CPRs), a list of what that constitutes them had never been defined – until November last year when the Part B and C lists were issued.

Until then agents had been vulnerable to enforcement action, and the aim of the extra guidance was to help them meet their obligations and reduce this risk. Rightmove says that listings that don’t include the new required information via their software providers will instead have fields that say ‘ask agent’.

Prison Sentences

The portal says: “Not providing the Material Information on your listings could also mean you’re not compliant with the CPRs.

“If investigated by Trading Standards, non-compliance with the CPRs could lead to substantial fines, criminal records and even custodial sentences.”

Its updates are being rolled out over the next few weeks. The new fields which will be visible on property listings are:

• Parking facilities
• Accessibility features
• Utility supplies
• Rights and restrictions
• Listed Property status
• Flood risks

Rightmove is also updating a glossary of terms, to help home-movers understand the new terms, and issued advice on the changes on its hub.