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Agencies & People

Online estate agency changes website claims following complaint

99Home had said homes it took on to sell would remain 'for sale' on its website until they sold, but the ASA says this turned out not to be true.

Nigel Lewis

estate agent

Online fixed-fee estate agency 99Home.co.uk has been referred to the advertising watchdog for claiming that properties listed on its website for sale would remain there ‘until they sold’.

The claim was spotted by a client who then complained to advertising watchdog the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), challenging it.

Following a short investigation, the ASA found that ‘this was not the case and that properties were removed before they were sold’.

An ASA spokesperson says: “We told 99Home Ltd to remove the claim that properties remain on their site until sold, unless that became the case. As such, we considered the matter closed.”

99homes was founded by agent Sachine Gupta and tech expert Vijayant Vashistha in March 2017, offering what it claimed was the cheapest (£99) and ‘most reliable real estate service’.

Bronze award

The company was awarded Bronze in last year’s Negotiator Awards for the Hybrid Estate Agency of the Year category by the panel of independent judges.

This follows its decision to offer vendors a fixed-fee £999 fee only payable upon completion, which rises to £1099 if it includes accompanied viewings – although it’s prices go as low as £99 for its basic, pre-paid service for sales and £29 for lettings.

Statement from 99Home

Following the ASA’s informal ruling, a 99Home spokesperson has told the Neg that, when the complainant went to the ASA, the company rebutted the accusation that it had broken any ASA code and that its terms are clear. These include that the firm’s Standard and Express packages see properties advertised for three months while all of its other packages offered an ‘until sold’ listing on 99Home and 12 months on the major portals.

March 30, 2022

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