Rightmove is to investigate the agent who is marketing a property in Sutton Coldfield that appears to be identical to one being marketed by Savills in Oxfordshire.
The probe comes after Eye’s story yesterday about Circle Sales & Lettings, in Birmingham.
Savills has put the matter into the hands of their legal team.
It is understood that Rightmove’s inquiry may possibly not be limited to this case, as Eye has also seen other detailed email correspondence relating to another property.
We have left messages with Circle Sales & Lettings, but our calls have not been returned.
Last night, a Rightmove spokesperson said: “We have been investigating this and have been working with Savills. We are now in the process of re-vetting this member.”
Comments (9)
So lets get this straight – there are people pretending to be 'agents' out there who invent stock, using photographs of genuine properties located in another part of the country which they steal from the internet, in order to look more successful and dupe potential vendors into thinking they are dealing with a highly active and successful company. Is this not fraudulent? Is this not another reason for the government to reconsider their 'free market' policies and introduce licensing, at the very least, to provide some regulation and to protcet not just the public but those of us who only use honest means to attract clients?
This isn't a case of not taking down properties once they were sold though, this agent fabricates properties and provides images that it steals from elsewhere. It's not disorganised or bumbling, it's a cynical and deliberate attempt to mislead potential customers.
It's simply dishonest.
I called into a branch of a 200 plus branch agency in London 2weeks ago and complimented them on having many properties in their windows. They laughed and said most had gone. Naughty as it equated to baiting Joe Public in.
….but not if they were marked as SOLD / UNDER OFFER / SALE AGREED etc
I've complained to rightmove a dozen times about local ghost listings and not once have they ever said they would investigate it.
Ditto! – Speak to my account manager and say they have a 4 month back log to investigate issues such as these!
"We have left messages with Circle Sales & Lettings, but our calls have not been returned" Out of interest who were you expecting to speak to; Adam, James, Tony, Jason or Mr Kahn, they couldn't all have been busy or could he?
RM seem to be busy lately, AM must be kicking them into action.
Yeah…..busy "investigating" things……Never doing anything about it…..The only thing they did act on was the company that was selling Rightmove listings on Ebay for £9.95……Perhaps that is the ONLY level they think is too far?