A new lettings platform which puts landlords and tenants directly in touch with each other has been backed by newspaper group Trinity Mirror.
HomeRenter launched yesterday, describing itself as a platform or marketplace.
Although not an agent, landlords will be able to promote their properties on Rightmove and Zoopla.
Landlords will pay HomeRenter from just under £50 per year per property.
HomeRenter says it aims to create an Airbnb-style marketplace for the UK’s private rental sector “without the traditional estate agent fees”.
It says: “Landlords and tenants are able to collaborate via the platform, which also offers landlords the ability to manage their entire portfolio remotely.”
For tenants, the site allows them to create a permanent profile where they can manage their tenant history, conduct a rental search and view landlord ratings.
The site allows tenants to search for future rentals and put a holding deposit on properties for up to 72 hours. HomeRenter says it charges no admin fees.
Viewings are conducted by key-holders known as HomeViewers.
HomeRenter was co-founded by Sean Quinn and Jim Thomas, of developers Q Developments.
They are joined by Will Handley, a private landlord, who was previously managing director of Trinity Mirror’s new businesses division, and who is HomeRenter’s chief executive.
He said: “We believe the rental market works best when you remove the middle man and allow property owners and renters to connect in person.
“This is why we created HomeRenter and why we’ve set ourselves the aim of creating a fairer, more equitable online marketplace for UK’s private landlords and renters.”
HomeRenter currently has total backing of £780,000 and will be seeking new funds early next year.
Yesterday afternoon a spokesperson for HomeRenter specifically, and adamantly, confirmed to EYE that the firm is not an agent.
We asked both Rightmove and Zoopla for comment.
A spokesperson for Rightmove told us: “All prospective customers go through a strict vetting process to ensure that they offer an agency service in keeping with UK industry legislation and Rightmove’s terms and conditions.
“As part of this vetting process they must provide evidence that they handle all email and phone enquiries that they receive from prospective tenants via Rightmove.”
Comments (15)
This is my personal favourite listings: A storage company
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/estate-agents/agent/Armadillo-Self-Storage/Armadillo-Stoke-172844.html
Whatever happened to Ethical Investment. Surely, the Mirror is a left wing rag, ergo they are anti capitalist and, therefore, by definition must be anti-landlord?
BEST OF ALL –
They have reduced the price of their “6 months FREE TRIAL”…
…from £49…
…to £0.
Canny, that.
Is HomeRenter and HomeViewers licenced in Wales? Has a limited appeal to managing landlords.
I guess RM do not care who lists now,
I would suggest they never did…
Erm…
…correct me if I’m wrong here – but doesn’t the list of “Additional services” that this outfit is offering on its website actually define it as an Estate Agency?
https://www.homerenter.co.uk/landlords
It certainly does and so does all the licencing/regulatory regime.
On that same page, states that on the annual deal you get:
Portal promotion across Rightmove, Zoopla & PrimeLocation**
** 14 days promotion across the UK’s leading portals to use when you need
Why only 14 days?
Are Zoopla and Rightmove offering reduced rates for the short term?
I cant see it state what extra charge there would be if you needed longer
“As part of this vetting process they must provide evidence that they handle all email and phone enquiries that they receive from prospective tenants via Rightmove.”
SO…
…how comes you can click on any PurpleBricks property and book a viewing direct or make a direct email enquiry to a vendor/landlord?
Is that what they call “handling” these days?
You may not have noticed that this article isn’t about PB and doesn’t even mention PB. Some people just can’t help themselves!
I didn’t say the article was about PB. I am perfectly aware that the article was published in relation to a supposed private listings platform. The giveaway was in the title.
I was pointing out factual information in relation to Rightmove’s statement. The giveaway was in what I typed.
Next time I’ll type s…l…o…w…e…r – give you a fighting chance to keep up.
A spokesperson for Rightmove told us: “All prospective customers go through a strict vetting process to ensure that they offer an agency service in keeping with UK industry legislation and Rightmove’s terms and conditions.
“As part of this vetting process they must provide evidence that they handle all email and phone enquiries that they receive from prospective tenants via Rightmove.”
So they are middlemen then…
If it walks like a duck…
Another day and another biz to milk the world of property. Classic sign that as investors try to out smart each other and be seen as innovative after a market has matured, a new idea that will be for the slaughter within 2 years! This is a Mirror Group newspaper idea no doubt trying to show how clever they are seeing how well Daily Mail have done out of their Zoopla investment…it will go wrong although it will add to the groundswell of discussion about finding cheap options on how to rent/sell properties. None of these businesses factor in the laziness of people and also how fickle they are when they rent or indeed buy…..an expert knows the price of everything but the value of nothing! Rightmove will be prepared to work with anyone as they are seen as a mature business running out of ideas as a market is shrinking, and it is never healthy to squeeze your existing customers to death.