The archived videos of the Guild of Property Professionals are normally only available to Guild members but they have given permission for the publication of an edited version of a recent interview by CEO Iain McKenzie with Rob Sargent, the head of the Acorn Group and leader of the Say No to Rightmove campaign.
The ten minute interview gives information on how and why the campaign started, and what its goals are.
Sargent comes across as passionate, measured, and articulate.
He puts forward a compelling argument and it is very clear that he is not trying to bring down Rightmove; rather he is seeking to modify the portal’s behaviours towards it agent customers.
Stressing that saying no to Rightmove does not necessarily mean leaving Rightmove, Sargent says that the common denominator among the campaign supporters is that, in respect of Rightmove, they are “fed up and not getting value for money”.
An aim of the campaign is to get Rightmove to disuss and alter how they levy their tarrifs.
“Rightmove are not going to do it if we ask them nicely,” says Sargent, who makes clear that he is not approaching negotiations as if he is some sort of trades union leader representing an entire industry.
“I want to hold the industry together under one message and I want Rightmove to come to the table,” he says.
In essence Sargent wants to “get the Rightmove foot off the industry throat”.
Whether he succeeds will largely depend on how tightly he can grip the portal round its corporate foot and how many others will help him to apply a levering force.
Comments (31)
From the consumers point of view, do they care and actually give a f*** about say no to RM.
realistically no.
All they see is some catchy advert on tv, they then search and find your properties.
So to all of those who have left/ considering leaving, your stupid.
Why on earth would you want your competitors to get one up you that stay.
I don’t know the current percentages of RM = Business. But they will be a dam sight lower than if you weren’t there and your competitors use the most used website in the property industry.
Its like saying no to boards, it’s presence!
Unless someone is going to re invent the property portals and seriously capture the general public, they will still continue use Rightmove, fact.
Being furloughed by Rightmove getting to you?
It reminds me of Brexit …..with NO “exit” (…..and to be clear, I wanted to remain).
A respectful nod to Rob and all those on-board with Say No to RM Campaign.
I hope I’m wrong and Rob & Co achieve meaningful change ……although the reality of “meaningful change” from RM’s perspective is Agents leaving in meaningful numbers, over a sustained period.
If memory serves me right, a year or so ago Rob was against a “Day of Action” against RM ……surely the opportunity lies begging before us whereby UK Agents “hide” their RM Listings for a 24 Hour Period – simply to highlight the level of discontent at the exorbitant level of RM’s advertising charges.
……the alternative is a Campaign that ultimately lacks “bite”.
As I say, respect to Rob & Co for picking up the ball …..however, what is the “Goal”.
As every day/week rolls by, is the light dimming for any signs of “actual” change. I would be interested to read what reaction/response has emanated from RM. I’ll read the story fully and check the “Say No” Website, hopefully some answers there
Rob Sargent has made it very clear that he is not trying to bring down Rightmove. Do they care NO!
Rightmove are laughing their heads off at both Rob Sargent and his little campaign and all the other little splinter groups that have become just a moaning ground for discrumpled agents and followed by a number of RM reps who feed back to their captains, it’s become very pointless.
if you don’t leave Rightmove then shut up and get on with your business.
If you’re really sick of them then you have to believe in yourself be free from the shackles that tie you down, until everyone leaves including the lead singer Rob and the likes, until then you won’t find out how much you don’t need RM, there is support elsewhere a number of other portals fighting for your business give them a chance, OTM Free shares and a chance to become totally owned by agents, Zoopla splashing out free deals jump on board boys there’s nothing to lose.
Rightmove have become the biggest shareholders in your business and with no commitment at all, if you’re happy with that then please just shut up and get on with it.
If you’re so reliant on RM then your doomed , whereas the agents that have woken up to smell the coffee have moved on to bigger and better things and left you behind.
Now that’s a hit! :-))
The only language RM will understand and ultimately respond to is loss of members. talking about leaving will be a concern to them but wont fully empower you in negotiations. leaving RM will fully empower you as the onus is on them to negotiate your return , currently most are trying to negotiate terms to stay and that’s the weaker of the two positions. For those who want to stay on RM but with lower costs , leave and get the better deals they will have to offer you to get you back . for those that want to leave get over your fears and do it . RM if your interested in the industries well being negotiate now as the mother of all cash flow squeezes is coming just as your fees are set to return to previous levels so being on RM or not for many sadly will be a forced position without your help.
When are you most likely to offer the lowest fee to win a listing , on the phone when booking or after you have been told you have lost it to another agent ?
Iain, When you were at Romans and Coutrywide, why did you not walk away from RM?
Easy for you to say now when you are not running an estate agency.
read my comment where do i say anyione should leave RM ? i have offered my ooinion as to how to negotiate a better deal if thats what you want.
at CWEA i was not involved in negotiations with RM at Romans the deal was negotiated in a way both parties were happy to work togehter.
The movement …”say no to rightmove” is that the right word? started with a spurt and purposeful gait …
Simple question … what’s next.
What did I say a few weeks ago? Expect a big advertising campaign from Rightmove to raise consumer awareness and in doing so build up the competitive tension up with agents, so they feel compelled to run back in to the bosom of their captor.
It’s a deck of cards; one falls and the cascade effect is everyone ends up back on the portal paying pre-Covid rates (maybe not straight away, but over a required shareholder timeframe – something around 18 months).
IMO you’ll see a medium term softening of prices, somewhere between the 70% discounted rate and approx 30% below traditional rates. It’s the only lever Rightmove can use, and they will have models to ensure their price adjustments are sympathetic to market activity. Don’t for a minute think they can or will flick a switch from what you pay now to what you used to pay. It’s extreme to the point of being counterproductive for them. Remember the golden rule of online dis-intermediation; no content, no clicks. No clicks, no invoices.
Sad to say but any ‘lobbyist’ group is powerless without concrete commitments from their participants to act. It’s a question of who will blink first and I’ve not seen anything beyond a ‘raise you hand if you are hacked off’ movement so far.
To swing the leverage against Rightmove, agents need to be off the site first, and then negotiate back in as a co-hort. Currently, the situation is a bit like sipping champagne at a party complaining to the host that you would rather drink cider at home. JFDI!
Exactly. Too many on the fencers. I’ve done some work in support of the campaigns and very surprised at the docile response.
The industry has become so reliant on RM. We don’t have the cahoonas as an industry to leave en masse. Like you say it’s the old Westen films one on one who moves first.
We have and a list of reasons why ready for vendors. I don’t care if we lose the odd instruction. If vendors insist on using RM we’ll be advising they may as well ‘list’ with PB
The say no to Rightmove campaign Has more than a whiff of being affiliated to Rightmove so they can find out what agents are planning. So far all the campaign is proving is that 20% can go longer afford to pay the fees and the other 80% would rather not pay the fees but at the same time won’t be leaving Rightmove any time soon cause they know it works. The fact is nobody likes paying big bills But the monthly fee is still less than one house sale for many agents.
The say no to Rightmove campaign Has more than a whiff of being affiliated to Rightmove so they can find out what agents are planning.
Did you really say that?!
They’re new here.
35 years in the housing market new. yes if that’s new, thank you. Sounds like a bit of a misdesctiption to me..
well they aren’t calling for a mass walk out are they ? It’s all pretty please, begging here and there, Mammy Rightmove we’re not happy. boo hooo hooo. whatever. Next to the amount of overpaid underperfomers in the industry Rightmove is great value for money.
its possible. and if it’s not possible i can GUARANTEE that the portals are all watching the chatter on their a clicking it into flow charts. FACT.
They are watching but probably not late at night and after a drink like you.
Rightmove is clearly a monopoly abusing its power. Just google “Businesses abusing their ‘dominant position”. We should take legal action against their pricing policy, and bully-like approach towards agencies, or at least start submitting reports to the competition Authority (any citizen can do that)
Strong people stand up for themselves. The strongest stand up for others.
Still not enough numbers in support unfortunately.
Too many on the fencers, too many agents with a heavy reliance on the portal. Quite sad really and now we’re seeing agents trying to use it against those who have left.
You heard it, You do not have to leave RM. Share the message with colleague agents and get behind the campaign, offer your support if you want to see better value.
The drum needs to be banged louder otherwise RM will simply not come to the table.
“A foot on the throat sums it up entirely”. We left in December, now have some resources to proceed with other innovative ideas. We will have to wait and see if other business’ have the bottle and leadership to leave, if it is their own money they are investing they may well do, if it is somebody else’s, I suspect it will be more of the same. It is peculiar to me that agents would be willing to risk liquidation rather than leaving RM. Perhaps those who do go under will look back with hindsight and have regrets. We took the view the future would be grim with RM. It felt like having to live with a parasite. We no longer are living with the fees of this ever growling hungry beast but also must cope with Covid-19. Would we return? I am not sure as leopards don’t change their spots and trust is hard won by. Well done Rob, keep up the good work.
‘It felt like having to live with a parasite.‘
Superb.
Hearts in the right place but lacks any real substance.
A these ‘splinter’ groups big idea seems to be leave Rightmove join Zoopla (or another portal).
Wow, what a new idea!
Maybe the idea should be to create an agent owned portal and support that, oh hang on…….
As for substance and support, it’s done pretty well up to this point and caught the attention of plenty of the right people. 1500 agents and over 3000 offices is no mean feat.
You can observe the Guild are clearly talking to SNTRM and they represent some 800 Agents and only yesterday Experts in Property vocalised their support. So, not a lack of substance.
RM will need to do something, that much is obvious, if they don’t it will be madness and this campaign would have brought that about.
Agents have their choices to make and this campaign has made that easier for them.
Having already produced a rethink by RM, the likely rethink of fees in the future, then at the least, this campaign has achieved something for many agents. Regardless if RM do or do not respond, more agents will leave.
This isn’t over and has some way to go until the full repercussions of Rightmove’s historic attitude towards agents, including their disastrous handling of the Covid discount, comes back to bite them.
Support it, don’t knock it.
Oh I support the idea but sadly nothing will happen.
have you ever thought about actually providing your thoughts in a solution as apposed to just dishing every idea ir comments anyone else puts forward?
Plenty of things i back, One of the most interesting to have come along is Homesearch.
However, i still do not think that will give agents the confidence to leave RM (Not that Sam or Giles have suggested it would).
Unlike you Iain i do not profess to know all the answers. But given i have skin in the game (unlike you) i am pretty well placed to have an opinion on what wont work.
Have you watched the interview? What does Rob offer as a solution? Even he says basically, strength in numbers ….. What does that achieve, OTM have 5000 odd agents and lets face it, its a laughing stock.
Ok we agree on OTM they are a mess , yes the campaigns lacks clarity and purpose a point I have made to them personally and publicly but I also offered them some suggestions.
i don’t spend a lot of time in here but when I do all I can see is you hidden behind anonymity telling people why their idea is rubbish or wont work.
skin in the game what do you mean ?
“have you ever thought about actually providing your thoughts in a solution as apposed to just dishing every idea ir comments anyone else puts forward?”
Someone clearly hasn’t been reading smile please’s comments over the last 5 or so years…
lucikily for me you are absolutley correct i have not been on here in months , you obviously have nothing better to do than spend your life in here anomiusly sucking up to the Smile Please.
you are obvilusly inteligent people , why not tell us your ideas and reveal who you are and why others should listen to you