Online agent withdraws claims including that it can complete in just 25 days

An online agent has withdrawn claims from a promotional email it sent out only last Thursday.

HouseSimple said in the marketing email that it saved vendors £5,594, and that it took only 25 days to get a property to completion.

It used the same figure, 25 days, to say that is how long it took to get a property to Sold Subject to Contract.

An agent who received the promotional email queried where the information had come from to substantiate the 25-day completion claim.

EYE was told by a spokesperson: “The 25 days figures were based around a Rightmove Index report and HouseSimple’s own reporting system.

“But it appears the data was from January 2016 and the claim was removed from all marketing materials – or should have been – because it needs to be updated with this year’s figures.

“It seems the claim was still in automated emails – which this reader received – and it shouldn’t have been. It has now been removed.”

The claim as to saving sellers £5,594 has also been removed, EYE was told.

However, only a fortnight ago, HouseSimple defending this saving, saying the claim was the same one made in TV advertising which had been cleared by Clearcast.

Below is a screengrab of part of the promotional email sent out last Thursday.

Online firm defends claim that it saves average vendor almost £5,600

x

Email the story to a friend!



2 Comments

  1. AgentV

    Cynical marketing completed, damage done, business gained…..and at the most an informal decision on its way from the toothless, without hard gums even, ASA!

    Report
  2. g4lvo17

    Funny how these promotional emails seem to be overlooked when removing claims from all advertising ……. Just saying !

    Report
X

You must be logged in to report this comment!

Comments are closed.

Thank you for signing up to our newsletter, we have sent you an email asking you to confirm your subscription. Additionally if you would like to create a free EYE account which allows you to comment on news stories and manage your email subscriptions please enter a password below.