Estate agents who are RICS firms will be able to show the RICS logo on Zoopla as from tomorrow.
In a video, global residential director Peter Bolton King said he had been frustrated over the years that none of the major portals had been willing to display the RICS logo.
In a reference to OnTheMarket’s forthcoming launch, he said that the question of logos was a hot topic, with a number of firms now making their “one other portal” decision.
He said that “obviously, we will keep talking with the other portals” to see whether they would give the same facility.
Bolton King told Eye yesterday: “The RICS has made no comment about the current portal debate and it is entirely up to our members as to what they decide to do.”
He said he had no idea how many RICS agents might sign up to OTM.
Yesterday, Zoopla confirmed the deal with the RICS.
It said it has added the RICS to its feature which allows members to display the professional associations and redress schemes they are affiliated with on various sections of the Zoopla and PrimeLocation websites.
ZPG members can activate this feature under their profile in ZooplaPro and activate the display of logos of their affiliations on all relevant agent directory pages, property details pages and professional reports across the ZPG platform.
ZPG launched the feature last October, allowing agents to display their affiliation with the NAEA, ARLA and TPO.
Jon Notley, commercial director of Zoopla, said: “We are delighted to have agreed with RICS that our member agents can now also display their membership with RICS clearly on the property details page.
“This is a first for a property portal and is offered to all our members at no extra cost. It is a great way for our members to showcase their professional affiliations to home hunters.
“Our member agents are proud of these associations and we are delighted to be able to help promote them to consumers.”
Members of the NAEA and ARLA, which are officially supporting OTM and are represented on the Agents’Mutual board via NAEA managing director Mark Hayward, will be able to put those membership logos on the new site.
The RICS video is here
Comments (17)
I'm sorry, but I don't get it. Why would ANY portal not allow RICS members to display the RICS logo? Let's be blunt, it's relevant and it costs them nothing, so what's the problem?
PBK doing some sterling work for his members, bit like when he ran the NAEA and did so much for us then which was………Erm……..nothing. When getting Z to display a logo gets a comment from the global president or whatever name he's given himself you know it's not working right – Jonnie
Be fair Jonnie, he got rid of all the old fart FNAEAs and any member capable of thinking for themselves, those that couldn't see any benefit I creating an organisation with a big enough name for the world Realtors conferences or couldn't see the need for NVQ egg sucking courses.
Stop your whinging? someone has to be Universal God of pwoperty.
"… is offered to all our members at no extra cost". Whoopy do. How generous!
Maybe the swing should be towards Z and not RM after all. Evaluate and take action.
Is it me or are we seeing a change in stance by Z. They seem to be listening to their customers and I'm not surprised to see the noticeable absence of RM which speaks volumes.
As we hear more about these upcoming portals, i hope at least one of them lives up to the expectation…. OTM, Houser, EasyProperties. Easy has the brand behind it, OTM has PR and what does Houser have beside free listings? they still didn't answer my questions?
I think first of all need to work out the difference between Portal, Agent and listing service 😉
So thats what they spend their time doing: negotiating to get logos on to websites. What a major achievement and is probably the equivalent of being proud of having tidied his desk!
Yeah, must admit….I don't think I'd be shouting about this as if it were such an amazing achievement….but then it does highlight, yet again, just how out of touch with the residential agency sector the RICS remain.
Why is it no surprise that P B-K has no idea how many members might go to OTM – its only the single most important thing that has happened to the residential sector in years – but then since when were the RICS interested in ordinary residential agent members ?
Only OTM know this for sure, so no point second guessing. The rest of us will find out on the 26th.
If only the general public knew about any of this governing bodies / redress schemes and all there benefits! Hang on remind me again of the point of them?!
Could you please provide the evidence that no consumer out there is aware of these bodies / schemes. I'd be interested in this – thanks.
Very few if any "consumers" know about the bodies and what they do. What I can also tell you is in a near 20 year time in the property industry not once have myself or staff been asked about what redress scheme or alike we belong to (sold thousands of properties acting for vendors and purchasers ).
As a landlord, I would never ask a agent about redress scheme membership etc. I check it out BEFORE I decide to even phone an agent. E.g. not a member of a scheme I like, you do not get to talk to me!
ringi some of your comments that's fine by me. And I bet you don't check out redress schemes. Even if you do what is the difference between them? what makes one better than another?