Homeppl has hit out at HomeLet, part of Barbon Insurance Group, for logging a complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which was upheld.

The ASA ordered Homeppl to change the wording of its adverts after they were found to be misleading.

Among the claims made on the tenant referencing firm’s website was that it approved 25% more reference applications than any UK competitor, and in an email to customers that it was the only firm to identify tenancy fraud. But this is not true, according to ASA.

Barbon Insurance Group Ltd challenged whether the following claims were misleading and could be substantiated:

1. the claim “we can approve 25% rental applications than any of our UK competitors [sic]” in ad (a); and
2. the claim “No other referencing company identifies tenancy fraud”.
3. They also challenged whether the claims were verifiable.

ASA upheld the complaints.

In response to the ASA’s decision, Homeppl told EYE that Barbon Insurance Group’s complaints were no more than a cynical attempt to undermine competition in the market.

A spokesperson said: “This is no more than an attempt from the once-dominant HomeLet to undermine customers’ choice in a market where fraud detection is becoming ever essential.

“HomeLet have not kept up with the technology required to catch today’s fraudsters and are reluctant to pass the baton of market leader over to a small startup from Shoreditch who last year added 180-plus new customers with less than 5% churn rate.

“Fortune 500 and public companies choose Homeppl because it protects them against fraudsters and helps them approve more applicants from all backgrounds. We will continue to protect our clients from the rising threat of tenancy fraud while creating inclusion within the rental market.”

A spokesperson HomeLet dismissed Homeppl’s claims, and expressed gratitude to ASA for both investigating and finding in favour of their complaint.

The spokesperson told EYE: “We’re proud to have supported landlords and professional letting agents with their referencing needs for over three decades. Landlords and their agents are already faced with tough decisions day-in and day-out, whether because of a continually changing legislative landscape or an increase in tenants struggling to pay their rent. What should not be a tough decision is choosing a reputable referencing provider.

“We’re grateful that the ASA took the time to investigate our complaint thoroughly and agree with their findings. We firmly believe that customers require transparent, accurate and verifiable information to make an informed decision.

“We remain committed to promoting fairness, transparency and professional standards within the industry and are confident that the ASA’s decision will contribute towards that.”

Tenant referencing firm made ‘misleading claims’, says advertising watchdog