The OnTheMarket action group being co-ordinated by industry consultant Iain White is to hold three regional meetings over the three weeks.
They are being held “for anyone interested in joining the action against Agents Mutual”.
The meetings are in Birmingham on June 30; Manchester in the morning of July 1; and Leeds on July 1 in the afternoon.
We asked White for an update, but he said everything was now with the lawyers and “private for now”. He confirmed the regional meetings.
OTM did not want to comment.
Comments (9)
This will be an interesting development. Even if a few disgruntled agents leave, I do not think this will open the ‘flood gates’ as the opposers of OTM are hoping for.
The large majority of the agents joining OTM have the foresight and clear objective of protecting their business and wish to take back control of their portal and advertising expenditure.
Whilst I partly agree with Mr May’s comments, no Agent was forced into signing a contract, and therefore OTM deserve to pursue those agents for their financial contribution.
Maybe the solution is to allow them to stop advertising their properties with OTM with the agreement that they will not be able to return to OTM at a future date. This would then free them to advertise where they feel best for their own business.
Still, I cannot understand why any agent that qualifies for OTM is not backing this 100% !!!
I do not disagree with the contractual obligation they committed to being enforced but can see the cost (time, money and perception) being greater than that recovered. It just seems more sensible to use all that resource making AM something stronger and better and an organisation they wished the hadn’t left.
I agree the sensible solution is to retain AM membership, keeping the affinity groups strong without compulsory use of OTM, that is exactly the sort of managed solution that ought to appease those with concerns about the portal but who wish to support AM.
They kind of sold themselves on being a solution to kill rightmove thhough..that is misleading as they are doing nothing from what i can see. the spitfire signs are also getting a bit faded and peeling off the windows…r.i.p.
Ambulance chasing springs to mind.
I would hope this situation is managed into an airing, addressing & resolution of concerns rather than conflict. If there are agents who want out let them go, developments since the first meeting mean there is even stronger reason for agents to support Agents Mutual.
There will be agents who have a future outside Agents Mutual as the industry evolves but I can foresee people who want out now wanting to get back in once they understand a landscape that is changing by the week.
And when Zoopla start private listings the industry will wish they had all gone to OTM. Zoopla’s on line mortgage facility is now stealing food literally out of the mouths of those agents who have their own in house mortgage companies. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you !!
The story from Rayhan earlier in the week is a clear indication how the digital folk see the industry evolving.
Thought it had all gone quiet. Still trying muster support me thinks. Not got enough to make it worth while so far. Maybe he should go back to being an estate agent.
Not all agents have got money to burn like you obviously have. Value for money is required. Why cant they just go to court as being mislead. No leads = no contract.
Again, everyone who stayed on rightmove bow your heads in shame.