Rightmove said last night that it is to review membership of US franchise firm Keller Williams.
The firm is one of the largest property firms in the world, with over 139,000 ‘associates’ and some 790 ‘market centres’ in 13 countries.
Keller Williams, which arrived in the UK in 2013 and has three ‘market centres’, has totally defended its stance. In the UK it is headed by Ben Taylor, who joined in May, and was previously a senior figure with Countrywide, heading up John D Wood.
EYE had relayed to both Rightmove and Keller allegations from an agent who told us that a local lettings business it dealt with had revealed that if it set up a sales department, it could get listings on Rightmove for £250 a month “via” Keller Williams.
EYE was told by the agent that, as they themselves paid hundreds more each month for Rightmove listing, they were annoyed to be told this, and raised it with their Rightmove rep, who categorically denied this was the case.
However, the agent – who we have agreed not to name – supplied us with links which appear to show an agent outside London was also a property consultant with Keller Williams, based in York Street, London W1. We sent these links on to Rightmove.
Yesterday evening, a Rightmove spokesperson told us: “Rightmove’s membership terms and conditions state that customers cannot sell on our services to third parties.
“We are reviewing this customer to ensure they are adhering to these terms.”
The Rightmove spokesperson confirmed that it is specifically Keller Williams whose membership they are now investigating, rather than one of the agents.
Ben Taylor yesterday evening told us: “Our model provides all of the tools that quality agents need to set up and run their own businesses.
“When they join Keller Williams, our agents establish their own companies but operate from our market centres, and this includes portal costs.
“Our desire is to attract ambitious agents who wish to break away from the traditional model and grow their own business either under the Keller Williams UK banner or indeed their own brand.
“As well as portal costs, our agents get access to world-class training and mentoring, use of our market centre facilities, and membership of an international brand that empowers agents and personifies customer service.”
Keller Williams launched in the UK in 2014. The UK franchise has changed hands since, but the message has not changed – Keller Williams has consistently said it has plans for huge growth in the UK.
Previous claims about third parties selling space on the main portals have mainly related to how private sellers and landlords can market properties.
For example:
Keller Williams upbeat after UK master franchise changes hands
How is this any different to the firm’s that allow you to list your property on RM for £25?
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Or purplebricks model where the LPE doesn’t have to pay for individual/ branch portal costs?
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This is another reason to leave RM and use OTM instead, the more the merrier.
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OnTheWho?
Disappeared again I note
Still bathing in champagne.
Interesting that the “upsurge” in OTM Enquiries/Leads melted away after the Float Thing. Funny that we never managed to actually speak to any of our OTM enquirers, they were all magically unavailable when we followed them back
OnTheCon or WhoWantstobeaMillionaire
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Is this what eye has come to, find a nothing sorry to keep the we hate the portals brigade happy.
Lazy
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I’m guessing Rightmove etc may be alarmed by the fact other brokerages and franchise organisations like Keller Williams do what seems to be reaping in fees to allow marketing on Rightmove via individual sales agents at a factor of well above what it is costing them. Therefore effectively financially gaining from Rightmove etc. Surely Rightmove and the likes would be better off charging individual agents directly particularly now that there are thousands of them throughout the uk. Or alternatively that the agents work via an existing estate agency where the marketing fees are already paid but where the agencies do not profiteer from recharging for the service.
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