HouseSimple offers to sell properties in the north of England free of charge. Instead of making money through sales commission, the agent receives referral fees by offering financial and conveyancing services to buyers and sellers.
Manning Stainton, an estate agent covering Leeds and West Yorkshire, complained to the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) that the fee-free claim was misleading because its website said the free marketing period lasted for six months, was only available in the north of England and charges could be applied if a property took longer to photograph, needed more than one for-sale board and or was in a remote area that incurred the agent expensive travel costs.
HouseSimple successfully defended its claim because it currently does not sell homes outside the north of England. It was not the case that it would charge homeowners living outside this area a sales fee. Its website, said HouseSimple, made clear to sellers that it did not offer nationwide services.
A review of the property was carried out after being on the market for six months, and if the company thought it could work with the vendor to sell the property it would continue to market the house for free. The company said it had never refused to carry on working with a vendor.
The firm also said that while it reserved the right to charge for additional photos, travel costs or an additional for-sale sign these were rare requests which it had so far never received and the conditions had been added as a precaution to extreme costly circumstances.
The ASA was satisfied that HouseSimple’s advert was not misleading and dismissed the complaint.
