Spicerhaart Group announces split with Zoopla

The Group, who also own Felicity J Lord, Darlows and Chewton Rose, and are a board member of the new agent-owned property search site On The Market, also revealed that they will not be renewing its contract with Zoopla when it ends at the end of November.

To ensure a level playing field for On The Market, which will be launched in January 2015, Spicerhaart along with approximately 5,000 agents who have signed up to it so far have agreed to list their properties on only one other competing property portal.

Paul Smith, CEO of Spicerhaart, said:

“On The Market will be run for agents by agents and we believe that listing all our properties on the new portal will be in the best interests of our clients. We predict that within a year On The Market will be the second biggest portal in the UK and be the biggest in five years. We estimate that, overtime, there will be savings for all agents of up to 70% by joining the new portal. The duopoly of the current two biggest portals means that prices are continually going up – and that pushes up costs and is not in the best interest of our clients.

On The Market provides an opportunity for agents of all sizes to regain control of their online advertising costs and to provide a better and more cost effective service to customers. We estimate that 5,000 agents are yet to make up their mind about joining the new portal but we are convinced it will grow to be the best property search site for selling and letting property in the UK.”