Warring agents resolve dispute over ad claiming property had been sold

A row between two agencies over an advertisement claiming one of them had sold a property the other had failed to sell has been settled informally through the Advertising Standards Authority.

Cleethorpe agency Argyle Estate Agents complained to the ASA about a leaflet from rival firm Lovelle Bacons, which had produced a leaflet depicting ads for the same property.

One ad showed a property with Argyle Estate Agents and featured the text “On the market and not sold” while text next to an ad from Lovelle Bacons featuring the text “On the market with us and SOLD”. 

Argyle, which believed the sale of the property was subject to contract, challenged whether the comparison was misleading.

The ASA says it approached Lovelle Bacons which told the authority had been sent out in error and that they had taken steps to ensure it did not happen again. “Based on the assurances we received we considered the matter resolved and closed the case informally” says a spokesman for the authority.

Meanwhile in another informal closure of a complaint, the ASA says an online advertisement by Belvoir Property Management featured an image of a property for rent with the wording “reduced yesterday”. 

A complainant challenged whether the ad was misleading because they had seen the property advertised the day before at a lower price.

Again the ASA approached the advertiser which agreed to remove the claim “reduced yesterday”.