Portals: Zoopla chief challenges Brexit, OTM reports new visits and leads

Zoopla chief executive Alex Chesterman has been revealed to be one of the business leaders behind a legal challenge regarding the Brexit vote.

London law firm Mishcon de Reya has launched a legal challenge with the backing of business clients - unnamed until now.

However, the right wing political website Guido Fawkes claims one of the business leaders funding the bid is Chesterman. 

It quotes what it calls “an email to other businesses” from Chesterman who says:

“If the correct constitutional process is not followed then the notice to withdraw from the EU would be unlawful and open to legal challenge… 

“With this in mind, Mishcon de Reya, on behalf of a number of clients have commenced a legal process to ensure the UK Government will not trigger the procedure for withdrawal from the EU without parliamentary approval and have, subsequent to his article, retained Lord Pannick QC to act as counsel in this action.These steps seek to ensure that any Article 50 notification process is lawful.

“I strongly encourage you to support this important issue. We want to ensure that this once-in-a-generation issue is handled properly under UK law with the correct constitutional process applied to an irreversible decision of this magnitude.

“Please can I ask you to action as follows below:

1. Email Mishcon to lend your support/name to this process

2. Please use the hashtag: #mpstodecide and share/tweet the link to the Mishcon press release

3. Use this email as a basis to send your own version to your network to encourage wider support”

Meanwhile in other portal news, challenger portal OnTheMarket has released its latest figures for leads and visits.

OTM received over eight million visits in June, as measured by Google Analytics - the portal says this represents a 33 per cent increase since January. 

However, there has been no figure release on the number of agent offices joining the portal - the latest statement simply says “the number of agent offices listing with OnTheMarket continues to grow” along with a more general claim that “we continue to work to build the portal and to strengthen competition.”

Back in May OnTheMarket said it had the support of over 7,000 estate and letting agency offices; this included those formally contracted now and those who have signed letters of intent to join Agents' Mutual when the figure hits 7,500.

Since that time the portal has been hit with a reported class action from some agents allegedly unhappy at the fees charged and quality of service.