Purplebricks has removed advertising claims which suggested it sold homes for a higher sum, on average, than rival agencies.
The Advertising Standards Authority says it received a complaint about Purplebricks regarding a claim that it sold properties for £8,000 more on average than the top five agency brands.
The claim also suggested that it sold homes more rapidly than the same top five.
“The complaints queried the accuracy of these claims and whether they could substantiated and verified” a spokesperson for the ASA has told Estate Agent Today.
“Purplebricks agreed to remove the claims, and on that basis the matter was resolved informally” the spokesperson adds.
Purplebricks has famously rejected previous requests by journalists, agencies and analysts to reveal information about its sales record.
This is thought to be the 14th time that the agency has been the subject of one or more complaints to the ASA.
In the early years of the agency it was the regular subject of many complaints, but these have tailed off; the complaint before this latest one was in July 2020 when Purplebricks agreed to change misleading wording relating to deferred payments.
The ‘informally resolved’ status is the lowest level of finding from the ASA, and indicates the authority is satisfied the advertiser will amend the wording to conform with its code. There will be no formal investigation or further action about the issue.
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What it could truthfully state is that at 60,000 instructions listed per year, for last two years, it listed more than the top three agents added together, and one of those is Countrywide PLC - (RIP sadly). That is the narrative I would go down. As to the amount of property listed, SSTC, exchanged and taken off the market - all of that data is freely available, if you would like it Graham - just ask an analyst. Zara my co-director knows the figures - and she is only four - well 28 in dog years. You might have to take her on her favourite walk - which will involve squirrels but she is the font of all knowledge, and loves to share things (though not her yellow ball or her favourite blue cow toy).
60,000 instructions yes a cheap listing agent who don't do much after listing it. Would be a more honest statement the ASA would allow. LOL
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You really are insufferable.
Maybe it should also think about removing the current kickboxing ad where they state they "hate estate agents that charge commission". Calling what they get paid a fixed fee rather than commission is a rose by any other name surely? At least a commission is fair as it will be based on actual selling price rather than what, COULD BE, an inflated initial marketing price!!
So should the matter simply be considered closed on the basis that there is a significant trend here? So you can mislead the public time and time again and simply get asked to remove it. Once is an accident twice is a trend. 20 times is a conscious and deliberate attempt to deceive.
The government does it all the time and gets away with it, too!
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