Estate agents have filed a £1.5bn legal claim against Rightmove at the Competition Appeal Tribunal, alleging the property portal charged “excessive” and “unfair” subscription fees over many years. The action, brought today by Jeremy Newman, a former panel member at the Competition and Markets Authority, represents what could become one of the largest group legal actions in UK property history. More than 250 estate agencies have already expressed interest in joining the claim.
Competition claim filed at tribunal
The claim alleges that Rightmove abused its dominant position in the online property portal market and consistently raised prices without proper justification. According to the claimants, Rightmove generates profit margins of around 70 percent – the highest of any FTSE 100 company. Newman said: “There has been an extremely encouraging response from estate agents since we announced this legal action. The stories shared by businesses, both small and large, have confirmed long-held concerns in the market about Rightmove’s conduct.” He added: “Filing this claim today advances the route to meaningful compensation for those businesses who have had very little choice but to absorb excessive fee increases for many years.” The action follows a period of mounting pressure on letting agents, who face rising compliance costs alongside portal fees. With landlords also exiting the market ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act, agents have seen managed portfolios shrink while operational costs continue to climb. James Hain-Cole, a partner at Scott+Scott UK LLP, which is supporting the claim, said: “For years, thousands of businesses have been captive customers of Rightmove, which faces no effective competition. It’s therefore been allowed to financially squeeze its subscribers by consistently and materially raising prices without proper justification or explanation.” The legal action is fully funded by Innsworth Capital Limited. Rightmove received a pre-action letter informing them of the imminent proceedings in November last year.
What this means for landlords
- If you use a letting agent: Portal costs are typically passed through in management fees – any successful claim could eventually ease cost pressures on agents and landlords alike.
- Watch for: Rightmove’s response and any changes to its pricing structure as the case progresses.
- Bottom line: This action reflects growing pushback against dominant platforms – the outcome could reshape how property portals charge for their services.
Editor’s view
The scale of this claim reflects years of frustration among agents who felt they had no alternative but to pay whatever Rightmove asked. Whether the case succeeds or not, it signals that the days of unchallenged pricing power may be ending. For landlords relying on agents to market their properties, any rebalancing of costs in this part of the supply chain would be welcome news.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 1 April 2026
Sources: Competition Appeal Tribunal filing, Scott+Scott UK LLP, rightmovefeesclaim.com
Related reading: Six in ten letting agents fail to display client money protection certificates
