An independent estate agent has launched a petition urging authorities to investigate property portal Rightmove over alleged anti-competitive pricing.
Shaun Adams, owner of Cooper Adams estate agency in East Preston, has called on the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to examine whether Rightmove is abusing its dominant market position by imposing excessive price increases.
“Despite already generating enormous profits, Rightmove has announced yet another excessive price hike—an 18% increase, nearly seven times the UK inflation rate of 2.5%,” Adams said. “This is not about improving services; it is about exploiting their market dominance at the expense of independent agents.”
According to Adams, estate agents are now faced with two unfair options: accepting the price increase or opting for a slightly lower 15% rise while being locked into a restrictive new contract.
He is calling for the CMA to investigate Rightmove’s pricing structure and introduce fairer policies that prevent small independent agents from being disproportionately affected.
“Unlike corporate chains, independent agents do not benefit from preferential bulk pricing deals,” he said. “Large agencies pay significantly lower fees, while smaller businesses are forced to absorb these relentless increases or pass them on to sellers and landlords—ultimately harming consumers.”
The petition has been launched as frustration grows among smaller estate agents, who argue that Rightmove’s pricing strategy puts them at a disadvantage in an increasingly competitive market.