Spicerhaart has issued a statement saying it will, if necessary, seek a High Court injunction following what it describes as an attempt by rival chain Countrywide to poach its customers before OnTheMarket's launch.
The statement from Spicerhaart, issued yesterday through a PR company, was accompanied by copies of letters appearing to come from Countrywide agents and allegedly written to Spicerhaart clients.
They suggested Spicerhaart was withdrawing from both Zoopla and Rightmove portals.
Spicerhaart - which in the statement called itself a founder member of OnTheMarket - said last month that it would keep Rightmove as its one other portal' and would instead be dropping Zoopla.
Its statement to the press says it is viewing the unsolicited approach by Countrywide agents as potentially libellous.
Paul Smith, Spicerhaart's chief executive, says: This is a scurrilous attempt to perpetrate a deliberate plan of misinformation. We have already announced our intention to retain Rightmove and join OnTheMarket which will be run for agents by agents and we believe that listing all our properties on the new portal will be in the best interests of our clients.
The letters at the centre of Spicerhaart's complaint appear to come from Blundells in Yorkshire, from Mann in Kent, and from Abbotts in Essex.
There has been no public comment by Countrywide so far.
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