Agents rapped over claims by industry watchdog

An estate agency has had a complaint against it upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority.

The agents had distributed a flyer which said: “Having just SOLD a house in your road means that our knowledge of the market, with respect to prices, could not be more up to date.

“The conclusion of this sale has left us with many purchasers who were disappointed in missing this particular home, but are still anxious to buy in your road. If you are considering a sale, whether now or in the near future, contacting us today could make the whole process that much easier …”

However, a rival agent, a Remax office, complained, saying there had been no properties on that particular road which had recently been sold.

The agents, Town & Country of Glasgow,  argued that a property had been advertised for sale throughout last November, with a formal offer made on it in early December.

But the ASA said the leaflet had been distributed during the week starting November 16, before the offer was made. The ASA said the agents had been unable to prove that a sale on the road had been completed, and ruled that the leaflet was misleading.

Town & Country were told not to use the leaflet again unless they had documentary evidence to confirm a recent sale.