Dodgy survey boosts online agents - including one that doesn’t exist

A survey claims that millions of potential sellers would use online estate agents - and bizarrely, this includes an online agency that doesn’t even exist any more.

The home insurance wing of comparison service GoCompare has published a survey claiming that 42 per cent of potential sellers would shun traditional High Street estate agents and of those the vast majority would be willing to use online firms. 

The results have been sent to consumer and property trade publications.

But they raise questions because the survey - of 1,240 randomly selected homeowners - was conducted four months ago; the results have only just been issued.

In addition, the survey says one of the online agencies the public would consider using is Tepilo: this agency actually went into administration in December 2018 as part of the collapse of the original Emoov company.

A lesser point is that the survey results also refer to ‘Purple Bricks’ - a spelling of the online agency’s name, Purplebricks, which suggests an unfamiliarity with the subject.

The survey goes on to claim that only 57 per cent of homeowners would use High Street agents as a first choice; this was apparently particularly the case for those aged 55 or over.

“Older homeowners are more likely to be involved in a complex chain of house sales, which might require more time and expertise to keep the sale together” says the survey.

The survey also claims that eight per cent of owners would sell privately through advertisements on social media or in newspapers, and a further one per cent would even consider raffling their home.

Then the survey makes substantial reference to the 49 per cent of people who would - apparently - be more likely to use a hired van or their own transport to undertake a DIY removal. GoCompare claims these individuals may be at risk of invalidating their home contents insurance.

Estate Agent Today put its concerns about the survey to the public relations firm that issued the results. 

EAT was told there was no specific reason for the four month delay in issuing the results and that other points regarding Tepilo and Purplebricks would be passed to GoCompare.